Lambic Discussion Thread

[beerherder]

Milk crates seem to work pretty well. I just use racks and a wine fridge.

I use milk crates as well - ended up getting some slightly oversized ones (from Container Store I think)

 

[iong516]

Just passed on a $50 2018 GCB on a shelf... SF distro is great but the pricing, oof

 

[RuckIt]

Pulp wine shippers have been my go-to recently. They’re stackable, safe, and compact. I know that’s not what you’re asking for, but if you can’t find a bin you like these are a good option.

Cardboard and that pulp material are breeding grounds for mold and bacteria. If you’re storing in a dry closet somewhere that’s probably fine, but in a non temp controlled basement, you’re asking for issues.

 

[NClambicguy]

Just passed on a $50 2018 GCB on a shelf... SF distro is great but the pricing, oof

Yeah that’s nutty. Great beer (in 5-10 years) but no reason to drop nearly that coin on it.

 

[iong516]

Cardboard and that pulp material are breeding grounds for mold and bacteria. If you’re storing in a dry closet somewhere that’s probably fine, but in a non temp controlled basement, you’re asking for issues.

I'm going to need to look at some stuff I'm storing in cardboard cases in a friend's basement, good tip

 

[Lamnic]

Cardboard and that pulp material are breeding grounds for mold and bacteria. If you’re storing in a dry closet somewhere that’s probably fine, but in a non temp controlled basement, you’re asking for issues.

Ok I can't use a cardboard box for storing bottles now? This seems like overkill.

 

[stakem1]

Ok I can't use a cardboard box for storing bottles now? This seems like overkill.

Couple years ago I designed an oscillating bomb shelter to store all my bottles. It slowly spins and rocks like a pendulum. This serves a couple different purposes. For one, I dont have to worry about horizontal vs upright storage as they get to have equal time in both positions. Another added benefit is that it keeps the yeast and bugs in constant movement. Constantly moving makes them healthier, happier and dizzy.

 

[BadJustin]

Ok I can't use a cardboard box for storing bottles now? This seems like overkill.

I used to do this, until one day I picked up a case of Tilquin that was on top of another case that the bottom fell out. Luckily I had no breakage but ever since, I have done milk crates as well. All my boxes got damp and soggy.

 

[primebeer]

I opened a De Cam Abrikoos Rabarber over the weekend. It was.. weird. Smelled and tasted something like Italian herbs. Couldn't detect apricot or rhubarb at all. Very earthy and herbal and backed up by a slightly tart base. I have one more bottle of it that I'm going to let sit for a year or two but was curious to see is anyone else has opened one recently.

 

[Saind]

I opened a De Cam Abrikoos Rabarber over the weekend. It was.. weird. Smelled and tasted something like Italian herbs. Couldn't detect apricot or rhubarb at all. Very earthy and herbal and backed up by a slightly tart base. I have one more bottle of it that I'm going to let sit for a year or two but was curious to see is anyone else has opened one recently.

I had one a week ago. Lotsa rhubarb, the apricot was muted but definitely there. I get what you mean with the Italian herbs but I think I associated that with the rhubarb

 

[boogercrack]

Couple years ago I designed an oscillating bomb shelter to store all my bottles. It slowly spins and rocks like a pendulum. This serves a couple different purposes. For one, I dont have to worry about horizontal vs upright storage as they get to have equal time in both positions. Another added benefit is that it keeps the yeast and bugs in constant movement. Constantly moving makes them healthier, happier and dizzy.

Be careful here, I read somewhere that the oscillations of such a cellar have to match the frequency of a 3 kilo pendulum swung from 0.75 meter height on a 1.5 meter magnum rope reset every three minutes to account for decay and only at the exact lattitude of the pattjonland for the polar forces or some ****. Otherwise you risk the bugs getting motion sickness and that’s where butyric acid comes from.

 

[BadJustin]

Couple years ago I designed an oscillating bomb shelter to store all my bottles. It slowly spins and rocks like a pendulum. This serves a couple different purposes. For one, I dont have to worry about horizontal vs upright storage as they get to have equal time in both positions. Another added benefit is that it keeps the yeast and bugs in constant movement. Constantly moving makes them healthier, happier and dizzy.

