A Better Bubbly


Photography by Judi Swinks

If you’re tired of Champagne and looking for something sparkling and festive to toast the New Year, try lambic-style fruit beer as an alternative to the basic bubbly.
    The best fruit lambic has the dry quality of pink champagne and, like the celebration staple, is regularly served in fluted glasses in Belgium, where it originated more than 500 years ago. Lambic beer differs from conventional ales and lagers in that it relies on spontaneous fermentation using wild yeasts and bacteria instead of being fermented via cultivated brewers yeasts. The process gives the beer its unique dry flavor with a slightly sour aftertaste. Often, the beer is blended a second time with syrup or stone fruit like cherries or peaches that allows a wonderful balance between almond and dryness.
    In Alameda, you can find lambic beer at Speisekammer (2424 Lincoln Ave., 510-522-1300) where owner Cindy Kahl says Louis Framboix, a raspberry-flavored variety, is popular at the bar and always in stock. You can also order lambic beer at Lost Weekend Lounge (2320 Santa Clara Ave., 510-523-4700). If you’re looking for a bottle or two to take home for a New Year’s toast, visit Farmstead Cheeses & Wines (1650 Park St., 510-864-9463), which has an impressive selection of lambic-style beer. Cheers!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           —Laurie Zerga