Saison's French Cousin

One of my nicer memories of Belgium actually occurred in France. It was at a restaurant/brewery called Brasserie Au Baron just across the border Belgian/French border. After a long day of brewery hopping in the Hainaut province of Belgium, we sought out Au Baron to get a taste of both their cuisine and their Cuvee des Jonquilles Biere de Garde, which is a cousin to Saisons. The beer was fantastic and the dinner was one to remember. The evening was cold and drizzly but the warm welcoming restaurant and the sound of corks popping was pretty much perfect – an exceptional evening!

Farmhouse Ales

While Saisons are the more famous style of farmhouse ales, their French cousins offer an interesting alternative in the form of Bière de Garde (“beer for keeping”). They are referred to as “keeping” beers because they are brewed during the winter months and set aside in cellars to age before they are broken out during the summer months. Bière de Garde is produced in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, adjacent to the Belgian border.

A Variety of Bière de Garde Styles

As with Saisons, Bière de Gardes are brewed in a number of styles and are typically blonde or amber, although chestnut brown versions are made as well. While most are brewed with ale yeast, some offerings are made with lager yeast to produce a clean, crisp taste. Oftentimes, a lighter version (3.0 to 4.0% ABV) was brewed for the summer to keep farm workers hydrated but not inebriated. For the winter months, a stronger version (5.0 to 8.0%) was brewed. The higher alcohol served to help preserve the beer during its months of aging. As farmhouse ales, the beers would sometimes pick up wild yeasts and bacteria that would add funk and tartness to the finished beer, which was traditionally bottle-conditioned and packaged in corked Champagne bottles.

Some Well-Know Brands of Bière de Garde

Jenlain and Other Bière de Gardes

Bière de Garde has changed in modern times and Brasserie Duyck’s Jenlain Bière de Garde pioneered the new styles. Jenlain is widely regarded as the archetypical example of the style. Today’s Bière de Gardes are generally in the 6.0 to 8.0% ABV range. Besides Jenlain, Brasserie La Choulette, Brasserie Thellier, Brasserie Castelain, Brasserie Au Baron, and Brasserie St. Sylvestre are prominent names when it comes to French Bière de Garde.

Bière de Garde has also become popular with American craft breweries. Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Bruz Beers, The Lost Abbey, Russian River Brewing, Monkish Brewing, Hill Farmstead Brewery, Fox Farm Brewing, Schlafly Brewing, Jester King and Brewery Ommegang all make excellent versions of Bière de Garde.

Bière de Garde vs. Saison

Basically, Bière de Garde and Saison are very similar beers brewed on one side or the other of the Belgian-French border. Both brew with locally grown ingredients. Saisons are fermented at higher temperatures with ale yeast, giving them a spicy, bitter character. Most Bière de Gardes are also brewed with ale yeasts, but may be brewed with lager yeast as well. Even with ale yeasts, the French brewers keep fermentation on the cooler side (like Kölsch) and lager the beer at cool temps. This results in a brew that is more malt-forward, rounder and richer than a Saison, with a touch of sweetness and a dry finish.

Bruz Bière de Garde – The Gatherer

The Gatherer, Bruz Beers’ Bière de Garde, is a copper color with a dense off-white head. It has a clean, malty aroma with floral hops shining through. On the palate, there is a pronounced toasted-bread maltiness and it is slightly sweet, with enough hop bitterness to balance the malt. Flavors of caramel, toffee and a light touch of apricot and tart apple esters give the beer a clean brightness. The Gatherer is a beautifully balanced beer with solid carbonation and a long, dry, malty finish. 6.6% ABV.

Since The Gatherer is a fall offering, we also used it as the base for our fall pumpkin and spice ale - Bière de Gourd (Ha!) You can sample both now at either of the Bruz Beers taprooms for as long as limited supplies hold out. Sante!

Bruz The Gatherer and Bruz Bière de Gourd