Be careful here, I read somewhere that the oscillations of such a cellar have to match the frequency of a 3 kilo pendulum swung from 0.75 meter height on a 1.5 meter magnum rope reset every three minutes to account for decay and only at the exact lattitude of the pattjonland for the polar forces or some ****. Otherwise you risk the bugs getting motion sickness and that’s where butyric acid comes from.

 

[RuckIt]

Ok I can't use a cardboard box for storing bottles now? This seems like overkill.

My explanation was pretty clear, but I’ll expand if you’d like.

Cardboard (especially corrugated) and paper pulp based products absorb and retain moisture exceptionally well. Even small amounts of moisture in the air due to humidity, or minor condensation due to fluctuations in temperature can cause the water content to increase. Cardboard also is a pretty decent insulator (just ask those fine folks under the overpass).

Mold, mildew, and other “bugs” thrive in dark, warm, damp environments. If you’re storing cardboard boxes in a basement that fluctuations in temperature and/or has uncontrolled moisture, you’re risking growth.

Now, there’s simple ways to minimize the risk. Storing the boxes off the ground, ideally on a wire rack, will be enough for most people - air flow around the box is extremely helpful. Storing in non-corrugated cardboard is also a big help, as surface growth is tougher to achieve than growth inside those corrugations. For those of us who have no temperature control in their cellars, running a dehumidifier also works wonders.

I’m not saying you’ll definitely have issues if you store in cardboard, but the risk is exceptionally higher.

 

[jbdpsu82]

So I have two 100-plus-bottle (because it never fits as many as they say) wine fridges that I store my lambic in. These are fairly recent purchases - within the past year or so. Has anyone run into long term problems using wine fridges? I'm not sure what the problems could be, perhaps lack of humidity, but that's why I'm asking. I figure if they're good enough for wine, they're good enough for lambic. But, perhaps I'm missing something.

 

[wuntrikpony]

perhaps I'm missing something.

Did you lay the fridge on it’s side with the door facing Belgium?

 

[jbdpsu82]

Is the fridge on it’s side?

I'm in the process of having stakem install a gyroscopic room in my house. So in the mean time I tip the fridges over and flip them on the sides to keep up the positional variability. I lost a few bottles until I installed safety belts for each bottle.

 

[wuntrikpony]

I lost a few bottles until I installed safety belts for each bottle.

Lambic safety belts seem like a product that should exist.

 

[nathanmiller]

Anyone ever build their own bottle racks from wood? Am thinking of doing so because my neighbor has all the wood tools one could need and he offered to help. I just need plans really.

 

[andrewcschultz]

Anyone ever build their own bottle racks from wood? Am thinking of doing so because my neighbor has all the wood tools one could need and he offered to help. I just need plans really.

Stupac has plans for building shelves. I aspired for a while to do them myself, but wound up buying a wooden wine rack off amazon instead. Still haven't assembled it, though, because I'm a pain in the ass and decided to seal the components up with copious amounts of polyurethane, and because I can't decide whether I should be panicked about the small amount of ambient light my cellar gets.

That reminds me: should I be panicked about the small amount of ambient light in my cellar? Do I need to box up my racks so they are light-tight? Please don't tell me I have to put up walls in my basement so I have a dedicated room for my storage racks. (Or is it "please DO tell me I have to put up walls in my basement so I have a dedicated room for my storage racks"? I can never decide.)

 

[jbdpsu82]

Do I need to box up my racks so they are light-tight? Please don't tell me I have to put up walls in my basement so I have a dedicated room for my storage racks. (Or is it "please DO tell me I have to put up walls in my basement so I have a dedicated room for my storage racks"? I can never decide.)

Have you tried installing a small black hole in the center of the room to trap the light?

 

[stupac2]

Stupac has plans for building shelves. I aspired for a while to do them myself, but wound up buying a wooden wine rack off amazon instead. Still haven't assembled it, though, because I'm a pain in the ass and decided to seal the components up with copious amounts of polyurethane, and because I can't decide whether I should be panicked about the small amount of ambient light my cellar gets.

