Flying Dog Garde Dog

Flying Dog Garde Dog (bottle)
Fredrick, MD
5.5% ABV

I've never had a Biere de Garde, so this'll be a new style for me. I've intentionally not read the BA reviews yet, as to let myself try it without bias.

Pours dingy orange/yellow with a thin white head that dissipates to soapscum pretty much immediately. Translucent, very yeasty body. Aroma's strong on citrus and a mushy hoppiness, hints of some noble varieties but mostly earthy esters. Some yeastiness.

Flavor is very similar, with lots of orange-peel flavors and a strong yeasty first impression. This is followed by a dry finish and a bitter hoppy aftertaste. Mouthfeel is nice, with a crisp carbonation and a nice thickness that coats the tongue.

Overall this is a decent beer, easy to drink, but nothing special. It might make a nice summer beer, a change of pace from the IPAs and hefes I'm usually drinking around that time. It's also one of my favorites from Flying Dog, a brewery whose products have not numbered among the best in my estimation.

My overall BA rating: 3.55/5