Saint-Germain Page 24 Réserve Hildegarde Ambrée

Brewed by Brasserie Saint-Germain
Style: Bière de Garde
Aix-Noulette, France

This is a very interesting beer, first of all there is crud around the lip and applying some pressure to the metal flip top actually gave off a hiss. Due to my worry about the future condition of the beer I wanted to drink this quickly. The beer pops with thunder. Surprisingly, however, the beer pours with just a medium head that fades into a thick lacing. The color of the beer is a dark orange caramel amber. Its is a bit hazy and grows hazier with successive pours. The final pour comes with some light particles and a bit of a gelatin appearance. Following the appearance it is a definitely distinguished and delightful beer. I am glad to be able to try this. The aroma is full of tart apple skins, all the way with the apples and not in the aceto or other sour ale brews. Behind the skins there is a bit of crust and a thick BdG maltiness more familiar to the style. But I love the freshness and liveliness of the aroma. Flavor is more on the malt biscuit BdG area with some honey features. The apple skins come in later in the flavor to round it off. This gives it a refreshing finish. Just a bit of toast back there as well. Everything melts away and a grape-like malt and light tart apple skins linger for a little while. Its not sweet or not sugary anyway, well attenuated. The body has a nice and medium-light heft. The carbonation is actually just average. This is a very nice brew with a definite traditional malt backbone but a nice original aspect as well. This is the best experience I have had with a French beer since I first tried La Bavaisienne Ambrée.
750mL flip-top bottle, dated BB 08/20/10, in a New Belgium goblet glass.

750 ml swing top bottle poured a clear amber with a large lasting light amber head. Aromas of carmel, dates, pear, yeast and spice. Palate was light bodied and smooth. Flavors of carmel, pear, dates and spice with a smooth lingering fruity finish. All right beer but not impressed for the price.

Wow, what a delightful treat this is. It reminds me of the AdR yeast, but with obviously much better flocculation. Very rustic, dusty, and lots of golden fruits, but yet very restrained in that it doesn’t have any real medicinal qualities that you often get from such an estery beer. You have to love the attenuation as well. Despite all the juiciness from the honey and fruit, it’s still really quenching. Spot on. Thanks for the recommendation TAR.

Sampled on 9/18/2009. This Biere de Garde pours a medium orange gold color from a 7500ml fliptop. Small to medium sized white foamy head, with decent retention and nice lacing. The aroma is fruity, spicy and sweet. A medium bodied Biere de Garde. The malts are caramel, fruity and sweet. Touch of orange and pears. Hops are earthy. Nice balance. A touch sweet, but very smooth and clean tasting. A slightly dry finish that intensifies as it warms. Very pleasant beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean smooth and dry. Aftertaste is clean, smooth and dry. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Bottle from Cave à Bulles. Copper with a small head. Spicy malts aroma followed by more spices in the mouth. Ends semi-dry as a result. Hops difficult to detect. Drinkable, but nothing to write home about.

Pours beautifully into a chalice, nice fluffy head, very solid, nice colour and good bubbling. Can’t say the same for the aroma though, it’s malts and a bit of alcohol, nothing too unique or strong. Has a hint of barley, some malts and slight syrupiness, some breadiness on the back end. Pretty good.

bottle thanks to bu11zeye. The smell is yeast, spices, fruits, citrus, and flowers. The look is clear, golden orange in color, with an off white head. The taste is fruits, spices, honey, and earthy.