Aging lambic

[PowPow]

About a year ago I brewed 5 gallons of lambic and it has been in the fermenter since then.

The plan is to split the batch to get one part on fruit, one part on bottles and the third part in a 1 gallon glas bottle to be saved for a future geuze.

The question is, should I put an air lock on the 1 gallon bottle, or just put an ordinary air sealed cap on it?

 

[Calder]

Use an airlock. There is some small amount of activity going on, and if you seal it, it will pressurize.

 

[Jipper]

Yeah I would recommend an airlock as well. May want to change out the sanitizer occasionally as well, depending on how long you let it age.

 

[Twinkeelfool]

Sorry to hijack, but are plastic fermenters ok for lambics?, and what temps can they handle for ageing?, I can only fit one in my garage, which can get to mid to high 30's Celsius in summer, and down to low teens in winter.

 

[sweetcell]

Sorry to hijack, but are plastic fermenters ok for lambics?, and what temps can they handle for ageing?, I can only fit one in my garage, which can get to mid to high 30's Celsius in summer, and down to low teens in winter.

if by plastic fermenters you mean Better Bottles, then the answer appears to be yes. lots of people age sours in BB's with no issues.

those temps swings are extreme. do you have a basement? the temps there will be much more consistent that 30C/10C. i would age my sours there.

 

[PowPow]

Use an airlock. There is some small amount of activity going on, and if you seal it, it will pressurize.

Yeah I would recommend an airlock as well. May want to change out the sanitizer occasionally as well, depending on how long you let it age.

Thanks, I will use an air lock then.

I will age for another 2-3 year.
What would the downside be if it pressurized? A hazzle to blend later I guess, but is there any other aspect I dont know about?

 

[levifunk]

Actually, after a year, there likely isn't going to be much CO2 activity to speak of. I would think you would be fine sealing it. What is the gravity at?

There is still activity going on, but nothing that kicks off CO2.

 

[PowPow]

Actually, after a year, there likely isn't going to be much CO2 activity to speak of. I would think you would be fine sealing it. What is the gravity at?

There is still activity going on, but nothing that kicks off CO2.

That was my first thought too. But i will go with the air lock, just in case.

I will take the first gravity reading tonight.

 

[PowPow]

The gravity was 1.008.

Some funk in the flavor but not very sour at all. Was hoping for a more sour taste..

 

[levifunk]

oh wow, yea, keep an airlock on it. At a year it won't be overly sour, just tart. Let it keep going. Also, you should wait until the base is ready before adding fruit.

 

[PowPow]

Ok, so no fruit yet.
Is there anything I should do to get it more sour? Except wait, that is.

It wasn't sour at all now. Maybe the bugs need something to eat?

The recipe was:

6.6 lb pilsner malt
6.6 lb wheat malt (malted)
0.13 lb maltodextrin
0.6 lb Tettnang hops, for 80 minutes (90 min boil)
2 smack packs of wyeast belgian lambic blend
No turbid mash