La Bavaisienne - Brasserie Theillier

Phocion

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared between my girlfriend and I on October 9th, 2011. Notes from my phone.

750ml bottle poured into a pair of Darkness tulips. Dark copper body underneath a thick, frothy white head. Very thick, sticky lacing and an extremely retentive head.

Aroma was caramel malts and brown sugar. Dark fruits were evident (figs, plums, etc) and mild alcoholic esters. Lightly toasted and just a bit spicy.

Flavor was light alcohol and very malt-forward. Toasted and lightly caramelized brown sugar, but not cloyingly sweet in the least. Just a hint of spicy hoppiness. Slightly woody.

Medium-light body and moderate carbonation. Velvety, silky smoothness.

Overall, this is a great beer of a less-than-popular style in the U.S.. A malt-bomb, but not a sickly sweet one. Very drinkable, although the alcohol was a little strong for the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 20:50:30 | More by Phocion

mscudder

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

05-22-2013 02:46:11 | More by mscudder

superspak

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Seriously massive never ending gusher here upon opening. Pours extremely cloudy orange copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off-white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big caramel, pear, apple, grape, honey, floral, herbal, clove, pepper, bread, and herbal earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of malt with fruity/spicy ester notes. Taste of caramel, pear, apple, grape, honey, bread, floral, herbal, clove, pepper, and herbal earthiness. Lingering notes of caramel, light fruits, honey, bread, floral, herbal, clove, pepper, and earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic balance and complexity of malt and fruity/spicy ester flavors with moderate hop earthiness; and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly slick and moderately crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent Biere de Garde style! All around great balance and complexity of malt with fruity/spicy esters and hop flavors; and extremely smooth to drink. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 04:19:49 | More by superspak

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.34/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into a wine glass

A: Pours a clear copper color with a finger of dense white head.

S: Caramel mixes with dark fruit, but in a way that the beer seems to remain dry. Cloves help balance the beer and add some complexity. A light fruitiness helps add a brightness to the beer.

T: A strong breadiness is the strongest flavor of the beer with an underlying dark fruit aspect and clove. The flavors seemlessly mix together to create a very tasty beer. I taste a few other subtle spices, including nutmeg and cinnamon.

M: Medium to thick mouthfeel with strong carbonation.

O: This is an extremely satisfying beer. It provides a great bready quality that mixes with a mild caramel sweetness and a phenolic clove and nutmeg character.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 20:20:13 | More by coreyfmcdonald

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From: Binny's, Bloomingdale, IL
Date: None on bottle
Glass: Tulip

Bottle opens with a gush, somewhat annoying.

La Bavaisienne is a pleasant beer in general, and biere de garde in style. This is a fairly straightforward beer in the Franco-Belgian, with a yeast strain that is slightly Belgian-like, producing an ale with mild sweetness from toasted and toffee-like malt choices along with a modest Belgian yeast and its byproduct profile, with enough European hops to add a balancing bitterness. I feel that this is a somewhat seasonal beer, one that would be best enjoyed either in early spring or later fall, as it would complement the "feel" of those two seasons best. Not necessarily one I'm going to revisit, but not unpleasant to have tried.

Pours a tall (>3cm) head of light beige-colored bubbles, medium to large in size, with average retention of slightly over one minute. The head looks something like yeast bubbling slowly in bread dough, pale and punctuated. Gradually, it fades to a thick ring around the glass and a modest island of foam atop the body. Lacing is excellent, leaving significant bands across the interior of the glass, which are dissolved with sipping and replaced by dots and lines. Body is a brownish amber color, with light bringing out lighter, toasted orange hues. Carbonation is visible through the hazy (50% opaque) beer, though modest in speed and number. Some yeast and proteins are floating around as well.

Aroma of honey, light toasted and toffee-like malts, dried autumn leaves, slight Belgian-esque yeast, with a touch of something musty or basement-like. Since I don't know how old this is, I can't say if this has faded from age or is presented as intended. As it stands, I find it enjoyable, but less complex than Ommegang's Scythe & Sickle or JP's Oro de Calabaza.

