January 17, 2014                                                                                                   
Guard my Biere de Garde

As a craft beer lover, I have an appreciate for all styles of beer. Really. But one I don't see as often as I'd like, because of the many factors that go into it, are Biere De Garde's. Believe it or not, this is one of my FAVORITE styles of beer, if made right.

Historically brewed in the Flanders region along the Belgian/French border in the late 19th century, Biere de Garde, or "beer to be kept," was authentically brewed in surrounding farmhouses (hence the category farmhouse ales), and was basically a warm fermented unfiltered french pale ale. They were traditionally brewed during the winter and spring to avoid any unpredictable problems that may happen with the yeast during the summer. After all, the yeast is what really gave it its authentic flavor. The beer was then matured (cellared) for a significant period of time, truly to taste well aged. Most were sealed with a cork in larger format bottles to be consumed later in the year, similar to the Belgian Saison style. In the first half of the 20th century, the Flanders region was destroyed from World Wars, wiping out many breweries producing this beer, but some small breweries were able to keep the style alive, working it back up to its respect for years later.

The Biere de Garde can be golden blonde, amber/copper, or light brown with a moderate to medium body. Typically you will taste notes of toffee or caramel, toasted malts, and slightly sweet from the malts as well, with little to no hop bitterness. You can pick up some fruity esters and sometimes taste the alcohol. Because of the way it's brewed, Bier de Garde's are earthy, yeasty, and often musty aromas. They are usually around 6-8.5 % ABV. Overall it's smooth with good carbonation and persistent head. Keep in mind it is a bit rounder and sweeter than the spicier Saison. Although most authentic farmhouse ales use their indigenous yeast varieties, you can brew Biere de Garde's with Belgian yeasts in your home or commercially.

They are a few commercially made Biere de Garde's, typically seasonally, and I have had a home brewed one once, that was mighty tasty.
     
Cheers, 

   

Brown Specialty Team

UPCOMING EVENTS
01/17/14, 6:00 PM, PORT ORANGE

Ben Davis, Owner of Intuition Ale Works Brewery from Jacksonville, FL will be joining House 4 Beer in Port Orange for the official launch party of Intuition Beer in the county! Come drink like a local and taste a great lineup selectively picked for this event: Intuition People's Pale Ale, I-10 IPA, Jon Boat Kolsch, and King Street Imperial Stout. ...> 

 

Founders Brewing Special Release @ Mellow Mushroom Jax 

01/17/14, 6:00 PM, JACKSONVILLE 

Featuring the limited Founders Sweet Repute release alongside All Day IPA and a couple other beers to come, as well as swag giveaways. ...>    

 

89th Annual East-West College Shrine Bowl Game & After Party 

01/18/14, 7:00 PM, ST. PETERSBURG 

The bowl game's after party is at Ferg's Sports Bar! Featuring live music and Shipyard and Sea Dog Products specially discounted. Mingle with NFL scouts and coaches and enjoy Ferg's full menu available for dinner. Contact Dan Bolduc for FREE tickets to game! [email protected] ...>

Shipyard PGA Promotion @ WOB Orlando 

01/21/14 - 01/24/14, ALL DAY, ORLANDO 

Attention golfers!!  Present your PGA golf show ticket at World of Beer Orlando (Dr. Phillips) and receive your first Shipyard beer 1/2 off. Sink 3 putts in a row get a FREE Beer shot. Promotion goes from Jan 21st through Jan. 24th any time. Featuring Shipyard Old Thumper and Export on draft as well as several bottle choices. ...>   

 

Left Hand Brewing Night @ The Gnarly Barley 

01/21/14, 5:00 PM, ORLANDO 

Beers included in a very special lineup: Left Hand Warrior IPA, Left Hand Mr. Black Schwarzbier, Left Hand Jackman's Pale Ale, Left Hand Munich Dark Lager, and Left Hand Deep Cover Brown Ale. ...>  

 

Bell's Brewery Spotlight @ WOB Altamonte 

01/21/14, 6:00 PM, ALTAMONTE SPRINGS 

Bell's Brewery is in the house! Featuring a draught lineup of the following: Bell's Java Stout, Bell's Expedition Stout, Bell's Double Cream Stout, Bell's Scotch Ale, and a very special keg of Bell's Raspberry Ale. Come out and share a pint with the the brewery representative, Trevor. ...>   

 

Intuition Ale Works Tallahassee Launch @ Proof 

01/21/14, 8:00 PM, TALLAHASSEE 

Owner Ben Davis will be in town to launch Intuition in Tallahassee! The Tap lineup will feature Intuition People's Pale Ale, I-10 IPA, Session Saison, Jon Boat Coastal Ale and King Street Imperial Stout. ...> 

 

01/23/14, 6:00 PM, ORLANDO 

Featuring Shipyard XXXX, Old Thumper, Smashed blueberry and Double Thumper.  Special giveaways all night. With special guest Jordan from Ringwood Brewery and Matt from Shipyard Brewery. ...>  

 

