Tasting

With the first sip of Jenlain Ambrée, the malt sweetness stands out, followed by caramel, a hint of nut and mild spice. The bitterness stays in the background, the carbonation is fine-beaded. The beer is robust but not heavy, and it lingers long on the palate.

Three beers make good examples. Jenlain Ambrée from Brasserie Duyck is considered the benchmark for the style, originally released at 7.5 percent alcohol. 3 Monts, from the brewery in Saint-Sylvestre-Cappel, comes in at 8.5 percent according to the brewery and tastes warmer and rounder. Ch'Ti Blonde from Castelain is lighter and is a good way to get a feel for the contrast with the Ambrée.

A chalice or tulip glass works best, since it concentrates the aroma. The beer should be served cool but not ice-cold, as intense cold mutes the delicate malt notes. Served at room temperature, on the other hand, it quickly turns cloying.

When opening corked bottles, hold the cork firmly by hand and ease it out slowly, since the carbonation can push it out forcefully. When sharing the large bottles, pour carefully so that any yeast sediment that's settled at the bottom doesn't end up in the glass.

At the estaminet, the beer often comes from the tap. In that case, smaller glasses appear on the table; a demi in France is 25 centiliters. Given the high alcohol content, guests tend to sip Bière de Garde slowly rather than drink it to quench thirst.