Lambic Sweetness

Since getting into the joy of craft beer tasting, I’ve had some complaints regarding the beers that I recommend saying that they are too strong and intense. In answer to these concerns I have written this Weblog about Lambic (yes they are considered beers despite their sweet taste) and Fruit Beers.

Lambic is a very distinctive type of beer brewed only in the Pajottenland (that’s a mouthful) region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) and in Brussels itself at the Cantillon Brewery/Museum. Lambic is now mainly consumed after re-fermentation, resulting in derived beers such as Geuze or Kriek.

Unlike conventional ales and lagers, which are fermented by cultivated strains of brewer's yeasts, lambic beer is produced by spontaneous fermentation: it is exposed to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley, in which Brussels lies. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavor: dry, wine-esque, and cider-y, usually with a sour aftertaste.

Lambic with the addition of raspberry, peach, blackcurrant (cassis), grape (druif), or strawberry (aardbei), as either whole fruit or syrup. Perhaps the most popular style (at least currently) is Framboise (French pronunciation: [fʁɑ̃bwaz]) (from the French for raspberry) or Frambozenbier (Dutch) is a Belgian beer that is fermented using raspberries. It is one of many modern fruit beer types that have been inspired by the more traditional kriek beer, made using sour cherries.

Next is Kriek which is re-fermented in the presence of sour cherries with secondary fermentation in the bottle, traditional versions of kriek are dry and sour. Other, rarer fruit limbic flavorings include apple (pomme), banana (banane), pineapple (ananas), apricot (abricotier), plum (prunier), cloudberry (plaquebière), lemon (citron), and blueberry (bleuet). Fruit lambics are usually bottled with secondary fermentation.


Perhaps my favorite fruit enhanced beer is Sea Dog’s Blueberry Ale. A fruit ale that features aromatics and subtle flavor enhanced by Maine wild blueberries. Most of its favor is in the nose, the body of the beer has a cloudy lager consistency.

Other light, sweet tasting beers include Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat and Arbita’s Purple Haze or Strawberry Lager.

Plus there is always the Cider route if none of these tickle the drinker’s fancy. There’s a variety of American ciders like Hornsby’s or Woodchucks. There are also the overseas imports like Strongbow or Magners.

Many craft breweries brew fruit beer alternatives and any of these aforementioned might make the tenderfoot’s first few beer endeavors much more satisfactory!