Though I do not like the idea of a "favorite" style of beer, I would have to say that biere de garde approaches something near the mark. I'm not sure, but it may be the "rustic" drinkability similar to the English bitter and pale ales that introduced many of us to the broader orbit of the beer world. It may be it's uniqueness not only being a French style, whose Gallic pride in culinary liquidity are usually in reference to wine, but also to it's relatively rarity. In the world of beer, biere de garde simply does not have the name recognition that Pale Ale and Stouts do. However, that may be changing, so while I am not on the knife-edge of future trendiness, I do expect to see more and more of this style in the market as well as more and more American brewers (including this writer) attempt their own interpretations.
There are actually a variety of color interpretations (pale golden to dark amber) and alcohol levels (anywhere between 5-8%), so an exact description may not be fully possible. However, it is kissing-cousin (more or less) to the Belgian Saison, both of which are considered farmhouse ales; clean, sturdy, malt-based beers with a low hop profile, the Belgian Saison being the spicier of the two. From what beer historians know, they were originally brewed in the fall and laid down over the winter (the name itself means beer for storing), and broken out in the spring time for consumption by farm hands during the planting season. For this reason alone I believe it was a lower gravity brew, though we cannot be sure. Belgian and French brewers (this particular area of France borders Belgium and remember an international border is just a line on a map) did not write down their recipes very often, not being overly concerned with style. It was just "beer" to them, and so it should be to us.
La Bavaisienne is currently one of the highest rating biere de garde on Beer Advocate, one of my main reasons for pursuing this beer. It pours a light brown color with a large frothy white head, and much carbonation. I drank from my Chimay goblet, which made the beer very attractive and inviting. The nose is slightly spicy, but toasty and earthly as well. Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, yet well carbonated and not thick. Taste is a toasty, biscuity, slightly earthy and yeasty, with an undercurrent of prickly orange-like spice that does not distract from the malt. The toasty malt profile is unusual, as is the hop presence, for this style. Very smooth and grainy, with a subtle caramel flavor from front to back. Finishes mildly dry, with touches of sweet spicy alcohol that reminds you of the 7% ABV.
Overall, this is an excellent offering, but far too expensive to be an everyday session beer. Buy for special occasions and perhaps try with a mild pork dish or chicken. This particular version was probably heavier than others I've had, but 3 Monts, Jenlain, Castelain, and Gavaroche are also excellent choices should you choose to branch out and experiment.
Enjoy.
Labels: beer reviews