Fairly straightforward, toasted and toffee-like malts with mild bittering hops, yeast, and savory dried herb-like or leaf flavors. Interesting, enjoyable, but not as complex or enjoyable as others I've had. Opens with toasted and toffee-like malts (slightly sweet), dried autumn leaves, mild yeast. Mid-palate is of toasted and toffee-like malts (again, slightly sweet), light bitterness from hops, some dried herbs, and mild yeast and leather-like flavors. Back of palate has flavors of slightly toasted and toffee-like malts with light European hop bitterness, yeast, and musty basement. Aftertaste is moderately bitter, with a smooth, toffee-like sweetness, toasted character, and slight leather.

Beer is of medium weight, with carbonation of medium-light intensity, creating a . Closes quite dry, with light stickiness lingering on the palate, which is pleasing with the bitterness in the aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 23:31:37 | More by falloutsnow

Mattias

Sweden

4/5  rDev -3.8%

02-15-2013 18:01:28 | More by Mattias

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%

09-01-2012 02:58:54 | More by t0rin0

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

06-16-2012 13:59:47 | More by Reagan1984

jlink52

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +14.2%

06-10-2012 22:40:28 | More by jlink52

rarbring

Sweden

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A hazy pale straw colored beer, a white small head, little lacing, small curtains.

Smells of spices, sweet fermented fruits, leather, quite lovely.

Staring with sweet bread, cinnamon roll, cardamom and cumin, apple marmalade, pear peel.

Little carbonation, soft and sticky, a minimal dry finish.

To be enjoyed with a ripe cheese.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 21:09:36 | More by rarbring

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a bottle at DBGB Kitchen & Bar in New York, NY

A: Pours a hazy orange to amber in color. The beer has a half finger tall beige head that reduces to a thin layer over the entire surface of the beer along with a thicker ring at the edges. Light amounts of lacing is observed.

S: The aroma of this beer was quite a bit maltier than I expected with some hints of graininess. The beer had a light earthy aroma with spice notes from the yeast and some very light hints of apple.

T: For a beer with a malty aroma, this beer had very little sweetness but also very little bitterness. The flavors were nicely balanced. There is a malty body followed by some yeast spiciness and light notes of apple/pear.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly dry in the finish.

O: This beer would really pair well with just amount any meal. It is very tasty and well balanced yet still light... I could have drank this beer throughout the entire meal and been happy. Very inviting aroma.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 13:46:53 | More by dbrauneis

Sunnanek

Sweden

3.35/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours clear golden with a rather small white head that slowly sets into decent lacings.

S: Dry malt, apples and yeast. Some spices. A faint metallic smell. Grassy.

T: Very like the smell. The metallic vibe is a bit stronger but dark rye bread and roasted malts makes it “righter”. Fruity.

M: Aftertaste is short. Body is refreshing, but only mild while the carbonation is strong.

O: Not quite up with the greater ones. This is just slightly better than a standard Biere de Garde.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 12:09:15 | More by Sunnanek

theminutemen

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

03-02-2012 21:20:23 | More by theminutemen

Stoffel

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

01-01-2012 16:10:43 | More by Stoffel

LostHighway

Maine

4/5  rDev -3.8%

11-28-2011 13:29:39 | More by LostHighway

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +20.2%

11-25-2011 22:18:37 | More by Rochefort10nh

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle picked up at Belmont Party Supply in Dayton a month or two back. Served in a Mikasa tulip.

