Craft Beer Blast

November, 2013

           Style of the Month

          Bière de Garde 

A French style, Bière de Garde ("Beer for Keeping") is brewed in the areas of France near the Belgian boarder. It was originally brewed by farmers at the end of winter, and meant to last through the summer months until the weather was cool enough to brew again. Many bières de garde are bottled in champagne bottles complete with the cork and wire cage regalia. The champagne region is only 50 miles away and commercial brewers have always used wine bottles. American brewers have taken to the style and a wide variety of bières de garde are now available at bottle shops everywhere. Bière de garde is characterized by a toasty malt flavor and unique earthy and herbal flavors. Bière de garde is the Thanksgiving beer; the stuffing and gravy have strong herbal flavors to match the beer's herbal flavors. If the turkey is dry, this beer makes everything taste juicy. The biscuity malt flavors match the lightly nutty flavor of the meat and the carbonation cleanses your palette, so you don't realize you ate so much. ABV 6 -8%

On Christmas day 1982, an over 100 year deserted home on Main Street North Woodstock, NH became the Woodstock Inn. Two years later the inn expanded by moving the old train station in nearby Lincoln to the inn property. It became the the Woodstock Station housing an enlarged kitchen, more dining space and later home to the original brewery. There have been several expansions over the years so there are now six different buildings, 2 breweries and 3 pubs! No one should have to ask why I would spend two days last September at this very cool place. I first discovered it in 2003 when the original 7 barrel brewery had been open for 8 years. They had 12 or more beers on tap then. The inn has a policy that any returning guests get a free growler of house beer upon check - in. I was finally able to do just that on my recent visit. The place has really grown since my first visit; there is now a 30 barrel full production brewery at the end of the original station. When it is operating the work can be viewed form the station pub / bar and tours are available daily. The beer selection still is huge; old favorites and some of the newer styles that are popular now. The new brewery expansion has allowed for bottling and distribution throughout New England. They are brewing some good brews and there is something for everyone. For more about the inn see the Woodstock Inn website. The brewery now has it's own website.