What You Need to Know
A coolship is a type of brewing vessel traditionally used in the production of beer. It is a broad, open-top, flat vessel in which wort cools. The high surface to volume ratio allows for more efficient cooling. Contemporary usage includes any open fermenter used in the production of beer, even when using modern mechanical cooling techniques. Traditionally, coolships were constructed of wood, but later were lined with iron or copper for better thermal conductivity.
Steps
- 1.
Lambic beer (Belgium): Essential for spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts
- 2.
Gueuze (Brussels): Blending of young and old coolship-fermented beers
- 3.
Faro (Belgium): Lambic beer sweetened with candy sugar after coolship fermentation
The Science
Primary Reaction
Spontaneous fermentation by wild yeast and bacteria