History: Name literally means “beer which has been kept or lagered.” A traditional artisanal farmhouse ale from Northern France brewed in early spring and kept in cold cellars for consumption in warmer weather. It is now brewed year-round. Related to the Belgian Saison style, the main difference is that the Bière de Garde is rounder, richer, sweeter, malt-focused, often has a “cellar” character, and lacks the spicing and tartness of a Saison.
Extra, Extra: Did you know that Shawn's original homebrew recipe was the basis for Choc's award-winning Brewmaster's Signature Biére de Garde?
Salute! Awards: BOS - 2008 FOAM Cup, Tulsa, OK Gold - 2008 FOAM Cup, Tulsa, OK
Gold - 2007 Dukes of Ale Enchanted Brewing Challenge, Albuquerque, NM
High Gravity's extract kits use only the highest quality ingredients and are assembled when you order so they contain the freshest possible ingredients. Each kit makes 5 gallons.
Each kit makes 5 gallons.
Click here to view the instructions and ingredients. Click on Customize to select kit type, yeast and other options.
Extract kits are recommended for beginning brewers.
Extract kits contain malt extract along with specialty grains and is by far the most common kit type. Extract kits rely on the malt extract to provide the fermentable sugars and the grains are primarily for color and flavor. This is the most common type of beer kit and is recommended for those who are just getting started or those that want to make a great tasting beer without a lot of effort.
Mini-mash kits reduce the amount of malt extract in the kit and replaces it with additional grain along with the specialty grains. This method requires that you "mash" the grains to get the required amount of fermentable sugars for your beer. This method is generally used by homebrewers with a bit of brewing experience.
All-grain kits eliminate the extract and completely rely on the grains to produce the fermentable sugars needed to make the beer. Additional equipment is required, such as a mash tun and hot liquor tank. This method also requires that the entire volume be boiled so a 40qt pot is recommended to boil the wort (pre-fermented beer). All-grain brewing is the most advanced method for brewing beer and is recommended for those that have had some experience brewing extract kits.
We recommend liquid yeast for our High Gravity kits but if you would prefer dry yeast, you can select it instead. Liquid yeasts provide a wider range of flavor profiles but are very susceptible to temperature variations. This can cause problems when shipping during very hot weather. Dry yeast, however, will not be damaged in transport because of weather conditions.
You may also want to choose your own yeast. If so, you can select the "No Yeast" Option.
Ice Pack:
When shipping liquid yeast, an ice pack is highly recommended, especially during hot weather to help ensure the viability of the liquid yeast. There is an additional cost of $1.00. High Gravity will not guarantee the viability of liquid yeast shipped without a cold pack.
