Southampton Bière de garde

Rating: 3

Southampton Ales and Lagers
Southampton, NY
Style: Bière de garde
ABV: 7.2%
750 ml

One of the Southampton "750 Series" beers, this bière de garde pours with a very impressive head, retaining the head for ten minutes or more, with a dense froth of tiny bubbles. It's a deep amber colour, a little cloudy. The nose is a crisp, burnt caramel, quite bright but not overpowering. The taste at first seems to belong to a stronger, more alcoholic beer. Again, the taste is reminiscent of caramel, but without any of the sweetness of caramel. There are hints of maltiness, and there's a slightly bitter tang; it's a little reminiscent of a young, rough-around-the-edges wine, and that's exactly what's appealing it. A very drinkable, complex beer; we weren't able to identify all of the flavors swirling around.