Girardin Faro 1882 - Brouwerij Girardin

megahurts4

Louisiana

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Girardin Faro

Appearance: dark red-orange, good lacing, and a small head.

Smell: fruit, yeast, and a sweetness.

Taste: sweet sugar and a fermented fruit flavor.

Mouthfeel: medium.

Overall: this is a nice Faro. It has some nice flavor and actually isn't overly sweet.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 01:01:56 | More by megahurts4

smakawhat

Maryland

4.3/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. Cork details 2011. Mild soft and easy pop while opening.

A nice amber body, of dark orange and fairly clear. Not much head produced but a faint tan collar that always remains while consuming, which is actualy quite a good 3-4mm thick. Not much visible carbonation to be detected. Otherwise an expected "flat" lambic, but a nice color and good collar.

Nose is real interesting. Mild sense of cherry and dry spices. Muted malts and very light sweetness. A good nice simple hint of soft cinnamon, with a thick cake like density Really like this mellow sweetness, and the cinnamon angle on it reminds me of a subtle danish pastry mixed with the malts.

Palate is quite enjoyable. A bit of a wet body, quenching, but not juicy. Palate gives a mellow sweetness, and some dry mild pepper. The brown sweet spice angle on this is noticeable, it really feels like subtle cinnamon, maybe even some nutmeg/clove tasting. Hints of mild acetic acid quality, with a complimentary soft sweetness, and malt chewy bread of pastry flake-y character.

Faro is a pretty obscure style, and this is only the second one I've had aside from Lindemans. This is by far for myself much more enjoyable and not as sweet. I find this much easier to drink. Extremely light and refreshing, and I like it's mild sweetness. Not sure if it's from sucrose, but the cinnamon angle on this is really nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 02:37:41 | More by smakawhat

GRG1313

California

4/5  rDev +7.8%

03-11-2013 17:11:17 | More by GRG1313

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

01-14-2013 04:48:24 | More by spycow

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%

01-09-2013 16:38:15 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

ceetee26

United Kingdom (England)

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%

10-05-2012 10:07:26 | More by ceetee26

WynnO

Florida

4/5  rDev +7.8%

09-08-2012 04:40:33 | More by WynnO

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +7.8%

09-08-2012 00:18:48 | More by t0rin0

womencantsail

California

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks for sharing, Tim.

Pours sort of a murky amber color with a small off-white head. As anticipated, very sweet. Quite fruity with an interesting butterscotch note to it as well. Decently funky with some must, oak, and straw. Lightly tart with a lemon/lactic note. The flavor has the same interesting combination of sweetness and tartness. A bit of citrus peel along with candy, sugar, and butterscotch.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 22:00:28 | More by womencantsail

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

375 mL bottle poured into an Allagash chalice. Thanks to Phyl21ca for this bottle. No bottle date on the bottle, but the cork says 2009. Take from that what you will.

Appearance - Pours a rather dull garnet. Clear. Decent head at first that explodes as I try to finish pouring the bottle. Sticks to the glass, surprisingly. Good lacing. Only a trickle of bubbles comes up from the leaf etched in the glass. Most lambics look like they have geothermal vents when I pour them into this glass.

Smell - Musty brett smell. Not acidic in the aroma. A dull cherry aroma lingers about. A little bit cidery.

Taste - Dry tasting at first. Like an under-fruited kriek. A little bit acidic, but I expected more. It isn't sweet, though. Maybe a touch in the finish as the acidity diminishes. Dry finish. Like a dry apple cider in the finish.

Mouthfeel - The flavors drop off quite quickly. I thought this would be sweet, but it isn't, which is nice. Highly carbonated.

Overall - It's as if the flavors were there once, but have fallen off. It's totally drinkable, but there's not a lot there. I've never had a Faro, so it's tough to rate to style. I doubt I'll have many more. I'm really just reviewing this to taste. I expect more, because the flavors that are there make me expect more lambic aspects than it delivers.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 23:58:40 | More by Alieniloquium

oline73

Maryland

2.63/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I picked this up while I was in Europe. Poured from the bottle into a Chimay goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours a clear reddish amber with just a hint of off white head that settles to a thin ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Some sweet malty notes with just a touch of lambic sourness. Rather mild.

