Is a lambic beer if bacteria is used during fermentation stage?

Question

Yesterday I posed a question about Sake that produced several good-great answers from EtOHRx, Beer Monster and Alesmith; aka Flavor Vortex. It evolved around ingredients and processing as definition.

Today, I ask the above as during the fermentation natural and-or added yeast and bacteria are used. Still a beer?

Answer 1

You know it is but it is fun on the debate line.

My question is does the bacteria produce ethanol or acid or both?

If ethanol then it leaves no doubt it it is a beer.

If acid perhaps still a beer partically flavored by acid production-lowering of pH and thus sour.

Answer 2

Of course lambics are beer. Great beer in fact.

I read an article that said lambics have 4 fermentations. Two are yeast and two are bacteria. So I would say that no matter what it is a beer.

Answer 3

Yes, as long as the beverage contains fermented grains it is called beer. Some would argue that you need yeast, not bacteria. That may have been the thinking at one time but not anymore. Many bacteria strains are being used to produce some great beers.

Answer 4

Truly a BEER of unequaled dimensions and natural history. Find below some of my fav sites plus a couple new ones for myself on the current subject. The Babel Belt site listed last below, in my opinion, is the best on Belgian beers-period. HiredHand is correct about two microorganism class fermentations for a total of four (4). Flavor Vortex gives a nice answer on the bacteria and "Valley of the Sun" in Belgium where lambics are brewed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambic

http://www.beeripedia.com/index.php?titl...

http://www.bjcp.org/2008_Guidelines.pdf

17. SOUR ALE

http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/1913...

http://www.allaboutbeer.com/features/223...

http://hbd.org/brewery/library/LambicFAQ...

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/50

http://belgianstyle.com/mmguide/style/la...

Answer 5

I would argue yes because the sugars are still derived from a mash and furthermore cereal grains but according to the other thread I have no idea what I'm talking about ; )

Despite the likely presence of bacteria in many wild beer styles they are still primarily fermented with yeast.  

Some purists will argue that it's only lambic if it originates in the Senne Valley of Belgium though but that's an argument for a different question.

EDIT:

The bacteria produce both just to answer your question.  They're LAB (lactic acid bacteria, pedioccocus, lactobacillus...) but they are biologically fermentive (vs. respiratory) in nature.  Lambic as I understand it from my own brewing requires a controlled bacterial fermentation finished with a competitively larger yeast fermentation unless you get a replicated yeast strain/blend such as Bruxellensis from Wyeast.  This is why the Senne Valley is so special because it has this naturally occurring equilibrium of yeast and bacteria in the air.

Answer 6

Yup. Style family II, number 2. (That's the classification, not what it tastes like BTW.)

Answer 7

they are beers but it takes a lot of getting use to

Answer 8

i would only drink natural ice just to be safe