L’AMBRÉE D’ESQUELBECQ ~ BRASSERIE THIRIEZ

This French beer is a bière de garde, literally translated, it means ‘beer to keep.’ It was traditionally made in the north of France in the winter and spring. This beer comes from the French countryside in Flanders. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured a slightly hazy deep coppery amber with a dense off-white head. The head lasted a while before leaving impressive lace on the glass and settling into a ring. The nose had notes of grass and hay, funk, orchard fruits, caramel malts, noble hops and spice. The beer was nicely balanced with noble hop bitterness meshing with hearty grainy caramel malts. The nose mostly followed the nose with lots of fruit, caramel, and breadiness, with a touch of vinous sour at the end. There were also notes of wood and hay, and the spice was more pronounced that the nose let on. The body was light to medium with a creamy feel and the carbonation was pin point and average. To me this tasted like a combination of a Flanders Oud Bruin and a saison. A very nice ale, with some complexity, worth trying.

5.8% from Esquelbecq, France