Southampton Biere de Garde (French Country Christmas Ale)

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Bière de Garde
Southampton, New York USA

From a caged corked 750 ml. bottle with no bottling, freshness date I could find, a short blurb on the back label, sampled at cellar temperature in a chalice. Poured a chill hazy deep reddish copper with a tight, foamy white head, good retention, small amount of laced sticking. Aromas of sweet toasted grainy malts, subtle earthy, musty yeast, fruity esters, spicy, floral, citrusy hops and light whiffs of alcohol. Good carbonation and a crisp, dryish, velvety smooth light bodied mouthfeel. Delicious tasting, sweet toasted malts, grainy bread, slightly tart citric fruitiness, earthy spices, a cellar mustiness, the alcohol is noticeable towards the end, meshes with the malts and provides a soft, slow warmth in the palate, and a dry, sweet toasted grain, citric, mildly spicy finish. Easy, too quaffable drinkability, you should savor the flavors, but begs to be gulped, takes discipline, another winner in the 750 series.

Overfilled bottle. Hazy amber body with a medium creamy tan head that takes an awful long time to dissipate. Malty caramel aroma. Very sweet caramel and malt flavor.

Carbonated. Quite heady. Golden body. Bready aroma, for sure. Nice palate, flavour doesn’t exactly sock you but it is fairly pungent. Bread and alcohol. All right.

Bottling from PA. Medium amber, nice, long lasting head. Aroma bready with a hint of alcohol. Flavor was freshly baked bread that has been lightly toasted. Frankly, not much else going on here. But having said that, this is a truly elegant beer, with a delicacy that is quite enticing. Some clean yeast flavors as well, no funk, thank you very much. Well done, and for those who like a beer that celebrates subtletly, this one is for you.

750 ml, Royersford version. Relatively dark and lighlty hazy amber in color. Aroma is caramel and toffee and light notes of spice. Taste is caramel and toffee, a touch of spice and fruit with a light earthy character, with some lingering sweet malt in the finish.

Found this one at the local store and let it sit for a while. Pours deep amber almost copper color with a frothy off white head. Aroma is of some spice and some funky earthy aromas. Flavor is of some caramel, citrus, sugar, spices and a lingering earthy finish I can’t quite place.

Pours a deep amber into a tulip. Fluffy tan head fills the bulb and conglomerates as it slowly recedes. Butterscotch and toffee aromas. Full upfront caramel and butterscotch and a lasting sweet nutty finish.

Bottle cork & wire: Pours a deep bronze/amber with a foamy thick tan head. The aroma is straight buttery toffee malt with a pleasant nutty hint. Creamy, yet somewhat bubbly body which is dominated by a sweet but smooth toffee malt character. Lightly roasty with some honey-nut flavors. Sweet figs and brown sugar and a light dryness in the finish. A simple, but solid offering from Southampton Publick House.