Taste: This beer is sweet up front with a mild sourness that shows up next. The sweetness reminds me of artificial sweetener. The finish is rather bitter, but the sour notes go away.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with prickly carbonation and a slick finish.

Overall: This isn't a very good beer. The artificial sweetener flavor is off putting. I wouldn't want to have another one.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 23:52:15 | More by oline73

pperez38

California

4.25/5  rDev +14.6%

04-10-2012 08:41:38 | More by pperez38

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Etre Gourmet
Bottled in 2011, according to cork
Poured into a Cantillon gueuze glass

Girardin has a solid faro on there hands here, but this leans towards the lighter, brighter, more refined end of the style. My preferences seem to be toward the heavier, stronger, coarser flavor offered by Lindemans. Still quite good, would pick up with some regularity if easily obtainable.

Pours a fluffy, creamy-looking head of 1-2cm that's off-white in color. Gradually fades over 1-2 minutes, to a thin cap atop the beer, thicker around the edges. Leaves small amounts of lacing, fairly minimal, around the glass. Body is a tea-like orange brown in light, out of light it's a darker shade of orange with brown tint. Fairly active carbonation is visible through the slightly hazy body.

Aroma of amber Belgian candi sugar and slight malt. Yogurt-like sour aroma with a smooth, sugary, creamy component to it as beer warms and I reach the bottom of the bottle. Not picking up much else in this category, was expecting perhaps a slight bit of organic decomposition smells

Reminiscent of a slightly heavier, less hoppy, and more tea with sweetener-like version of the Dominicus. Opens with sweet, sugary, tea-like flavor, transitioning to a mild Belgian candi sugar meets malt base with slight caramel characters. Mid-palate picks up mild tartness, slightly sour, somewhat like tart apples in a bath of malt and yogurt. Closes out with continued Belgian candi sugar sweetness and a fairly bright, lemon or fresh green apple tartness. Aftertaste of slight oak with mild tartness and candi sugar sweetness.

Medium-bodied with slight wateriness around the edges. Carbonation is modest, but enough to propel this across the palate. Resulting feel is smooth and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 03:40:36 | More by falloutsnow

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pour is a deep copper color with tons of a tight bubbly tan head. The nose is light, mostly lambic, a little cob web like fun and some faint caramel and brown sugar. Taste follows the nose but a slight bit sweeter. Cobweb and dusty funk adds a bit of complexity as sweet caramel and brown sugars come in. The body is light with a very active feel on the tongue and a hint of dryness. The flavors and nose are a bit muted but it does offer balance and some depth of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 15:59:47 | More by cpetrone84

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 bottle opened 1/7/2012

A: Dark caramel colored body. Crystal clear with a pale khaki one-inch cap. A few stray steaks left on the sides of the glass.

S: Caramel, apples, oak, and brown sugar. A nice general funky/musty character.

T: Like the nose, the Girardin Faro is dominated by caramel, apples, oak and must. The one draw back is that you can tell that there is artificial sweetener here (Ace-K).

M: Medium bodied. Gentle carbonation. Nice tartness. However, the presence of Ace-K creates a chemically residual sweetness that isn't present in fresh faro.

O: A tasty bottled offering of faro. I'd prefer Girardin cut the crap and remove the AceK though.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 18:32:20 | More by callmemickey

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

11-15-2011 02:37:02 | More by ygtbsm94

Sunnanek

Sweden

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours cloudy dark brown with lots of red hues. The head is rather small and soapy; off-white. Slow dissipation leaves rahter rich lacings.

S: Brett and funk. Spices - mainly pepper. Lots of sweetness. Some wheat.

T: Very sweet, from the candi-sugar. Then there's the brett and the spices. Kind of fruity. Wheat gives it ripe bananas. Dry.

M: Long and really sour aftertaste, some bitterness as well. Dry (actually bone-dry) light body and almost no carbonation.

O: A Faro isn't the easiest Style to like, but this isn't so far out - a nice introduction to the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 16:15:39 | More by Sunnanek

muttyd

Massachusetts

2.63/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a deep red murky brown with an off-white head that settles into a faint ring. Murky looking brew, but looks appealing.

Nose is not too enjoyable. Vinegary ketchup, somewhat medicinal, and musty. Not much in the way of what I would expect from a lambic, but maybe what is expected for a faro. Flavor is better: sweet brown sugar up front, caramel apples, and more vinegar. Not very sour, but slightly tart. Has a weird, almost too ripe green apple aftertaste. Weak carbonation, more silky than effervescent.

