Fearless in French

Origin Story

Not known for their stylistic contributions to the beer world, many beer officiates consider the Biere de Garde as the only French specialty beer style. Roughly translated, Biere de Garde means "beer for keeping", which is a direct reference to brewing practices that took place before the advent of refrigeration. Prior to refrigeration, brewers were constrained to brewing beer during the cooler months of the year and had to suspend all brewing during warmer months when conditions were not hospitable. Due to this regimented brewing schedule, brewers would make different beers depending on when they were going to consume them. At the beginning of the brewing season, the brewers would make lower alcohol beers to be enjoyed immediately after the brewing was finished. Near the end of the brewing season, it was quite common that the brewers would make beers that had higher alcohol content, so they could be stored for the rest of the year, as the alcohol would help prevent spoilage. This practice was applied to the Belgian Saisons and these French Biere de Gardes, which were both consumed by farmhands during late summer months and together form the family of beers known as Farmhouse Ales. Today's Biere de Gardes can vary considerably among the numerous interpretations available. Generally, these beers can range from golden in color to a light brown, but are often amber in appearance. They can be light to medium bodied, have relatively low hop bitterness, and moderate malt sweetness. Fruity yeast esters are common, along with some earthy and cellar-like aromas.