Craftsman Bier De Garde

Brewed by Craftsman Brewing Co.
Style: Bière de Garde
Pasadena, California USA

Tasted at the 2004 Pizza Port Strong Ale Fest. Medium orange color. Small sized white head. Aroma is fruity, spicy and sweet. A medium bodied Bier De Garde. Malts are fruity and sweet, orange, cherries and spicy. A slight hint of some earthy qualities, and some other spices as well. Very sweet, but not cloying. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Pours a hazy amber color with a thick creamy tan colored head. The nose has a spicy note of clove to it that is joined by a nice malty background component, both of which make sure that they are not passed by. The beer has a medium-bodied fullness to it, at least for a Bier De Garde. The taste is quite spicy, I get notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove (dominant), and a certain sweet component to it. There is a bit of fruitiness here as well that reminds me of apples, plums, and raisins. This is definitely interesting, and I like how the fruitiness mixes with the spices, made more remarkable by the fact that there is only supposed to be a bit of rosemary in here as far as spices go.

on draft, strong ale fest, pizza port carlsbad december 2004 sweet aroma, great flavor

orange-ish amber with a thin halo of suds...sweet, alcoholic and cough medicine-like aroma with notes of fermented cherries...sweet, fruity(cherry) flavors with added complexities like cheesecake and grape...nice and chewy and pretty damn sweet..though not overly so....heating to boot.

Oak aged at o’briens- Poursa deep reddish briown hue with a a light off-white head. Alcohol isn’t apparent in nose or flavor. Aromas of swetness and a little citrus. Flavor sof alt, and some light citrus with hints of spice.

Dark amber almost copper colored brew. Spicy nose. Clove seems to be one of the added spices. Sweet but well balanced with the spice. Another great brew from this brewer!

Light, sweet flavors of fruit, spices and flowers. Very smooth with the 8% ABV not detected. This was delicious, I wish Craftsman would bottle their beers!

This beer poured a rich reddish brown w/ orange highlights and ok head w/ slight lacing. Bananas and hazelnuts dominated the nose, while soury fermented fruit, grapefruit, and banana sweetness appeared in the mouth. I found this beer to be dry on the palate and smooth, it coats the mouth.