What can I say about this masterfully crafted spontaneous beer? It is literally the BEST TASTING beer I have had in a long time! And that counts for ALL Belgian styles. I picked up this bottle from Redding’s Liquor Barn.
ABV: 5/5%
AGE: There was no brewing date on the label. The label says the liquid was aged in oak barrels for 2 years before bottling. It shows the bottling date of 9/20… but of what year?
APPEARANCE: Liquid color- medium amber with orange hues. Easy 2-finger height, faint off-white colored head (and this was pouring gently!) large and small bubbles in the foam. Lacework was dense as the foam collapsed, and as the liquid was consumed. Meniscus, medium rising.
AROMA: Before pouring the liquid into the tulip shaped glass, powerful Gueuze-like aromas wafted from the bottle! Lots of funk, light bready-grainy notes, citrus notes of grapefruit, Buddah’s Finger lemon pith, freshly harvested hay. de Garde Brewing knew what they were doing when they dry hopped this ale with Amarillo hops, as that varietal also adds citrus flavor and aroma that is closer to oranges than grapefruit. The citrus character is backed by some light floral notes as well as melon and peaches.
TASTE: The aromas definitely carry over into the flavor. Perfect level of sourness, complimented with the appropriate level of hop bitterness.
AFTERTASTE: Medium plus finish, puckering factor is moderately high. Perfect aftertaste of citrus notes from the fermentation. It invites you to take that next sip!
IMPRESSION: I don’t know why I waited so long to try a spontaneously fermented beer from de Garde Brewing! Better late than never, I suppose! If you are a fan of Lambics, Gueuzes, “sour” beers and the like, you MUST try their beers- crafted at world class level. If you are in the Tillamook, Oregon area, a visit to the brewery is also a MUST! I will definitely be back for more as Redding’s Liquor Barn has 4-5 other flavors from de Garde Brewing to try. This is a perfect beer for Summer, or for anytime of the year for that matter! Pair with a wide variety of cheeses, meats from a well apportioned charcuterie platter, seafood or game dishes. In my top 50 beers of all time.
Santé!
Gordon A. Ponce
CEO – Beer Review Journal
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