De Garde Brewing

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De Garde Brewing's logo

Website: http://www.degardebrewing.com/
Phone: 503-815-1635
Address: 114 Ivy Ave, Tillamook, OR 97141
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/De-Garde-Brewing/454141454626661
Twitter: https://twitter.com/degardebrewing
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/degardebrewing/

Overview

In 2012, Linsey and Trevor Rogers founded de Garde Brewing in Tillamook, Oregon. De Garde is often considered the first exclusive spontaneously fermented beer producer in the United States, despite initial intentions to also produce conventional beers. Due to the positive progression of their first three spontaneously fermented batches, the Rogers decided to solely focus on spontaneously fermented beer because it was a "representation of [their] heart and soul" [1] (~11 min in). Their first spontaneously fermented beers were released to the public in 2013 [2].

History

(In progress)

Trevor Rogers is formerly of Pelican Brewery [3] but boasts an original affection for wine - even working several wine industry jobs and at one point planning a career in wine [4]. He credits Brouwerij Rodenbach for opening his eyes to mixed fermentation beers [5], 3 Fonteinen, Cantillon, and Tilquin as the catalysts to encourage his exploration of spontaneously fermented beer [6][7][8], and Upright Brewery and Block 15 Brewing for introducing wild beers to consumers in Oregon [9].

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 [10], originally considered for its consistent year-round temperature and climate [11]. 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 [12]. This trial batch method allowed Rogers to refine his list of prospective locations and repeat batches to qualify consistency [13]. Ultimately, Tillamook was selected for its desirable microflora character and shorter fermentation timeline [14].

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 [15], 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 [16].

Today, de Garde is motivated to be as close to an authentic lambic brewery outside of Belgium. They rely strictly on ambient microflora to create a local manifestation of spontaneously fermented beer [17]. As the brewery matures, production and sales should converge to approximately 1,300 - 1,400 bbls per year [18]

The name de Garde is inspired from the concept of beers destined for keeping, holding, and cellaring – a reference to the breweries who have inspired Rogers in both process and product. De Garde purposefully brews beers that will evolve over time, giving credence to both inspiration and reality [19].

Brewing Methods

(In progress)

Fermentation Methods

(In progress)

Recipes

(In progress)
In general, de Garde produces three recipe types; Berliner weisse/gose-inspired, saison-inspired, and lambic-inspired. As the brewery grows and matures, Rogers plans to phase-down or phase-out the Berliner weisse/gose-inspired beers, giving more focus and attention to saison-inspired and lambic-inspired beers. The former were produced out of necessity for quick turnaround production but it is not where de Garde's heart is. The brewery recognizes the Berliner weisse/gose-inspired beer popularity with customers, therefore still plan to produce several batches per year. The end goal is to have the lambic-inspired beers represent a significant majority of the production [20].

See Also

Additional Articles on MTF Wiki

External Resources

References