Pours a copper-amber color with a two-finger off-white head with some great lacing and a thin collar throughout. The nose carries a good dosing of bread crust and amber malt. Slight caramel and earth. Slight bit of pepper. Flavor is quite similar, but a bit more tame and more toward the malt. Could use a bit more yeast. Medium chewy body with good carbonation. Quite nice, and far preferable to the Blonde.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 01:30:12 | More by Thorpe429

LSUPT

California

4/5  rDev -3.8%

11-17-2011 07:48:00 | More by LSUPT

emmasdad

Colorado

3.08/5  rDev -26%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks, Schmittymack (again). Poured a cloudy yellow/amber with a minimal amount of white foam. Aromas of brown spices, black pepper and Belgian yeast. On the palate, this one is somewhat spicy and light to medium bodied, with flavors of Belgian candi sugar, brown spices, pepper and yeast.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 03:12:50 | More by emmasdad

merlin48

Kentucky

3.83/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle pours a clear amber body with lots of suspended "floaties". Small offwhite head fades into attractive sheet lacing on the goblet.

Aroma is herbal hops and caramel apples.

Effervescent carbonation enlivens a medium light body.

Taste opens with a pastoral herbal hops bitterness with a balancing caramel malt that is redolent of McIntosh apples. The sweet malt becomes overbearing as it warms and the apple notes fade away toward the finish.

Tasty and satisfying but wish the malt backbone had not become so pushy.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 22:50:49 | More by merlin48

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle, part of Amanti Vino's Beer of the Month club offerings from July. This one was poured into my Duvel tulip.

La Bavaisienne pours somewhere between a light brown and a dark orange, and it's completely hazy. There's a solid three fingers plus of bone white head that slowly creeps down the glass, leaving plenty of footprints behind. The nose is redolent of apples and herbs and caramel. It smells like some kind of apple cider that was sweetened up a bit with caramel syrup. The flavor sees the caramel notes take a bit of a backseat to apples and general fruity notes on the sweet side. The earthy/herbal notes are also a bit more prominent. The beer tastes like walking through an apple orchard on a farm. The body is beguilingly light for how prominent the malty/sweet flavors are in this beer. The carbonation is just about perfectly dialed in, enough to cut through the sweet flavors of the beer and place some emphasis on the herbal notes, but still doesn't distract from the rest of the beer. La Bavaisienne is a great example of a style I don't drink all that often, and it's a beer I'll look to come back to in the future.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 03:13:44 | More by axeman9182

metter98

New York

4.3/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is clear copper in color and has a light to moderate amount of carbonation with lots of yeast particles visible floating in suspension. It poured with a two finger high off white head that died down yet for the most part consistently had a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface..
S: There are moderate aromas of apples, caramel, earthy yeast and toasted malts in the nose.
T: The overall taste is very similar to the smell and has a slight amount of initial malty sweetness and hints of bitterness towards the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied and somewhat smooth on the palate with a moderate to high amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is very easy to drink and an excellent representation of the style. I will definitely be trying this again because it tastes very good.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 01:53:55 | More by metter98

crossovert

Wisconsin

2.78/5  rDev -33.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

750 ml green blue foiled bottle

It pours a copper honey color with a large foamy off-white head. There are plenty of yeasty floaties to be seen. The head stiks nicely and recedes to some decent lacing.

It is skunked unfortunately. Reminds me of a Euro Pale Lager in the smell, skunky with some caramel.

The flavor is better though it is still a bit skunked. It has a nice caramel toffee flavor mixed with some basic malts. It is a basic amber beer.

I have to try it fresher/non light struck next time, hard when they insist on the green bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 23:45:25 | More by crossovert

thekanna

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 750 ml bottle.

A: Dark yellow bordering on slightly ruddy amber with a prodigious head and lots of effervescent bubbles.

S: Light citrus, tulip, and fruit notes, with hops definitely present.

T: Smoked, but not roasted, tart hops; fruitiness, wild yeast, and sweet malts.

M: Lots of tiny effervescent bubbles; very refined in its carbonation. This is where the brew really shows its character.

D: A nice, somewhat complex sipper.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 03:05:51 | More by thekanna

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Split this with a several friends on a lazy Sunday afternooon and they were unimpressed. Personally I thought it was interesting but I can't say that I would buy it again or that it was particularly tasty but I may be ignorant to the style. It was dark amber and smelled grainy. Taste was grainy amber belgian and reminded me of caracole amber. Overall, not bad but not impressed.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2010 05:27:48 | More by ArrogantB