Schlafly Bière De Garde | The Schlafly Tap Room
Brewed by:
The Schlafly Tap Room
Missouri, United States
schlafly.com
Style: Bière de Garde
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Our Bière de Garde invokes the tradition of the farmhouse ales of Northern France, renowned for their subtle aromas of apricot and allspice. Four different types of malt create a toffee sweetness, while French Strisselspalt hops add a subtle spice flavor. The beer is fermented with a distinct French farmhouse ale strain, then bottle conditioned with extra sugar and yeast for at least two weeks.
Bière de Garde translates to “beer which has been kept or stored”. This traditional, artisan farmhouse ale from Northern France was brewed in early spring and stored in cold cellars for consumption in warmer months. While related to its spicier, tarter Belgian cousin Saison, Bière de Garde is a richer, sweeter beer.
20 IBU
Added by BeerAdvocate on 10-31-2007
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Ratings: 251 | Reviews: 107
Reviews by jakea:
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
jakea, Apr 19, 2014
More User Reviews:
3.61/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Copper color with a thick, tan head that shows great retention and lacing.
Aroma has sweet, toffeeish, bready malts, light perfume, and fruity belgian yeast.
Chewy and malty in the mouth with sweet toffee dominating the flavor. Tastes like a bock with a belgian twist. Too sweet to be very drinkable for me. Overall, pretty good, not really engaging at any point.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Copper color with a thick, tan head that shows great retention and lacing.
Aroma has sweet, toffeeish, bready malts, light perfume, and fruity belgian yeast.
Chewy and malty in the mouth with sweet toffee dominating the flavor. Tastes like a bock with a belgian twist. Too sweet to be very drinkable for me. Overall, pretty good, not really engaging at any point.
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3.9/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Served chilled into a Duvel goblet, we have a hazy amber body topped by a creamy looking almond head. Some island chain and sheet lacing on the sides of the glass.
Aroma is herbal and minty hops with a hint of caramel. Some yeasty funk in the background.
Mouthfeel is a creamy medium with a soft, but active, carbonation.
Taste opens dry, herbal, and slightly minty. Not a lot of funkiness. Caramel sweetness offers a solid malt backbone. Nicely balanced. Very nice, but nothing here reaches out and says this is a topnotch biere de garde. Perhaps, with some age this one might really impress. Still, quite nicely done and one I would be happy to revisit soon.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Served chilled into a Duvel goblet, we have a hazy amber body topped by a creamy looking almond head. Some island chain and sheet lacing on the sides of the glass.
Aroma is herbal and minty hops with a hint of caramel. Some yeasty funk in the background.
Mouthfeel is a creamy medium with a soft, but active, carbonation.
Taste opens dry, herbal, and slightly minty. Not a lot of funkiness. Caramel sweetness offers a solid malt backbone. Nicely balanced. Very nice, but nothing here reaches out and says this is a topnotch biere de garde. Perhaps, with some age this one might really impress. Still, quite nicely done and one I would be happy to revisit soon.
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4.13/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Large bottle from DeCicco's in Ardsley, NY. I can find no freshness or bottling date info. Orange cap FWIW. Pours cloudy darker honey amber, with a dark orange hue. Lifts a large loose medium khaki head, gong to a 1/4 inch film and nice lace all the way up to where the top of the head was. Musty, fruity and malted up nose. Complex and inviting BDG, some spice, some mustiness, a Belgian yeasty note. More flavor notes floating across the tongue need to be mentioned, ripe pears, and light raisins, with earthiness abounding. Yeasty final pour, adds the expected cloudy light brown look and a hint of nuts. Really enjoyed this one.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Large bottle from DeCicco's in Ardsley, NY. I can find no freshness or bottling date info. Orange cap FWIW. Pours cloudy darker honey amber, with a dark orange hue. Lifts a large loose medium khaki head, gong to a 1/4 inch film and nice lace all the way up to where the top of the head was. Musty, fruity and malted up nose. Complex and inviting BDG, some spice, some mustiness, a Belgian yeasty note. More flavor notes floating across the tongue need to be mentioned, ripe pears, and light raisins, with earthiness abounding. Yeasty final pour, adds the expected cloudy light brown look and a hint of nuts. Really enjoyed this one.
