The Taste

What the hell is a bière de garde? It sounds like a "guarded beer." Literally, it's a "beer for keeping." Historically, it's a French farmhouse ale designed to be consumed by workers in the spring and summer months. Brewers used to make the stuff in the winter and "keep" it (these were pre-refrigerator days) until they needed it on hot days. Some farmers got to drink half a dozen pints to quench their thirst. Those were the days.

Not many folks make this kind of beer anymore. Flying Dog Brewery, however, has just come out with its spring seasonal bottles, including the menacingly packaged Garde Dog beer (available from March to May), with a sharp-fanged mutt, drawn by gonzo artist Ralph Steadman, on the label.

This beer is designed to be light, easy to drink (5.5 percent ABV) and not too bitter. It pours a golden hay color, has a nice thick white head and great carbonation. You may pick up some notes of lemon, grass or tart apple, but it's ultimately more malty and yeasty than anything, with none of the attack on the palate of heavier and hoppier beers. As the weather gets warmer, drinkers of this brew will be glad this dog's got more bark than bite.

-- James Oliver Cury