Bière de Garde

Bière de garde is a Flemish and northern French specialty ale generally packaged distinctively in 750-ml bottles with a cork. Historically, the style was brewed as a farmhouse specialty in February and March, to be consumed in the summer months when the warmer weather didn’t permit brewing. Typically produced with a malt accent, this is a strong (often over 6 percent), yet delicate bottle-conditioned beer. These brews tend to be profoundly aromatic and are an excellent companion to hearty foods.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range	Quality Band
96-100 points	Platinum
90-95 points	Gold
85-90 points	Silver
80-84 points	Bronze
Less than 80	Not Recommended

Legend

= Brewpub
ABV = Alcohol by volume
Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

93 Terrible, Unibroue (Canada). 10.5% ABV (5/11)
Dark brown color. Aromas of fruit cake, Asian spices, apple and peppered melon with a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a complex strawberry, leather, mossy earth and apple cider vinegar-accented finish.

89 Bière de Garde, Bastone Brewery (MI). 6.5% ABV (5/10)
Cloudy deep amber color. Aromas of yeasty brioche, apricot butter and delicate spices follow through on a silky entry to a fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body with dried fruit compote and caramelized roasted nut notes. Finishes with an astringent, drying earthy hop fade. A nicely balanced and very drinkable take on the style.