Bière Vide Lambic

Mash at 122°F (50°C) for 30 min, 152°F (67°C) for 75 min, 168°F (76°C) for 10 min. Sparge with 180°F (82°C) water. Boil for 90 min. Hops used in boil included homegrown Centennial hops aged at room temperature for 4 years, and other low-alpha hop pellets set out at room temperature for a few years.

Pitched Roeselare Ale Blend and added dregs from a few wild fermentation beers I enjoyed. Fermented at basement temperatures between 62°F (17°C) and 72°F (22°C) year-round.

Brewed this five times over the course of about 14 months with minor variations due to ingredients on hand in order to step up the culture by re-pitching fresh wort on yeast cake/culture and transferring clearing wort into secondary fermenter. When this was done, the secondary vessel was purged with CO2 prior to and following the transfer. With first addition to secondary fermenter maltodextrin was added, along with bottle dregs from multiple high-quality wild beers, and a packet of Brettanomyces Bruxellensis. Also, occasionally added bottle dregs throughout fermentation when I came across an especially good wild beer in order to increase the diversity of bacteria and yeast in the culture. Aged one year in secondary before bottling.

Bottled using Champagne yeast and corn sugar to 3 vol. (6 g/L) CO2 guessing it would end up slightly lower due to aging time.

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