Schlafly Bière de Garde

Brewed by Saint Louis Brewery
Style: Bière de Garde
Maplewood, Missouri USA

<i>750ml bottle:</i> Intersting presentation for Schlafly - I am not sure how the bright green lettering and orange cap fit in with the brewery, but the bottles sure jump out on the shelf. The beer pours a cloudy amber with a smallish white cap. The nose is hard to pick apart - very musty and grainy. The body was the same to me, with lots of mustiness overriding the nice layering of sweet malt. There is a noticeable layer of hoppiness that keeps the beer lively and not compeltey in grandma’s cellar. Enjoyable, but I am not a fan of the style.

Bottle. Spicy with notes of funk, this is an interesting biere de garde. Hazy golden body with a big, white head that is mostly lasting. The aroma presents notes of clove, pepper, grain, mustiness, dust and hints of toast and citrus. The flavor is lightly to moderately sweet and lightly bitter. The beer finishes moderately bitter and dry. Medium body with a somewhat grainy texture. Lively carbonation. Enjoyable.

Bottle. Spicy-bready aroma with light peach and musk. Bright cloudy amber with a thin head. Very light biscuit and spice. Full bodied with a slightly tart aftertaste. Nice texture and good carbonation.

Picked up a 750mL bottle from the Schlafly brewery downtown. Pours a nice amber color with a very solid 2 inch head which sticks around and is probably the highest carbonated beer I have ever seen. Aroma has a sweet apricot fruitiness, some spicy hints of cloves, graham cracker and a very soured acidic aroma at the end of all the smells. The beer tastes totally different from what the aroma is hinting at. Flavor is very very rich and smooth and starts with a sweet candy sugar flavor with a hint of vanilla. It has a very fast appearance of cherry Sucrets cough drops in the middle but moves directly into a biscuit heavy flavor and ends with a slightly alcohol mixed with gingerbread flavor. Beer leaves great lacing in the glass. Complex smells and flavors really make this beer unique. A definite must try!

I liked this one a lot. All that brought it down were the weak aroma and watery palate, both of which will probably be improved with time. Pours a nice looking orange, with a thin head and minimal lacing. Flavor is complex, but drinkable. Hops, a nice funk, slight bitterness, some spice in the background. Some booziness and astringentness. Almost a touch of smokey meat. A candy like sugar finish. Dry, but a little too sticky. I liked the flavor of this one a lot.

Bottle from Wine and Cheese Place in (near) St. Louis, MO. Pours hazy bright amber with a nice beige head. Aromas of sugary caramel and a light touch of funk. Medium body with frothy/creamy carbonation. Flavor is slightly barnyard, over roasted malt and some spice. More malt than most Biere de Gardes. It is fruity, and it finishes towards the dry side. Very chewy and tasty. Leaves a very good result in the mouth.

750 mL bottle that I purchased while up in MI this summer-put a year on it, and I’ll try it now. Served in snifter- poured transparent dark amber with copper tints, there was light carbonation and a small foamy white head. Aroma of toffee, a very slightly roasted malt, and caramel hit my nose. Hit my mouth with a high-medium body, middle has bit of a heavy note while wheat and very slightly roasted barley hit the tongue. Yep.

I just don’t understand, I have had this beer 3 times now, three separate bottles and they have bee all bad. And its not that I just don’t like it, I am pretty sure its the damn DMS or maybe its some nasty phenols (but I think its DMS), either way all three bottles have had it and I know I can’t be the only picking it up. Its there and its in the way. Otherwise looks fine, dark amber and cloudy.