Wild Brews by Sparrow Jeff

Author:Sparrow, Jeff [Sparrow, Jeff]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook
Publisher: National Book Network - A
Published: 2010-03-12T06:00:00+00:00

French enologist Emile Peynaud noted the presence of Brettanomyces on the walls and dirt floors of French wine cellars, and that “the winemaker should imagine the whole surface of the winery and equipment as being lined with yeasts.” For hundreds of years, European winemakers have been returning the pressed-out skins of wine grapes to their vineyards as fertilizer. The naturally selected yeast strains that inhabit those skins have become so ingrained into the terroir that some wine-makers can achieve consistent results with the spontaneous fermentation of newly pressed must. In the vineyards of the United States, however, such consistency, even in vineyards that have been around for more than a hundred years, may still be centuries away.

The favorable conditions for spontaneous fermentation along the Senne Valley were also no accident. The concentration of fruit trees and vines, combined with the abundance of traditional farmhouse breweries around Brussels, made an ideal environment for the necessary wild yeast and bacteria to become airborne and reside in the buildings. To add to matters, fruit flies and bees have been shown to spread Breuanomyces and other oxidative yeasts. Such insects were certainly an unavoidable part of farmhouse brewing. Lactic acid-producing bacteria live on raw grain and may be especially prevalent if grain is milled near the other brewing operations. One can only imagine what microorganisms were spread by the animals living in and around the farmhouse breweries at a time when sanitation was not considered a priority in brewing.

The brewery buildings in the Senne Valley have always been important to spontaneous fermentation within the region. The microorganisms necessary for spontaneous fermentation survive in the exposed wooden beams and floors and porous whitewashed walls of the lambic brewery. Considering the loss of the Schaarbeek cherry orchards surrounding Brussels as a continuing source of fresh wild yeast, the buildings now play a greater role than ever before.

People sometimes ask why there have been no completely new spontaneous fermentation breweries opened in Brussels or the Payottenland, much less anywhere else? The problems surrounding a new brewery involve patience and money, and owners often have neither. The capital required to open a top-or bottom-fermentation brewery is generally raised with the expectation of a return on investment within a reasonable period of time. If everything goes right, a viable lambic product may be available within a few years and a blended product within five years. If everything goes according to plan ….

People serious about spontaneous fermentation should consider a number of factors. The first: a source of wild yeast. Consider locating your brewery (or home) downwind of a fruit orchard. A few fruit trees in the backyard may be enough for a homebrewer. A windy spot is a good idea. (The coolship room at the Melbourn Brothers brewery, high above the skyline of Stamford, is a bit like a wind tunnel.) If you are a fruit grower with a barn or extra wooden shed, you may have an entirely new opportunity.

Second, the wild yeast and bacteria necessary for fermentation require an environment conducive for their development.

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