I guess fados really aren't my thing. Still decent though.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 01:42:53 | More by muttyd

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.25/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle 5,0% Abv.
Served chilled in a tulip wine glass.
Best before 2012

This is my first faro so I have no idea what to expect. Let’s hope it’s good.

Appearance: Wow,Girardin Faro is a great looking beer. Beautiful caramel-copper-golden body (crystal clear - though that was expected since it is filtered) with a good sized white head that lasts acceptably well and leaves some nice lace.

Smell: I think if I had smelled this, not knowing what it was, there would have been just enough similarities to the gueuze for me to guess it came from Girardien. Lightly tart apples and grapefruit to start; then sweet caramel, lots of oak and a burst of spices (enough to make me think that this beer might be spiced) - ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. Funk is present though in far smaller quantities than the gueuze - sweat, wet wood, musty leather and a touch of hay.

Taste: Lightly tart and fruity upfront with apples, grapefruit and white grapes. Caramel sweetness takes over pretty quickly and dulls the flavour a little bit. Spices and funk lurk behind the caramel. Nutmeg, clove, mold, earth, oak and hay are all noted. I actually like the sweetness; I just wish it didn't dull the funk.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, fairly sticky from the sugar with a good, low level of carbonation.

Overall: Great beer from a very interesting style. I will have this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 16:15:36 | More by Thehuntmaster

largadeer

California

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A rare faro tick courtesy of westcoastbeerlvr. Thanks, Craig. Pours clear amber with low level of carbonation, no head. Smells like caramel, oak and funk. Little bit of sourness shines through, and quite a bit more -bal and funk than I was expecting. Some hay-like scents. Taste is actually more oaky than sweet, though there's plenty of sugar to even out the sourness and tannins. Wet wood, caramel, bitterness and tannic oak in the finish. Has the Girardin essence, just very sweet. Couldn't drink a lot of this, but it's decent in small quantities. Best faro I've tasted at this point, really not bad.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 23:20:51 | More by largadeer

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle. Pours a murky amber color with a slight white head. The aroma is more funky than expected and has a slight herbal, medicinal note. The taste is quite a surprise and reminds me of sweet peppermint. The medicinal notes in the nose are slightly present in the taste but not as much, I think they get covered up by the sweetness of the malt. Very easy drinking with a light/medium mouthfeel. Some notes of cedar or wood as well.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 13:48:59 | More by kbutler1

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a copper amber. Has a beige head to it with decent retention.

Aroma: Sweet with brown sugar and spice notes up front. It has a little bit of fruit flavors and some funk to it.

Taste: Really dry tasting. A lot of brown sugar and spice to it. It has some oak and vanilla with some fruit flavors. A lot of brett flavors here. Not that impressive.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy. A bit bubbly surprisingly. It has a medium body with a bit higher amount of carbonation. Ends a little dry.

Overall, I somewhat like it. Not something I want a lot of, but it was great to try this one. Pretty unique.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2010 02:03:21 | More by mothman

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A faro i actually like. Who knew such a thing existed. Beer is amber to red in color and mostly clear with a thin white head of small bubbles and moderate carbonation.

Aroma is mostly lactic and some acetic with some sweetness.

Beer is moderately dry and light in body with a mild forward sweetness and some lactic and acetic notes leading up to a clean finish. Its got a nice mouthfeel and is quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 02:53:20 | More by drabmuh

craytonic

District of Columbia

1.73/5  rDev -53.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This stuff is disgusting and tastes like diapers. Much more funky than any other Girardin I have tasted. Pour is brown, no real head or lacing. I was expecting it to be sweet but it was not. Rubbery and a bit oxidized, definitely a "yuck" factor present. My first faro but I can't believe it is supposed to taste like this. This is the sort of beer that grows up with a father that beats them constantly in a trailer park and winds up on an episode of cops.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 04:05:34 | More by craytonic

gyllstromk

Belgium

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pretty, light amber that's clear. Nose is cherry, butterscotch, faint raspberry, with that lambic funkiness. Flavor is slightly thin, with apple, pear, a touch of sweat, and berry sweetness on the finish with some nice acidity. A very approachable, yet respectable lambic.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 20:05:20 | More by gyllstromk