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3.55/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: 1/3 inch head, hazy, orange-brown in color
Smell: toasted malt, honey, fruit, and small earthiness
Taste: lots of caramel malt, honey, small earth, grass, lemon, and apple
Mouthfeel: medium bodied, high carbonation, very sweet
Drinkability: A super malty and earth beer that gets better as it warms. Very good but not my favorite in the style. A sipper that I may pick up again.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: 1/3 inch head, hazy, orange-brown in color
Smell: toasted malt, honey, fruit, and small earthiness
Taste: lots of caramel malt, honey, small earth, grass, lemon, and apple
Mouthfeel: medium bodied, high carbonation, very sweet
Drinkability: A super malty and earth beer that gets better as it warms. Very good but not my favorite in the style. A sipper that I may pick up again.
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3.78/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Brown to copper in color with exceptional clarity. There's a fingernail of tan around the rim and covering over three fourths of the top. Light lacing. The aroma is earthy and also reminiscent of toasted oats. The taste is along the line of toasted oats and lightly sweet bready malt. The mouth is moderately carbonated, dry, and dense.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Brown to copper in color with exceptional clarity. There's a fingernail of tan around the rim and covering over three fourths of the top. Light lacing. The aroma is earthy and also reminiscent of toasted oats. The taste is along the line of toasted oats and lightly sweet bready malt. The mouth is moderately carbonated, dry, and dense.
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4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle purchased from the Wine and Cheese Place via mail order.
Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a white head that leaves decent lacing.
Smells of light malts with moderate amounts of leafy hops. Also present are slight amounts of pear and green apple aromas.
Tastes similar to how it smells. Mildly sweet light malt flavors up front are joined quickly by mild amounts of pear and green apple flavors. Midway through slightly musty hops and breadiness from the yeast come into play, fading out into a mildly bitter ending. Mouthfeel is good, with smooth carbonation.
Overall this was a solid beer but was a bit on the fruity side for my liking for the style. Still, it’s worth a shot.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle purchased from the Wine and Cheese Place via mail order.
Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a white head that leaves decent lacing.
Smells of light malts with moderate amounts of leafy hops. Also present are slight amounts of pear and green apple aromas.
Tastes similar to how it smells. Mildly sweet light malt flavors up front are joined quickly by mild amounts of pear and green apple flavors. Midway through slightly musty hops and breadiness from the yeast come into play, fading out into a mildly bitter ending. Mouthfeel is good, with smooth carbonation.
Overall this was a solid beer but was a bit on the fruity side for my liking for the style. Still, it’s worth a shot.
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3.85/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.05/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had on tap at Henlopen City Oyster house in Rehoboth Beach.
A: Was served in a nonic glass. The beer was a slighty hazy golden/orange color with a 1/2 finger white head on top. Nice head retention, and decent lacing was left on the sides.
S: A light fruity aroma with some orange, orange peel, and a little bit of pineapple. There is a toasty/bready malt undertone and a little bit of spice, mostly cloves.
T: Surprisingly sweet. Granted, this is my first Biere de Garde, and was not sure what to expect. Very nice fruit flavor with some light spice. Orange, pineapple, and a little bit of banana as well as cloves. It has a a light grassy/earthiness and a touch of caramel.
M: Medium bodied with lively carbonation. Very crisp drinking.
O: Quite nice. I was very impressed with this beer, and look forward to have another in this style. Had there not been other beers I wanted to try the night I had this, I would have gotten another one.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had on tap at Henlopen City Oyster house in Rehoboth Beach.
