1234 Broad Street
The Libertine Brewing Company

 

Gentle to moderate pour yields a 1/2 inch slightly off-white head over a bright amber body with some creamy, lumpy lacing. Musty nose of citrus (grapefruit, lemon), funk (cellar, slight wet horse blanket), and oak. Taste mirrors nose somewhat closely with a nice tartness, pink grapefruit flavor, grass, and oak. Nice feel with a white wine-like finish. Overall, a very nice Biere de Garde from California's Central Coast. Cheers!

Type: 750-ml. bottle
Glass: Karl Strauss 26th anniversary .25L tulip
From: Trader Joe’s in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Price: $12.99
Purchased: June 4, 2017
Consumed: Jan. 19, 2018
Reviewed as: Bière de Garde
Misc.: No bottled on date; Cap and cork cap

Picked this up back on June 4, 2017 in Santa Barbara, two days after visiting their brewery en route to the Firestone Walker Invitational. Was still new to the style (Bière de Garde), but had liked the few I had before. This one was labeled on the front as, “A rare wild ale having been fermented & barrel-aged in French oak.” Was looking forward to it.

Poured a copper/garnet clear color with 2-to-3 fingers of white, rocky head. Lots of bubble “waves” coming up from the bottom of the glass. Excellent uneven foamy lacing. World-class foamy retention. (Sight - 4.50)

Smelled a nice mix of sour and malty notes. Got dry oak, white wine barrels, honey, Lemon Drop candy, tart, funky Brett, Sweet Tart and hints of cherry. (Smell - 4.25)

Taste was not quite as good as the nose. Very funky. Also white wine barrel, woody oak, Lemon Drop candy, Brett, Juicy Fruit gum, lemon lime tart and Smarties candy. (Taste - 4.00)

Medium body. Oily texture. Lively carbonation. Long, dry oaky finish. (Feel - 3.75)

This was pretty good for the style. Probably the best and most complex Bière de Garde I’ve had. (Overall - 4.00)

4.07 | 91 | A-

 

 

 

a really cool sour biere de garde, which we just done see enough of, this is at once malt and rich but also sour and woody and mature, its great beer, but at the same time, as good as it is, it could have basically been made by anyone, and it lacks that special sense of place or terroir or something. solid brew, i like the malty bits and the bubbles and the body and the acidity and the oak, but again, this is familiar when it should be weird, and thats a mark against it in my book. notes of biscuit and honey on the grain side, straight alpha bitterness on the hop side, and a neat yeast side of things that has a little old woody musty funk at the same time that it has lactic citric sourness. lemons and split wood, its tasty beer but it isnt unique. for the price, i ask for a little more, and this will inevitably slow down my rate of trying these pricey bottles. carbonation is good, its off dry, and its mature for sure, but to me its missing its soul, and that counts for a lot. my least favorite libertine beer so far...

 

2017-03-03
750ml capped/corked bottle, I think I bought it in Sunnyvale and brought it home last December. I don't see a date on the bottle. I poured roughly 2/3 of the bottle split between a pair of large snifters, so most or all sediment should remain in the bottle.

Pours a clear, pretty coppery amber with a medium sized head and a medium amount of fine carbonation. Head seems to be lasting a while. Smell is tart, funky, spicy. Maybe a little oaky, too.

Taste is quite tart, green grapes and/or apricots. Definitely some funk going on in here too. I think the oak is still in there, but not too overpowering.

Mouthfeel is dry, airy, nice. I like this beer.