Dude De Garde
Sly Fox Brewing Company

Enjoyed this beer as part of the Tria Cafe's Fermentation School course "The Dude on the Farm" with Scott Morrison. The Dude poured this beer himself from a 12 hour old growler, so the body and flavors likely vary from straight draft version.

App: Dark, clerar and chestnut colored body. Small head, almost none. Clean, clear and with only very subtle floaters.

Aroma: Interesting small. Sweet with notes of caramel, spice, fruit, and wet dog.

Taste: Soft and light up front. Nice malty, slightly funky middle with notes of roasted nuts and wet dog. Solid but interesting hop finish.

Mouth: Clean, light, crisp, and mouth filling. Light up front and fills out throughout the drink.

Drink: Yes, drinkable and good. Has a lagered style to it and reminiscent of an Octoberfest actually.

From notes. Tasted at Sly Fox, Phoenixville on 5/15/2007:
- Clear, ruby-accented chestnut. Short creamy head of yellowed white. Drops shortly but leaves some nice lace (dirty glass?).
- The nose expresses soft red/dark fruit and mild peppery spice.
- Medium bodied. Delicate. Spritzy, very fine-bubbled carbonation.
- The flavor offers the same fruitiness. Spicy and mildly grassy hops. Toasty malt with an edge of caramel. Bold bitterness. Some alcohol.
- Round and balanced, but with an aggressive, spicy, bitter and hoppy edge. Interesting and unique!

Screw-cap growler received via GIF8 by stewdawg. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" beige head over the clear dark amber brew. Head fades sedately, with heavy sticky lacing. Aroma is spicy, with fruity notes and some alcohol apparent. Taste starts with spicy maltiness, hits with the light fruitiness in the middle, and then the flavors fade away with an undercurrent of alcohol lingering. Mouthfeel is crisp and clean, and drinkability is quite easy. Another Sly Fox that would be able to sneak up on you rather quickly, not that there's anything wrong with that...

It had been a while since I had made it to Phoenixville, so I had a sampler of their seasonal beers, and the Dude was the most impressive and intriguing. It’s not every day you come across a beer of this style. I had to take a growler of it home, and enjoy more of it back at home that night. Medium copper color with a small, off-white, creamy head that diminishes to a thin, tenacious film. Some sparse lacing. Smell is of thick roasted malts up front along some nice earthy aromas, caramel, alcohol and light smoke. Taste basically follows suit, with sweet malts up front, and moderate-light dry, bitter hops on the finish with a very nice spread of flavors interspersed. Alcohol, toffee, wood, raisin, light dark fruit, and a little musty on the finish. It has a medium-full body and a crisp texture. Definitely glad I had a chance to try this beer. Worth stopping by to try while it’s around.

I treat of a coincidence that the 5th Annual BA gathering ended up going to Sly Fox Phoenixville and I had the opportunity to try the Dude de Garde brewed by the Dude, Scott Morrison, who also made an appearance at our event.

Appearance: Served a copper amber color with a small off white head and a very little lacing.

Smell: Juicy malt aroma (if I may steal your term HombreWing;) with caramel, raisins, and lots of raw sugar. A hint of vinous alcohol shows through as well.

Taste: Of course beer is always served too cold at a bar and this is no exception. The wet barley does show more depth as it warms but the beer seems a bit sugary to start. As it warms some hints of toffee and woodiness become more noticeable. I would give it some more time and come back to this one.

Mouthfeel: a rather chewy sweet feel through the mouth with a dryness left on the cheeks.

Drinkability: It is a bit warm but the flavors are very nice. There does seem to be a tad too much alcohol was showing through at the moment though I think it will develop nicely. I found it more a beer to finish on than start on. Oh well.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Appears a semi transparent amber with a small, off white head that slowly fades out. Small amounts of lacing are scattered around the glass.
Smell is of caramel, earth notes, raisins, toffee, brown sugar, vanilla cream, cherrywood, light citrus, some gentle rubbery funk, and mild roasted cocoa nib notes buried deep in the background.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with gentle spicing and a mix of layered flavors.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, light amounts of CO2, dry with wood like hops finishing off the enjoyment of this well done brew.