A: Was served in a nonic glass. The beer was a slighty hazy golden/orange color with a 1/2 finger white head on top. Nice head retention, and decent lacing was left on the sides.
S: A light fruity aroma with some orange, orange peel, and a little bit of pineapple. There is a toasty/bready malt undertone and a little bit of spice, mostly cloves.
T: Surprisingly sweet. Granted, this is my first Biere de Garde, and was not sure what to expect. Very nice fruit flavor with some light spice. Orange, pineapple, and a little bit of banana as well as cloves. It has a a light grassy/earthiness and a touch of caramel.
M: Medium bodied with lively carbonation. Very crisp drinking.
O: Quite nice. I was very impressed with this beer, and look forward to have another in this style. Had there not been other beers I wanted to try the night I had this, I would have gotten another one.
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4.17/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I was able to have my first beer by Schlafly at the 13th annual indiana microbrewers fest yesterday....
Ap: Clear, gold liquid with a pale white head
Smell: Predominantly cherries and sugar
Taste: Begins with cherries then goes to hop and overall mild sweetness
Mo: Medium body with light carbonation
A very good beer, with good drinkability!
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I was able to have my first beer by Schlafly at the 13th annual indiana microbrewers fest yesterday....
Ap: Clear, gold liquid with a pale white head
Smell: Predominantly cherries and sugar
Taste: Begins with cherries then goes to hop and overall mild sweetness
Mo: Medium body with light carbonation
A very good beer, with good drinkability!
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3.97/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours perfumed mildly spicy, with a soapy headed medium golden body. Very smooth drinker, that went well with a multi-course dinner. The citrus and pleasantly spicy taste was excellent on a hot night. Soft mouthfeel.Solid biere de garde, picked up in Madison about 9 months back.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours perfumed mildly spicy, with a soapy headed medium golden body. Very smooth drinker, that went well with a multi-course dinner. The citrus and pleasantly spicy taste was excellent on a hot night. Soft mouthfeel.Solid biere de garde, picked up in Madison about 9 months back.
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3.31/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Poured from a 750mL bottle into my Town Hall tulip.
Opaque burnt orange liquid capped by and vague ivory collar. No lacing; inferior retention.
Asian pear, apples, and fruity yeast in the nose.
Very sweet and full on the palate - coming across like a malty, mildly bitter/grassy cider. Dries out a little bit in the finish, but the caramel apple impression remains. Unfermented candi sugar and large amounts of crystal malt seem to be present.
Insufficient carbonation, full yet pond-water-like mouth-feel.
One gets the impression that the brewers of this ale never actually sampled a French farmhouse-style ale...though there is some similarity to a malt (rather than yeast) driven ale brewed by Fantome on an off day. Flavor and aroma are mostly pleasant none the less.
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look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Poured from a 750mL bottle into my Town Hall tulip.
Opaque burnt orange liquid capped by and vague ivory collar. No lacing; inferior retention.
Asian pear, apples, and fruity yeast in the nose.
Very sweet and full on the palate - coming across like a malty, mildly bitter/grassy cider. Dries out a little bit in the finish, but the caramel apple impression remains. Unfermented candi sugar and large amounts of crystal malt seem to be present.
Insufficient carbonation, full yet pond-water-like mouth-feel.
One gets the impression that the brewers of this ale never actually sampled a French farmhouse-style ale...though there is some similarity to a malt (rather than yeast) driven ale brewed by Fantome on an off day. Flavor and aroma are mostly pleasant none the less.
