Thank you very much to beastiefan2k for sharing this BIERE DE GARDE! (it’s an inside joke - don’t ask) - hazy, pinkish red beer, with a frothy lace - very herbal, dry and spicy aroma, with notes of wildflowers and a faint hard water/mineral quality - medium dry, with an earthy, raw grain character - light wildflower and a touch of honey - gets slightly sweet in the finish, with light toffee and caramel - lingering herbs - a very gentle fruitiness throughout - quite nice.

750mL bottle graciously traded to me by footy. Shared with a friend on 5/26/07
Beautiful appearance. Big, rocky white head is well-retained and laces immensely. Unfiltered but still bright with a peachy-copper body filled with tiny bubbles.
Dry and yet full of satisfying malt character, it has an almost hay-like rustic character that is aided by soft Belgian esters and light white pepper phenols. Lemon and light cake-icing-like sweetness gives a slight roundness to the aroma and there is a touch of graininess and minerals on the finish. Medium-high strength of aroma with no flaws whatsoever, and no alcohol perceived.
Both nutty and chewy come to mind when describing the flavor/texture. Certainly more light white pepper phenols are present, as well as very minimal esters (light nectarine and strawberry). Sweetness adds some depth but is fully removed from the finish, thanks to a crisp, rustic, pale malt character that leaves light streaks of honey on the palate. I’d love to know the grain bill of this one, it’s so unusual and not your typical full-of-honey character blonde, Belgian ale (not that there’s anything wrong with those). Could be the time spent in the bottle has attenuated most of the sugars, but the dry malt character it has left behind is in a world of its own. Incredibly drinkable, with nothing particularly challenging. Just fresh, crisp and enjoyable. Along similar lines to Redemption (non-brett version) in that the malt flavor really shines through and the clean, elegant yeast supports the flavor without going overboard on ester/phenol character. As usual, the mouthfeel/carbonation is perfectly tight and engaging, leaving no wateriness/thinning on the palate. Flawless. Fantastic.

On tap at the pub. Light brown with a tan head Malty aroma, malty caramel flavor. 8/4/7/4/14 3.7 Batch 002 6/1/08 750ml bottle from Bottle Barn! Nose is lightly yeasty and funky with some cinnamon, brown sugar, and a vanilla note; clear rusty copper with a medium beige head that lightly laces; flavor is light hop bitterness, light funk, spices, and fruitiness; finish lighly bitter. 8/4/8/4/16