Bière de Garde
Bellwoods Brewery

Bomber from brewery.

Pours dark orangey copper with a finer of foamy offwhite head. Nose is dycetal, belgian yeast, farmhouse and big malt profile. Taste is similar, largely malt forward with yeast, caramel and dycetal. Mouthfeel is moderate, creamy.
Overall a decent beer, interesting style.

Bottle drank side by side with the barrel aged version.

A - Medium translucent amber colour with a small film of off-white head.

S - Bread, caramel, Belgian yeast and cloves.

T - Big sweet malt presence up front with bready and caramel notes. Some Belgian yeast and cloves as well but both are more muted than the nose indicated.

M - Medium body with a nice chew. Light carbonation.

On tap at the brewery, into a tulip.

Ruby red with a white head. Minimal retention and light webbed lacing. Nose is earthy, spicy, caramel. A light farmhouse-y yeast character. Taste has malty caramel, earthy and spicy rye contributes. Some alcohol, red stone fruit character. More saison yeast and drying feel. Medium full body, booze is prevalent. A pretty good beer and interesting take on the biere du garde style, but alcohol needs to be toned down.

On tap at Bellwoods.

Copper/caramel coloured. Small white head fades quickly. Good lacing.

Earthy notes in the nose, some light spice, ginger sticks out for me. Not a very complex scent.

Caramel malt and yeast in the taste, a bit of musty funk. Earthy flavours and a dry, dark fruit. A bit of spice. Some booze at the finish and a touch of sweetness.

Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Booze is more noticeable than I would have thought but not a lot.

Overall, quite good.

On tap at Bryden's. Excellent representation of the style. Just the right spicy aroma characterized by the style. Served surprisingly cold. Even better at warmer temperature. Cloudy golden to light brown and lacey, with a small retained head. Tasty stuff, carbonation right there. Smooth mouthfeel, greatly enhancing drinkability.