01/27/14, 5:00 PM, ORLANDO 

Evil Twin Draught lineup: Evil Twin Yin, Evil Twin Yang, Molotov Cocktail, and Justin Blabaer. Stillwater Draught lineup: Stillwater Cellar Door, Stateside Saison and Stillwater As Follows. ...>

 

Breckenridge Brewery Night @ Fermentation Lounge 

01/29/14, 7:00 PM, TALLAHASSEE 

Meet the Breckenridge Brewery Representative, Guy Blanco, and enjoy a Colorado lineup featuring Breckenridge Agave Wheat, Regal Pils, 471 Small Batch IPA, and Ophelia Hoppy Wheat Ale. ...> 

 

Cigar City Tap Takeover @ Mellow Mushroom St Augustine 

01/31/14, 5:00 PM, ST. AUGUSTINE 

Featuring Cigar City Jai Alai, Invasion Pale Ale, Maduro, Hotter than Helles, Florida Cracker, plus Hopped on High Seas Citra, Puppies Breath Nitro, and White Oak Jai Alai. Free swag giveaways as well. ...> 

 

Colorado Beer Night @ Aromas 

01/31/4, 5:00 PM, JACKSONVILLE

1-2 featured beers from the following Colorado breweries: Left Hand Brewing, Boulder Beer, Breckenridge Brewery, and Avery Brewing, as well as giveaways throughout the night. ...> 

 

Florida Craft Brewery Takeover @ Oblivion 

02/01/14, 6:00 PM, ORLANDO 

Come for a specialty lineup of delicious Florida brews from the following Florida breweries: Cigar City Brewing, Swamp Head Brewery, Engine 15 Brewing, Pinglehead  Brewing, Green Room Brewing, 7venth Sun Brewing, Pensacola Bay Brewery, Brew Bus Brewing, Saint Somewhere Brewing, and also featuring special food menu specifically made just for the event! ...> 

 

Deland Craft Beer Fest 

02/08/14, 1:00 PM, DELAND 

A Craft beer fest to celebrate the love of craft beer! Featuring hundreds of beer styles and breweries from all over the country, including a Florida craft beer section and an Import section! Stop by booths for lectures from brewery representatives on different topics of craft beer. ...>
 

For all events, please see our event calendar. 

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NEW AND RETURNING PRODUCTSBeerfinder
VISIT OUR BEERFINDER TO FIND THESE PRODUCTS  
Cigar City Hopped on the High Seas Carribbean Style IPA: Citra   
Brewed and fermented in Puerto Rico, dry-hopped exclusively with Citra hops in the shipping container back to Tampa where it was canned at Cigar City Brewing. The voyage truly makes this a Caribbean-style India Pale Ale. 7.0% ABV 
Green Bench Brewing Demens Black IPA   
Peter Demens, a noble Russian aristocrat, brought the first train to St. Petersburg via the Orange Belt Railway on June 8, 1888 carrying eight empty freight cars and one passenger. Naming our city after his beloved birthplace, St. Petersburg, Russia, Demens is remembered through our daring and aggressive IPA that is dark, yet assertively hoppy in its bitterness, flavor, and aroma. 7.2% ABV
Humboldt Brewing Black Xantus  
Black Xantus is a rare bird and the first new release from Humboldt Brewing in years. It is also the first ever "big-beer" to be released under the Humboldt Brewing line. Barrel aged for 6 months in combination of Bourbon, retired Firestone Union and wine barrels and Infused with fair-trade, organic coffee from local roaster Jobella. Rich bourbon and coffee aromas greet the senses. Complex chocolate and tobacco flavors fill the palate. This beer displays a full-bodied mouth-feel and an overall balanced presentation. It would be a perfect pairing to rich chocolate desserts. 11.0% ABV
Left Hand NITRO Sawtooth ESB Bottles   
Now available in bottles! Similar to the classic CO2 originals, Sawtooth Nitro portrays nutty malt flavors balanced by herbal hops. Pouring hard out of a bottle, this Nitro beer begins with a beautiful cascade and finish with a thick creamy head, crafting a super smooth experience. 5.3% ABV
Twisted Pine Big Shot Espresso Stout 
As Twisted Pine's most award-winning beer, Big Shot Espresso Stout certainly lives up to its name and, above all, its reputation. With its mocha head and stallion-black body, this powerful pint is sure to enliven your senses with intense flavors of chocolate, roasted malts, and, of course, espresso. 6.1% ABV 
Twisted Pine West Bound Braggot 
Braggot is a mead-ale hybrid that was popular throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. At Twisted Pine we're not afraid to put our own spin on history, thus we combined a light grain bill with orange blossom honey, pungent Citra hops, Tasmanian pepper berries, and Buddha's Hand, a fragrant citrus fruit, and then fermented this unique ale with a Belgian saison yeast. This beer is so complex yet so drinkable. Limited time only. 8.1% ABV
Look out for new and returning favorites like Cigar City White Oak Jai Alai, Highland Devil's Britches, Swamp Head Sciaenhops, and Breckenridge Agave Wheat now in CANS!
*Check with your Brown sales representative for availability or products not available in certain areas 
BEER NEWS
Brown Distributing is proud to announce a statewide partnership with Uinta Brewing Company
By: Brown Distributing Florida

Slated for late January 2014, Brown Distributing will be the sole distributor of Uinta Brewing Company's beers in the state of Florida.

