Black Donkey’s Arigna Series #1 is my first new beer of 2016 even though it was out just before Christmas! The first in this series of limited edition beers is a Bière de Garde. This traditional French style of beer is brewed in farmhouses in the winter and spring and can be kept and drank later in the year. The traditional Bière de Garde would be lighter in colour than Arigna #1 but roasted barley was used ‘to mimic the colours of the timber pit props which prevent pit collapse’ in the old Arigna and French coal mines.
The beer is rich, warming, malty and had a slightly viscous mouthfeel. It’s perfect for sipping of an evening and I’d imagine it would go well with soft cheeses, we have a few Irish Brie styles to choose from now. It’s 7.5% so according to those new health and safety recommendations you should only have a sip once a fortnight. But you can use your own judgement on this one. I really enjoyed it and am glad I didn’t keep it up. You could try and find a pair of bottles, one for now and one for next year, there was only 1,800 bottles produced, mine was number (#!) 67. Well done Richard on what I think might be Ireland’s first Bière de Garde. I got this bottle in The Ritz, Athlone and I know Skelly’s, Ballymahon has some as well. Sláinte!
Black Donkey Arigna Series #1: Beer for keeping?
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Haven’t seen this around, I must look out for it. For the record, Poker Tree and Inishmacsaint did a bière de garde called Crann last year.
Lol, I had a feeling someone would pull me on that!
I wouldn’t keep it. Thought it was superb – complex flavours. Almost cask like (but I’d got rid of most of the carb by deciding to transfer it from a pint glass to a Punk IPA one)