My racks aren't great unless you're super concerned about earthquakes. They're kind of a pain to build, you can't control the depth on the side pieces very well without a router (although if you have one then it's fine), and the storage density isn't great. I'm actually thinking about replacing them with more classic wine racks now that I'm comfortable with my tablesaw, making the requisite 5,000 little piece of 0.5x0.5 no longer seems as daunting.

That reminds me: should I be panicked about the small amount of ambient light in my cellar? Do I need to box up my racks so they are light-tight? Please don't tell me I have to put up walls in my basement so I have a dedicated room for my storage racks. (Or is it "please DO tell me I have to put up walls in my basement so I have a dedicated room for my storage racks"? I can never decide.)

Not for lambic. I have a hard time believing that between the aged hops and the extended in-barrel/bottle aging there's anything left to skunk. But maybe I'm wrong! duketheredeemer is our resident beer chemistry expert. If your area is like my old place and it's a basement/crawlspace with some ventilation areas that light can get through, you're probably fine since that light won't be direct. Block direct light. But otherwise I can't imagine it matters.

 

[BadJustin]

My racks aren't great unless you're super concerned about earthquakes. They're kind of a pain to build, you can't control the depth on the side pieces very well without a router (although if you have one then it's fine), and the storage density isn't great. I'm actually thinking about replacing them with more classic wine racks now that I'm comfortable with my tablesaw, making the requisite 5,000 little piece of 0.5x0.5 no longer seems as daunting.

Not for lambic. I have a hard time believing that between the aged hops and the extended in-barrel/bottle aging there's anything left to skunk. But maybe I'm wrong! duketheredeemer is our resident beer chemistry expert. If your area is like my old place and it's a basement/crawlspace with some ventilation areas that light can get through, you're probably fine since that light won't be direct. Block direct light. But otherwise I can't imagine it matters.

Oh, Oh, I can answer this! So when I first started getting into Lambic I discovered Tilquin via a trade. I recall my LBS had like 6 375's that has been sitting on the shelf for literally years. Top shelf, flouescent lights, that kind of stuff. So I bought them. I distinctly remember opening one with Chouffe outside at my old place during a small share one night (the night we drank Peleg B1 and some dude puked in the bushes) and sure as ****, skunked like a ************. All the other 5 were as well. So, in my experience, yeah but I bet it would take quite some time.

 

[Gaseous Clay]

Cardboard and that pulp material are breeding grounds for mold and bacteria. If you’re storing in a dry closet somewhere that’s probably fine, but in a non temp controlled basement, you’re asking for issues.

Huh, never thought about that. My cellar is a temp and humidity controlled off-site wine locker facility, so I’m assuming it’s ok, but I’ll have to check in and report back.

 

[andrewdrinks]

Anyone ever build their own bottle racks from wood? Am thinking of doing so because my neighbor has all the wood tools one could need and he offered to help. I just need plans really.

LuxWanderer

 

[Lupulin the 3rd]

Huh, never thought about that. My cellar is a temp and humidity controlled off-site wine locker facility, so I’m assuming it’s ok, but I’ll have to check in and report back.

How much do you pay for your storage?

 

[nachojon]

Bottled 17 May 18. Pretty much flat, the cherry and honey are strong with this one, very tannic. Barely getting any barrel and really subdued funk while feeling a bit washed out. Kinda disappointing, to be honest.

 

[nachojon]

Bottled 17 May 18. Pretty much flat, the cherry and honey are strong with this one, very tannic. Barely getting any barrel and really subdued funk while feeling a bit washed out. Kinda disappointing, to be honest.

EDIT: got tons better as it warmed, still flat tho.

 

[iong516]

Bottled 17 May 18. Pretty much flat, the cherry and honey are strong with this one, very tannic. Barely getting any barrel and really subdued funk while feeling a bit washed out. Kinda disappointing, to be honest.

Well I'll be damned, another anniversary bottling date. This year we're probably doing DHVL 20th or 5/17/2016 3F Kriek (which is not on the bottle log SeaWatchman )

 

[NClambicguy]

Well I'll be damned, another anniversary bottling date. This year we're probably doing DHVL 20th or 5/17/2016 3F Kriek (which is not on the bottle log SeaWatchman )

Isn’t this is?

 

[iong516]

5/17/2016