Plants and Society 7th Edition by Estelle Levetin ,Karen McMahon

Exercise 2

Yeast exists in many different strains; the selection of the strain will determine to a great extent the flavor and other desirable characteristics of a beer. Lambic beers from Belgium are unique in the modern beer-making industry because they rely on spontaneous fermentation. In the lambic process, the wort is exposed to the open air to be inoculated by windborne wild yeasts.
Can you think of any difficulties that might arise from the practice of spontaneous fermentation Does it surprise you that lambic beer is produced successfully in only a small area around Brussels and only during the months of October to April, when outside temperatures remain under 15°C (59°F) Explain.