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4.13/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a semi-hazed caramel with a finger of cream colored head. Good lacing & very good head retention
S: Green apple peel & grassyness
T: Green apple peel, phenols, white pepper & some lemony hops. grainyness & brown bread up front. Apricot, pears & slight boozeyness are all there as this warms, plus a bit of coriander, white grapes & honey. Finishes with nice apple, pear & peach notes, plus a bit of honey
MF: Effervescent, medium bodied, semi-sticky, plus kind of warming
Drink pretty easy for the style & abv, a very good stab at the style, that I will try again in cooler weather to see if it is better or worse, This got a bit thick & boozey as the bottle drained
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a semi-hazed caramel with a finger of cream colored head. Good lacing & very good head retention
S: Green apple peel & grassyness
T: Green apple peel, phenols, white pepper & some lemony hops. grainyness & brown bread up front. Apricot, pears & slight boozeyness are all there as this warms, plus a bit of coriander, white grapes & honey. Finishes with nice apple, pear & peach notes, plus a bit of honey
MF: Effervescent, medium bodied, semi-sticky, plus kind of warming
Drink pretty easy for the style & abv, a very good stab at the style, that I will try again in cooler weather to see if it is better or worse, This got a bit thick & boozey as the bottle drained
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4.26/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.98/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Out of a 750ml capped bottle. Pours a hazy honey brown color with a nice frothy off-white head that slowly settles into a very puffy cap. The aroma has a tart lemony twang along with some belgian or hefe yeast phenol characteristics. The taste takes a 180 from the aroma. The taste is of caramel malt with a rye like spiciness, and brown sugar all resulting in an earthy flavor. There is also some metal and lemony flavors along with some subtle yeast phenols. The flavor is pretty spot on for the style. The beer has a moderate body with airy carbonation, an almost creamy texture; sweet throughout with some sour/tart notes popping through. A good Biere de Garde. It showcases the malt, has a nice earty spice quality and drinks easy. This is a real quality style when made well.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Out of a 750ml capped bottle. Pours a hazy honey brown color with a nice frothy off-white head that slowly settles into a very puffy cap. The aroma has a tart lemony twang along with some belgian or hefe yeast phenol characteristics. The taste takes a 180 from the aroma. The taste is of caramel malt with a rye like spiciness, and brown sugar all resulting in an earthy flavor. There is also some metal and lemony flavors along with some subtle yeast phenols. The flavor is pretty spot on for the style. The beer has a moderate body with airy carbonation, an almost creamy texture; sweet throughout with some sour/tart notes popping through. A good Biere de Garde. It showcases the malt, has a nice earty spice quality and drinks easy. This is a real quality style when made well.
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3.8/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from bottle. Review from notes.
A- Pours a semi-hazy golden orange color. Two finger white head that dies down rather quickly. Nice spotty lacing on the sides of the glass.
S- Nice rotting fruit (grapes and apples) smell. Light caramel malts in the background. Yeasty bready smell. Light barnyard funk here and there in the aroma.
T- Nice fermented fruit taste to this. Caramel malts and hops blend together nicely. Light barnyard funky sourness to this one. Some acidic overtones to this one.
M- Medium light mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. Drying on the mouth. Crisp tastes through and through. Bready yeast and apples is left on the palate and in the aftertaste. Light acidic tones as well.
D- This is a very nice drinkable beer. I enjoyed the sourness and funk in this. Nothing too over the top but this beer is great for what it is.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from bottle. Review from notes.
A- Pours a semi-hazy golden orange color. Two finger white head that dies down rather quickly. Nice spotty lacing on the sides of the glass.
S- Nice rotting fruit (grapes and apples) smell. Light caramel malts in the background. Yeasty bready smell. Light barnyard funk here and there in the aroma.
T- Nice fermented fruit taste to this. Caramel malts and hops blend together nicely. Light barnyard funky sourness to this one. Some acidic overtones to this one.
M- Medium light mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. Drying on the mouth. Crisp tastes through and through. Bready yeast and apples is left on the palate and in the aftertaste. Light acidic tones as well.
D- This is a very nice drinkable beer. I enjoyed the sourness and funk in this. Nothing too over the top but this beer is great for what it is.
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Schlafly Bière De Garde from The Schlafly Tap Room
Beer rating:
3.83 out of
5 with
251 ratings