Draft... <b>DLD’08</b>... Muddy, brown ale with a large, frothy, white head. The nose is all cookie and cocoa with unidentified spiciness and grains. Full-bodied with a sandy mouthfeel and soft carbonation. Fairly well-balanced, but leans a touch on the bitter side. Earthy, grainy, moderately bitter finish.

<i>Aha! I beat my arch-nemesis Drnk McDermott in entering this beer!</i><br />Alright. Sorry for the dramatics, but it’s the first time we’ve actually run in to each other at the brewpub.<br />I know that brewer Tim Marshall was a bit anxious about this one. A Bičre de Garde isn’t an easily defined style for professional or amateur to nail. But this is a dandy drink. From the tap it pours a cloudy brown body with a sturdy tan head that laces the glass &#40;they gave me a mug-full, although it was supposed to be served in a goblet&#41; heavily. Yeasty nose supported by dusty, nutty malt, hazelnuts, dark grapes, and a light wilted flower/herbal/earthyl bitterness. Very spicy and peppery on the tongue. Whoever wrote the description must’ve actually tasted it, because it indeed holds flavors of toasted biscuits and dark fruit and hazelnuts with a dash of chocolate, all supported by an earthy/spicy bitterness that grows as the beer warms. Nice job!<br /><br /><font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=6780><u>Rock Bottom Yorktown, Lombard, IL</u></a><font size=-1><br />

Growler at the pre-DLD party at Flossmoor, thanks bwkrieger: Hazy reddish amber hue with a small head and okay lace. The aroma has notes of grain, caramel, flowery and herbal hops, earthy spicy yeast esters and a hint of butterscotch. The taste has a nice acidic fruity twang over a layer of sweet and biscuity malt, slight walnut, spice and herbs upon the finish. The mouth feel is sprite yet soft and refreshing. A really nice brew, I liked this.

On tap at RB – Yorktown. Poured deep caramelly-brown with a shorter cap of deeper off-white head. The aroma picked up deeper fruity notes with clove spicage.. sweet overall feel with a dry, grainy undertone.. dry, mulled candi sugar gave the final impression. The flavor had sweeter candi sugar and plums with caramel and more fruit at the core.. light chocolate and aged caramel toward the back with sharp, spicy, peppery alcohol at the finish.. solid. Medium-plus bodied with heavier carbonation and sharp notes at the back.. OK balance.. meh.

Had the draft and cask side by side: <br /> Draft: Pour is hazed burgundy with a very thin tan head...toasty aroma but not very strong...taste is earth fruits, anise &#40;licorice&#41;, and musty yeast...seem a little thin and cloying... 7 3 6 3 16 <br /> Cask: Pour is slightly more muddied in color than the draft...very nice dense tan head...smell is much spicier than the draft with pepper and anise leaping out...taste is also much spicier than the draft...tons of licorice...nice velvety mouthfeel...7 3 7 3 18