Castelain St. Amand French Country Ale

Brewed by Brasserie Castelain
Style: Bière de Garde
Benifontaine, France

My first biere de garde (my bottle is the alias for this beer, "St. Amand"). Pours copper with white/tan head. Aroma of sweet leather, notes of apricot and very subtlee herbs (lavender?). Palate is smooth and medium bodied. Yeast was pleasant pseudo-lambic. I will try this again for sure.

Bottled. Labeled as "St. Amand French Country Ale" and is 5.9% ABV. Pours copperish amber. Minute off-white head. Dissipates very quickly. Nose is malty and fruity, albeit slightly, while having some faint floral notes and light earthiness. Taste seems to expand on this. More furit notes and malt, but the earthiness comes through moreso and there’s a light flowery note along with a light mherbal note. Body is medium to near full with a pleasant creaminess and carbonation. Begins to dry out nicely towards the end. Finishes with more malt and earthiness. Light fruit notes as well and almost a candy-ish note. Nice BdG!

Bottled 750 ml as Frech Country Ale, St Amand Amber/Orange color. Quickly dissipating white head. Floral, citrusy orange smell. Medium body. Not a lot of taste. some ending bitterness. Not bad but nothing special.

10.06.04 750ml bottle. Okay, I thought there was something wrong with me until I read some of these reviews. Murky, marbled caramel color. Lighty, and I mean lightly, malty, somewhat lagery aroma with touches of salt and butterscotch. Flavor is weak, bland, and uninspiring. Pretty sweet in a watery, flat soda kind of way. Thin body. Very nice, acidic-dry finish, but zero bitterness. Much paper and butterscotch in flavor; sugary front to back. I’m not so happy to have spent $8 on this experiment.

Bottle (as St Amand Bier de garde): Copper with big tan head, awesome lacing until the last sip. Funky yaesty hay nose. Underlying sour taste dray and grassy at the finish. Touches of vanilla and pear.

Amber color. Spice hop nose. Mild mouthfeel. Apple. Citrus. Light fruits -- pears. Some skunky flavors. Decent.

Slightly hazy deep orange-red. Nose best described as very, very dusty. Bit of brandy, some cherries, a bit sweet as well. Flavor is fruity, finishes very dry, bit musty as well.

Lovely, rosy amber hue, like a nectarine skin, with a thick, fuzzy, creamy, beige-toned head. Fresh fruit and bold effervescence in the nose, floral, herbal, with a hoppy zest, juicy and jubilant, making me anxious to raise it up to my lips, ...and away we go... mmmm, big, brisk, bouyant feel in the mouth, happy hops on the palate, tingles the tongue. Medium to full body, never -ending fruit factor, peach, apricot, cherries, mango and more...I'm liking it big-time. Very glad this comes in the economy-size package, which allows me to sample more tastiness at one time. Overall, this is an excellent hoppy session ale, like a fruity saison, perhaps? In my first review, I merely rounded it up as a French Alpha King...nowadays, I say "not quite, but almost"....I still like it lots, though...