Personality-wise, brewers map a similar range as the general population, from beer shotgunning partiers to quiet introverts. de Garde Brewing Cofounder Trevor Rogers falls on the pensive side of that range, with the demeanor of a college professor shot through with Vulcan-style rationality. Intense and focused, Rogers has doggedly pursued his own brewhouse dream of producing spontaneously fermented and thoughtfully blended beers from the brewery he founded with his wife, Linsey, out on the Oregon coast. And his 6-pack of beers reflects a respect for brewers who share a common drive to play in the space between chaos and control.
Drie Fonteinen Oude Gueuze
(Lot, Belgium)
“Oude Gueuze is continually one of the best examples of the style, and that style in particular is one that has been hugely influential on how we brew and what we make. The consistency and overall level of quality over the years, as well as the tenure of Armand [Debelder] himself to the industry, can’t be stated enough.
“The overwhelming sense of Brettanomyces complexity and minerality to that beer make it distinctive. The artistry that they bring into their blending and the fact that they can have such consistently high quality at such a level is fantastic and amazing and something to strive for.
“Unfortunately, I haven’t made it over since their new facility opened, the lambik-O-droom (that will be rectified this spring), but we’ve been fortunate enough that Armand has shown us around and talked with us on multiple occasions. The level of knowledge he has—I don’t know if that will be matched again. He’s in his sixties and has been doing this since he was six-years-old and they made him a custom stool so he could pour beer for customers. He’s been been hands-on every day since. I have the utmost respect for his history in the industry and the level of knowledge he’s accumulated over that time, as well as his beer itself. He’s a genuine treat to talk to and just listen to.