Lambic extract Kit?

[Hojo3322]

Hey guys, I am looking for a little help. I am a relatively new home brewer (1 year 14 batches) and wanted to brew my first lambic. I have had some trouble finding a lambic extract kit. The only one I found was

http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/products/Nightfall-Blackberry-Lambic-Kit.html

which seems really cool but a little expensive. Does anyone have some suggestions for an extract kit or a proven recipe they have used. I love funky sour beers and really want to give myself the best chance to create a funk/sour beer. any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[buttcord]

I've brewed the following recipe exactly with amazing results.

http://***********/stories/beer-styles/article/indices/11-beer-styles/979-lambic-brewing

Piatz’s Basic Lambic
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)

OG = 1.056 FG = 1.016 or lower
IBU = 0 SRM = 3 ABV = up to 5.2%

Ingredients

3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) light dried malt extract
3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) wheat dried malt extract
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) malto-dextrin powder
3 oz. (85 g) well-aged hops
mix of brewers yeast, “wild” yeasts and bacteria
(Wyeast 3278 (Lambic Blend) or mixture of commercial cultures and microbes cultured from commercial lambics)

 

[TopherM]

You may want to wait a while and get some more experience under your belt before you start working with wild yeast and bacteria. A few things to consider:

1) A lambic is going to need to be well aged, tying up your equipment for some time. As a new brewer, you likely don't have many extra fermenters around.

2) Once you ferment with wild yeast and bacteria, it is best practices to never use that fermenter for normal beer again, as it is very difficult to completely rid it of the wild yeast and bacteria. I do a few sours here and there, and I have a dedicated sour bucket that I only use for sours. Many other brewers who do this style less often just throw away the fermenter completely. If you can afford to basically ruin one of your fermenters at this point in your new brewing career, go for it. I just know I wasn't when I was in your shoes.

Good luck!

 

[Hojo3322]

Thanks for the info guys,
@buttcord that was a very helpful article and a nice simple reciprocity too. Do you aged your hops?

@topherm I am aware of the equipment investment for these types of beer. I will probably do 2 or 3 infected beers in row giving me some time to get new siphon and carboys. Have you had any luck or have a favorite sour/funk recipe?

 

[Calder]

1) A simple light recipe is fine. Wheat + 2-Row. Extract is fine.

2) Limit OG to around 1.056. High alcohol inhibits the souring bacteria.

3) Limit IBUs to 10. High IBUs inhibit the souring bacteria. Aged hops are not necessary

4) If you use a glass fermenter, it is easy to clean. I think you can adequately clean plastic fermenters with a decent bleach soak. Hoses should certainly be dedicated to sours only.

5) Any sour blend. No starter. You can (and it is sometimes recommended) leave the beer on the trub (no secondary).

6) Add any dregs you get from bottles as you get them.

7) Don't worry about oak or oxygen, it doesn't need it (apart from the initial aeration). Just stick a regular airlock on it.

Don't use a bucket for long-term storage. The lid can leak too much around the seal. Use a better bottle of glass fermenter.

I have found making a decent sour beer is pretty easy, It just takes a long time.

 

[Hojo3322]

great advice, thank you