Malt aroma & flavor
Sweet malt character should not be present
Belgian and French Origin Ale Styles
Belgian-Style Lambic
Ale · Gold to medium amber
What to expect
Malt character: Sweet malt character should not be present. Hop character: Not present to very low, and can include floral or other attributes. Hop character is achieved by using stale and aged hops.
Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.Color · SRM
6–13
Pale / strawBlack
Gold to medium amber · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Explore styles overlapping this color rangeAlcohol · ABV
5.0–8.0%
Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.
Bitterness · IBU
11–23
Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 27 · PDF page 36. Color graphics are illustrative.
The guideline, in detail
Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.
Hop aroma & flavor
Not present to very low, and can include floral or other attributes. Hop character is achieved by using stale and aged hops.
Perceived bitterness
Very low
Body & mouthfeel
Very low with dry mouthfeel
Clarity
Cloudiness is acceptable
Color
Gold to medium amber
Fermentation characteristics
Characteristic horsey, goaty, leathery and phenolic aromas and flavors derived from Brettanomyces yeast are often present at moderate levels. High to very high fruity esters are present. Traditionally, Lambics are unblended and spontaneously fermented. They express high to very high levels of fruity esters as well as bacteria and yeast-derived sourness. The primary sour character should be lactic. A slight amount of acetic sourness may sometimes be present but should never be harsh or overwhelming. Some modern versions are fermented with the addition of cultured yeast and bacteria. Carbonation can range from absent to very low. Wood-derived flavors may range from low to medium. Wood-vanillin, if present, should be low.
Additional guideline notes & competition context
Lambics originating in the Brussels area of Belgium are often simply called Lambic. Versions of this beer style made outside of the Brussels area cannot be called true Lambics. These versions are said to be ‘Belgian-Style Lambic’ and may be made to resemble many of the beers of true origin. Historically, traditional Lambic is dry and completely attenuated, exhibiting no residual sweetness either from malt, sugar, or other sweeteners. Sweet “modern” versions may be created through the addition of sugars or other sweeteners, in which case sweetness should be restrained and balanced by complexity and acidity. Traditionally, Lambics are brewed with unmalted wheat and malted barley.
Technical specifications, including gravity
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.044-1.065 (11-16.0 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.000- 1.010 (0-2.6 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 4.0%-6.4% (5.0%-8.0%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 11-23 • Color SRM (EBC) 6-13 (12-26 EBC)