312
edits
Changes
→Barrels
===Barrels===
Lambic breweries do not like fresh barrels. Used red or white wine barrels are preferred. Most of the oak character has been stripped from the barrel, so not much oak flavor will come through in the final lambic taste. Barrels vary widely in size, including sizes such as 267 liter Tonnes, 550-650 liter Pipes, and 3,000 to 20,000 liter Foudres. Larger barrels or foudres are preferred over smaller barrelsEach rbewer has their preference for their ideal barrel size. These barrels are typically made from oak, or chestnut, or cedar.
A beechwood twig brush called a ramon is used to scrub out the sediments, and, as needed, the barrel can be scraped clean by spinning sharpened chains inside it. The barrels are washed with hot water and steamed to sanitize and prepare them for use. If they are to be stored empty, sulfur is burned in them to preserve their sanitation. Because wooden barrels tend to carry microbiological agents, the extent to which the barrel is cleaned significantly impacts the beer that it produces. Sanitation of barrels is extremely important as the process used lead to substantial variation in the beer produced.<ref name=LambicTreasure>Lambic: Belgium's Unique Treasure, http://morebeer.com/articles/lambicbrewing</ref>