Oast House Brewers Bière de Garde Bière de Garde at 7% ABV (C$16.29 at Zyn, 750 ml, bottle date 11-Mar-2015, acquired 16-Feb-2017, reviewed 22-Feb-2017)
Appearance: hazy amber-brown with two fat fingers of fluffy beige head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dried fruit, brown/burnt sugar, bready yeast. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, lively carbonation, mildly sweet warming finish. (3/5)
My second kick at this particular cat: I actually bought one of these at the brewery last summer, but made the lamentable error of throwing it in the freezer for a little chill, then letting She Who Must Be Obeyed convince me I didn’t need to run back to the room to take it out. I coulda cried. Anyway, on to the beer. I’m still trying to figure out the Bière de Garde style, despite the fact I’ve had three or four of the BJCP reference examples. The thing is, this can vary all the way from blonde to brown, and I think this might be the darkest of the style I’ve ever had. Add to the fact that there’s a couple years’ cellaring on this, and you’ve got something that, except for the carbonation and lower ABV, I’d be hard-pressed to distinguish from an Abt or Quadrupel. And not a bad one, either. (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
