We’ve got a great local bar in Ybor City, Tampa, “Barley Hoppers”, that we don’t visit enough. On our first visit, a few years ago, I was impressed with their large selection of quality draft beers; they have around 50 beers on tap at any given time. Plus, they serve one of my favorite brews, Chimay. But once we started exploring the uncharted waters of the bars taps, my wife and I have discovered quite a few very good beers that we may not have experienced otherwise.
St. Amand’s French Country Ale is one those great finds. The beer is a nice bargain at $6.99 for a 750-ml bottle. It pours a nice dark amber with a full head. The aroma is earthy yet sweet-smelling, very malty with a touch of fruit and it has a nice full body. The combination of strong malt and yeast flavors gives a taste not unlike cookie dough and the fruit kicks in mid-sip with peach and cherries being the most distinguishable. The finish has a slight touch of hops. This is not a bitter brew, but a rich and distinctive drink that is very enjoyable. The alcohol level is 5.9% so you may want to share the big bottle with a friend…or not. Either way, you’re getting a Belgian-style beer (it’s actually brewed in France near the Belgium border) at a great price.
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