 

Uinta is named after the only major east-west running mountain range located in the continental U.S. Since 1993, Uinta Brewing has created world class, full-flavored, craft-brewed beer ranging from 4.0% to over 13% alcohol by volume. The Uinta team comprised of outdoor and beer enthusiasts, brews a variety of beer organized in to three distinct lines; the Classic Line, Organic Line, and the Crooked Line.

 

Floridians have been patiently waiting and with recent brewery expansion, Uinta can finally supply this thirsty market. Uinta's Marketing Director, Lindsay Berk explains, "Uinta has had Florida on our radar for quite some time. With the installation of our new 130 bbl BrauKon brewhouse, scheduled to be complete in January 2014, Uinta is finally able to accommodate adding FL to our distribution."

 

Uinta was the 2nd fastest growing Craft Brewery in 2013 with 67% growth in sales for 2012 landing them on the Top 50 US Craft Breweries list released by the Brewers Association. They have received awards and medals from regional, national, and international competitions, including the North American Beer Awards, World Beer Cup, and Great American Beer Festival. 

 

 For full article
American Beer Fans, Praise the Heavens: A Trappist Brewery in U.S. 
By: Katherine Perry

  

The town of Spencer, in central Massachusetts, isn't well known for...well, anything, really. But it's about to become internationally famous - at least in beer-drinking circles.

 

Spencer is home to where robed monks are busy brewing the first American Trappist beer. If all goes as planned, will be available in Massachusetts retail stores by the middle of next week.

 

The monastery became one of only in the world - and the first one outside Europe - in December.

 

"I've only come to understand the beer world [in] getting involved in this, but apparently, the Trappists have a reputation for quality in their products," says Damian Carr, the abbot of St. Joseph's.

 

That's a bit of an understatement. Many other beers bearing the label are regulars on lists of the world's best.

 

 For full article 

Where's The Cheapest Beer In The
World? 
By: Dave Baldwin

The only thing better than drinking a cold beer in a foreign land is drinking a six-pack for less than a fiver. And there're destinations across the globe where a big night's bar tab can be covered by the coins in your pocket. Where, perchance, are these magical places? Using crowd-sourced, cost-of-living site Numbeo.com, we narrowed it down to the top five -- salud!

5. Ethiopia
Average price for a pint: $0.93
What you'll be drinking: Beer continues to gain popularity in Ethiopia, and there're plenty of local brews to choose from. Knock back a fair bit of St. George Beer  (a refreshing lager named for the country's patron saint and brewed since the early '20s), Bedele pale lager, and Harar's  popular stout. Ethiopia also brews a sweet 5.5% ABV lager dubbed Meta, totally sans irony.
Pair it with: Hoppy lagers go well with Ethiopian cuisine, including traditional dishes like Doro Wat  (chicken stew) or Yebeg Tibs (grilled lamb).

4. Philippines
Average price for a pint: $0.89
What you'll be drinking: Two major brewers dominate the popular Filipino beer market -- San Miguel & Asia Brewery. San Miguel's Pale Pilsen's probably the most ubiquitous brew, but you'll also drink plenty of Red Horse (for as little as $0.50 a bottle) and Beer na Beer! Pale Pilsen, billed as "an excellent value for the money".

 For full article
VOLUME 37
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Central Florida
In This Issue:
Upcoming Events
Brown Distributing partnership with Uinta Brewing
A Trappist Brewery in U.S.
Where's The Cheapest Beer In The World?
All Day IPA Hummus
________________________
 
Featured Cocktail
:

Svenska Cup

 

- 2 strawberries (quartered)
- 4 cubes cucumber
- 8 mint leaves
- 10ml fresh lime juice
- 10ml elderflower cordial
- 30ml Absolut vodka

- 100ml Rekorderlig Strawberry-Lime 

- Glass: large wine glass

- Garnish: mint sprig

 

Add cubed ice into a large wine glass. Add strawberry, cucumber and mint. Pour in vodka, elderflower, lime and Rekorderlig. Stir gently and garnish with a mint sprig.

    

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Featured Recipe
 

All Day IPA Hummus
By: Brooklyn Brewshop

While we drink a lot of All Day IPA, we don't often cook with it. The bright zingy citrus notes that we love so much are broken down quickly by heat leaving just the bitterness.

That's why the idea of All Day IPA hummus was so refreshing - with only a minimal amount of heat being generated pureeing those refreshing citrus notes would remain. The result is a fantastic smooth and creamy hummus with a touch of citrus hop bitterness and zing.

 

Ingredients

 

- 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and well rinsed

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1/2 cup tahini

- 1 lemon, juiced

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup Founders All Day IPA 

 

Directions

 

Combine all the ingredients (except for the beer) in a food processor or super-strength blender. Blend. Stream in beer slowly and push down sides until desired consistency is reached.

Chill for two hours to let flavors meld. Add additional salt to taste. Enjoy!

 

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