32
edits
Changes
m
→History
Before selecting a physical home for the brewery, Rogers wanted to qualify potential locations for spontaneous fermentation character. He exposed sterile wort to ambient microflora in various towns along the Oregon Coast <ref name="craftbeertemple"></ref>, originally considered for its consistent year-round temperature and climate <ref name="bierversuche"></ref>. Using a grist of pilsner and wheat, Rogers brewed 15-gallon trial batches on a MoreBeer! Tippy-Dump BrewSculpture. The wort was chilled and split into food grade buckets, standardized to 1-gallon volumes for consistency. The buckets were brought to prospective locations and left uncovered overnight, emulating the function of a coolship. Once retrieved, the beer was allowed to ferment for approximately 12 months before undergoing sensory assessment to understand the unique representation of ambient microflora from that area. Rogers noticed a distinct sensory difference in spontaneously fermented trial beers in as few as 10 miles apart <ref name="craftbeertemple"></ref>. This trial batch method allowed Rogers to refine his list of prospective locations and repeat batches to qualify consistency <ref name="bierversuche"></ref>. Ultimately, Tillamook was selected for its desirable microflora character and shorter fermentation timeline <ref name="beerandbrewing">[https://beerandbrewing.com/breakout-brewer-de-garde-brewing/ Breakout Brewer: de Garde Brewing. Retrieved 2/25/2018.]</ref>.
De Garde initiated brewing operations in 2012 in downtown Tillamook using a 7 bbl brewing system. Their initial focus was to brew a wide variety of clean beers and spontaneously fermented beers <ref name="newschoolbeer"></ref>, however the early success of initial spontaneous batches encouraged the shift to a singular focus. Rogers specifically credits the first batch of Bu Weisse, brewed on a whim to determine brewhouse efficiency and specifications, for reinforcing his desire to pursue spontaneous fermentation exclusively. By 2015, the Bu Weisse beers represented 15-20% of total production, quickly becoming de Garde's flagship beer <ref name="craftbeertemple"></ref>. In 2014, they closed the 2nd St. location and moved to a new facility four miles south, next to the Tillamook Air Museum. They expanded to a new 10 bbl system, which can squeeze out up to 15 bbl of wort due to the modest gravity and alcohol content of many of the beers <ref name="craftbeertemple"></ref>. The expansion also included a 14 bbl coolship fabricated by Practical Fusion of Hillsboro, Oregon <ref name="talkbeer"></ref> (post 737875). In 2017, after more than two years of renovations, de Garde returned to downtown Tillamook with the opening of their new tasting room and brewery. Their existing 10 bbl brewhouse was moved to this new location which promises to hold more than 2,000 oak vessels, including dozens of foeders <ref>[http://www.newschoolbeer.com/2017/12/inside-look-de-garde-brewings-new-tasting-room-brewery.html An Inside Look at De Garde Brewing’s New Tasting Room & Brewery. Retrieved 3/4/2018.]</ref>. With the expansion, they intend to shift from using small format oak vessels (~60 gal) in favor of large format one (~130-550 gal) in an effort to increase efficiency and limit oxidation <ref>[https://www.portlandmercury.com/lush-life/2017/11/08/19453175/inside-de-garde-brewings-expansion Inside de Garde Brewing’s Expansion. Retrieved 3/4/2018.]</ref>.
Today, de Garde is motivated to be as close to an authentic [[Lambic | lambic]] brewery outside of Belgium. They rely strictly on ambient microflora to create a local manifestation of spontaneously fermented beer <ref name="thesourhour1">[http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/the-sour-hour-de-garde-brewing/ The Sour Hour Episode 20 - De Garde Brewing.]</ref>.