Lost Abbey En Garde

Formerly brewed at Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Bière de Garde
San Marcos, California USA

Tap at EBF 07. Slightly cloudy blonde body topped by a long-lasting white head leaving good lacing. Aroma is woody and dessert-ish. Taste is just as woody. Rather intense too. Wood syrup and honey with unfocussed fruity flavours. Nice somewhat dry body. I’m usually not found of Bière de Gardes but this one was so totally taken over by the wood that it was just something else. Very nice beer. If my hair were a little lighter in color I could actually believe that this is sap from beer trees.

Draught at EBF, second day, on 2/10/07, served by Vince
Soft, lightly hazy peach-nectarine colored beer, with light golden-straw highlights and a surprisingly dense, white head that is mostly well-retained, and laces lightly. Lots of medium-sized bubbles in the liquid.
Very tart aroma definitely makes use of the barrel, where I found the non-barrel version to have a bit too much sweetness and sluggish maltiness. The barrel adds a firmness and light, grainy tannic note that seems acidic, but also juicy and really seems balanced to the sweet malts. Dry grass and herbal notes make you think there are herbs added to the beer while strong lemon and dry orange notes also create dryness. A bit of doughiness and lots of acidity on the end, but a very interesting "biere de garde" overall. Though I dont think you’d call this one a BdG anymore. The barrel adds way too much fruitiness and tartness, with tons of acidity.
Same acidic flavor seems to have a want of a little more malt depth, while lots of biscuity/grainy notes are exposed by the heavily dry fruitiness and tannic acids. Lots of barrel here, with vanilla, chamomile, lavendar and hibiscus notes lingering. Not sure where all the herbal notes are coming from, but with the fruitiness, acids and puckering tartness, it remains quite bright, but just too much for me. Highly carbonated mouthfeel and a very aerated/fluffy texture, thusly. Light alcohol vapors, in the aroma, by the end of the glass.
As an experimental beer, it’s very unique and pretty well-done, but don’t look at it as a BdG.

EBF 2007: Hazy gold in color with a big white head. Aroma, some grapes, oak, and a little sourness to it. Flavor, oak and some fruits, a bit of acidity, and a nice tartness on the finish.

Draft, sampled at Monk’s Cafe Lost Abbey dinner 2/6/07. We tried this alongside the bottled Avant Garde. Hazy golden amber color; darker and less carbonated than the Avant Garde. Minimal white head. Subdued aroma, with fruits and a bit of wood. The oak and vinous flavors build nicely on the base beer. Sweet-tart finish. very delicious.

Tap: "En Garde" Gold, light white head and nice lacing. Nose of pine/wood and citrusy hops. Light esters and bacteria. The flavor is zesty, citric and balanced. Nice hoppy flavor, balanced belgian style. Hoppy beer though, light wood, decent.

On tap at Dr Bill’s party. Transparent, goldenrod colored pour with a dissipating head of foamy white. Floral aroma of freshly picked herbs and chamomile flowers. A touch of tart granny smith apple skins provide a welcome added light fruity touch. Light, clean mouthfeel. Very floral with some light chardonnay skin vinous notes that finish with an enjoyable dry, oaky smack. Quite nice overall - I like the subtle extra layer of dry oaky complexity this presents; it compliments the tart and floral flavors nicely without going overboard.

Draft at the Bistro’s Barrel-Aged Beer Fest 11/11/06 Nose of vanilla, light caramel, light barnyard, and tartness; Gold with a small white head; Flavor of vanilla, yeast, and caramel malts in a medium body with a tart finish.