The Bar Towel

As Lubiere states, Lactobacillus is sometimes a contaminant, but it is also sometimes intentional. Berliner Weisse and Flemish oud bruin styles (and probably others) use Lactobacillus (and sometimes other bacteria) to impart a sourness (and other qualities) to the beer.

Here is a post for all the fans out there of vagueness.

At one time this guy from Germeny/Belgium/Croatia/Antwerp

told me there was a brewery tour he had visited in which they would leave the fermentation vats open and from the ceiling of this old school brewery this bacteria would naturally drip from the roof.


I only remember the story because they offered samples before and after the tour, but once people saw how it was made, they would'nt have another after.

It is tough to enjoy beer, good stories about it, and remember that story the next day, let alone a year later.

Good thing brewmasters write all that important stuff down. Geez

Any info is much appreciated as I slowly try to fill the holes in that swiss cheese I call my brain.

At one time this guy from Germeny/Belgium/Croatia/Antwerp

told me there was a brewery tour he had visited in which they would leave the fermentation vats open and from the ceiling of this old school brewery this bacteria would naturally drip from the roof.




Before the invention on the plate and frame heat exchanger, breweries had a low tech way of cooling their wort between the brewkettle
and fermenter.

The beer was pumped into a large and shallow tank maybe 2 feet deep. The tank or 'Coolship' was usually located on the top floor of the brewery. Louvres or windows were opened allowing the breeze to blow through and cool the beer. When the beer was sufficiently cool for yeast pitching, it was gravity fed or pumped into the fermenter. wire screens on the windows did their best to keep the pigeons from pooping in the fresh wort.

The wort was most succeptible to infection when it cooled closer to fermentation temperature. The Belgians would deliberately allow their beer to become inocculated by the local flora and faunna in order to lend their lambics their distingtive house character by way of spontaneous fermentation. Other breweries used a similar system, but by pitching fresh yeast right away, the fermentation would take off quickly and drop the ph before any of the 'local character' could take root.

In addition, often the fermenters had open tops allowing further local character to get in the beer. this is more common with ale breweries where the fermentation goes faster, and has a big fluffy krausen of yeast on top.

One of the theories of the origin of the name'steam beer' is that the condensation coming off the coolships was seen by the locals in the neighboring beer garden, prompting them to call it steam beer.

As you may guess, the really funky belgian beers aren't necessarily my cup of tea, but there is a lot of interesting beer history and culture behind how things are today.

Thanks guys. I appreciate all vast beer knowledge you can stuff int to my giant pita head.

It's all a learning process, and I'm glad that some are willing to inform others without tainting it with condescension.

I like Bar Towel more than apricots!

-Chin Chin