Beer Man: Farm Dog ale is a treat for summer's dog days
Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world.
This week: Farm Dog Farmhouse Ale
Fort Collins Brewery, Fort Collins, Colo.
http://fortcollinsbrewery.com/
The Fort Collins Brewery has introduced a new fall seasonal called Farm Dog Farmhouse Ale that is a tasty example of the style with a few quirks that make it a little different.
Traditionally, the style originated in the French-speaking southern region of Belgium. Over the border in France, similar beers are called "biere de garde."
Most farmhouse ales I've sampled have been a yellow to golden color, but the 7% ABV Farm Dog leans more toward a dark amber. There is no hard and fast rule to this, however; farmhouse ale, also referred to as saison, started out as more of a geographical classification since the style varied wildly among brewers regarding its alcohol content, color, spices used, sweetness and other factors.
It can be hard differentiating farmhouse ales from other Belgian styles such as the country's pale ales and tripels, but the farmhouse beers tend to be less sweet and a bit drier than those styles.
Farm Dog starts off right with a solid, rocky head forming during the pour. Biscuity malt with a background of pear and apple appear in the aroma, along with a slight peppery spiciness and lemon.
The malt carries into the flavor, with a touch of earthy yeast notes to give it a Belgian character. While the ale is mildly sweet, it finishes dry with a clean finish that has just a hint of lingering alcohol, but not as pronounced as in many Belgian ales.
The carbonation is medium — not quite as bright as in other examples, but it does the job. I mostly enjoyed the use of malt in the beer, which is highlighted by minimal use of hops.
Fort Collins has modest year-round offerings of only five beers, but has a robust schedule of rotating seasonals and one-offs, including its Malt Monster series with names such as Giles Golden Imperial, Oldwyn Olde English (coming in September), Deiter Dunkel and Barnaby Barley Wine.
It also just released its Oktoberfest, which was reviewed last year and is well worth seeking out for its delicious Vienna malt profile.
Fort Collins beers are available in 24 states.
The brewery's Beer Finder link is here.
Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability by mail. Contact Todd Haefer at beerman@postcrescent.com. To read previous Beer Man columns, click here.