Bière de Garde Brewday

I've been meaning to have a go at brewing a Bière de Garde for a while, it's probably been in the "Planning" section of my signature for over a year.

I brewed this last week, but have only just got the chance to do a write-up. This is my second attempt at the write-up, so is a shorter and less-wordy version.

They're not the easiest style to find over here, but those I've had I've loved. Unfortunately the usual place I buy them online from France seemingly no longer delivering to the UK since they were bought out by AB Inbev. I know there are a few posters who also hold them in high regard, and I'd encourage those who haven't tried one to try and pick up a bottle of La Blonde de Ch'Norde from Lidl during their French Week (I think this is next week), I believe this is relabelled Goudale which is a good starting point.

I've read the fantastic Farmhouse Ales cover to cover several times so this recipe is very much influenced by what I gleaned from that - although I've probably used more varieties of malt than most. The stars aligned when my commercial brewer mate donated me his stir plate and The Malt Miller were selling discounted packs of WLP072 French Ale.

Ideally I'd have used French malt and hops, but couldn't source these from one supplier. In the end I opted for mostly Dingeman's malts and the usual My Recipe Kit from The Malt Miller.

Recipe:

Target volume: 11l
Target OG: 1.067
Target FG: 1.013
Target ABV: 7.2

Target Colour: 26.3 EBC

Target IBU: 24.9

Mash Temp: 66°c
Mash length: 75 minutes

2.32kg Dingeman's Pale Ale (Bel) - 70%
330g Weyermann Munich I (Ger) - 10%
170g Dingeman's Wheat (Bel) - 5%
130g Dingeman's Aromatic (Bel) - 4%
100g Dingeman's CaraVienna (Bel) - 3%
70g Weywemann Acidulated (Ger) - 2%
30g Dingeman's De-Husked Roasted Barley (Bel) - 1%
170g Dextrose - added at start of boil - 5%

16g Northern Brewer (Ger) - 60 mins - 22.4 IBU
10g Saaz (Cze) - 20 mins - 2.5 IBU

2 packets White Labs WLP072 French Ale in 1l starter

The starter was spinning away 2 days before Brewday - I had to use a juice/cocktail jug as don't have a fancy Erlenmeyer flask - something to go on the wish-list.

Le starter


The (longer than usual) mash was fine and remained at 66°c for the duration. Sparging went well and I achieved pre-boil combined runnings of 17.5l @ 1.051 (estimated was 16.5l @1.050). I carefully added each pot of runnings into the kettle, leaving behind the most powdery of wort each time.

First runnings


Boil and chilling went without incident.

The wort was really clear for the first 5l or so off run-off, then started trickling. I'd been carefully to minimise the amount of powder getting into the kettle and can't blame the small amount of hops - but the filter I use (lauterhexe) had got blocked. This meant scraping a sanitised spoon against the coil to allow the liquid to flow. I'm not overly-concerned, having read the Brulosophy XMBTs on trub making it into the fermenter, but would prefer to have nice clear wort.

Wort before it went pear-shaped


I'm going to try a whirlpool next time, as I've generally not had any issues with the filter, although I know a number of people have. If that doesn't work then I may have to try a new filtering solution - which will be a shame as the lauterhexe is a great concept.

Eventually I ended up with 12.5l @ 1.053 in the FV. It's down to 1.013 already and hoping for it to go another point or two.

This will be lagered for a month, then bottled in recycled cava/prosecco bottles from Christmas. I will cork and cage these and then hope to save the majority for Christmas 2017. I have another vial so may make a less-complex Bière de Mars to enjoy sooner.

Good to see this style gaining a little popularity. Let me know when yours is ready and we can do a swap if you like, I brewed an 8.3% amber BdG about 3 months ago and I'm quite pleased with how it's coming along. My recipe wasn't a million miles away from yours, I left out the wheat and upped the munich to 20% but otherwise very similar.

You struck lucky with the wlp072, it's not something I've tried but I really want to. I used Wyeast kolsch for mine, and I tried one made by forum member serum which used wlp011 and was fantastic. Keep us updated.

Yeah, it's a real shame they're not easy to find. May have to get a booze cruise done before they close the borders.

That sounds great. I should have enough to fill a few 330ml bottles so a swap would be good.

Where are you based? You're more than welcome to some yeast cake if you want to give WLP072 a try? Although there will be a lot of trub, it was a strong ferment so plenty of healthy yeast.

I'm looking forward to WLP072 being back "in season" so I can make one of these. Probably a simpler recipe than yours. I love making "traditional" beers like that. I should definitely get myself a copy of that book too.

Good choice, hope it works out !!
i drink a lot of such styles, mainly produced in the north of France... very tasty..

i brew at washing machine too...

i wonder,, grains in a bag, hops in the drawer, select boil wash ??:lol:

YeastFace said:

Where are you based? You're more than welcome to some yeast cake if you want to give WLP072 a try? Although there will be a lot of trub, it was a strong ferment so plenty of healthy yeast.

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I'm in NI otherwise I'd definitely have taken you up on that

Well, that comes as a bit of a surprise ... I can't understand why anyone would want to drink it let alone brew it ... I have been living here for 25 years and still have not found one that I would go as far to say as I find drinkable ... let alone even like. :-?

I'm a fan of this style as well. Managed to get that same yeast and just waiting for the first batch I've done with it to condition. I did a load of batches last year with WLP011 and they were decent enough.

I figured you must mean Saveur Biere as the place that got bought out. Just looked and saw that after reading your post. Utter bastards!

Yes, I meant Saveur Bière. Very annoying and they won't offer an explanation, but just direct people to Beer Hawk who are also owned by AB Inbev now.

Beer hawk is really expensive. Even with the postal costs it was cheaper to use Saveur Biere than anywhere in the uk.

Just looked at beerhawk again and it has one beer in the French section. And it's Belgian.

This is a total p***take!

Never had one of tehse before isn't it supposed to be like a French Saison?

Covrich said:

Never had one of tehse before isn't it supposed to be like a French Saison?

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Yes and no. It was brewed for the same purpose as a saison but usually tastes completely different.

The most well known ones are amber, malty and clean tasting with minimal hop flavour and aroma.

There are quite a few blond ones now and also a couple that are brown. It's quite a flexible style.

It's quite hard to get good examples now you can't order from Saveur Biere but if you're in france try Jenlain, Ch'ti, La Choulette or 3 Monts. Easy to find in any supermarket over there and pretty cheap too.

{/QUOTE] I figured you must mean Saveur Biere as the place that got bought out. Just looked and saw that after reading your post. Utter bastards![/QUOTE]

AB-Inbev ... Frankie Boyle would be unforgiving, unfortunately I don't have his wit ... that means I'll be avoiding Saveur Bière from now on.

Bottled this today. Once carbed up I will lager for a few weeks and then find somewhere at a stable cool temperature to keep it. Idea is to have at Christmas, let's see how that works out.



Sorry, Strange Steve I didn't have enough for any 330ml bottles. I have just done a small batch of Bière de Mars with my last vial, so will be happy to send you some slurry once that's done if you'd like to grow up the yeast?

YeastFace said:

Bottled this today. Once carbed up I will lager for a few weeks and then find somewhere at a stable cool temperature to keep it. Idea is to have at Christmas, let's see how that works out.

Sorry, Strange Steve I didn't have enough for any 330ml bottles. I have just done a small batch of Bière de Mars with my last vial, so will be happy to send you some slurry once that's done if you'd like to grow up the yeast?

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No worries mate, I appreciate you're only doing small batches. Yeah I'd love to take some slurry off you when it's done :thumb: