De Garde Brewing

De Garde Brewing is a brewery based in Tillamook, Oregon, founded by husband-and-wife brewers Trevor Rogers and Linsey Rogers. The brewery is distinguished by its focus on spontaneous fermentation, a traditional process in which wort is cooled in an open vessel known as a coolship and exposed to naturally occurring yeasts and microorganisms in the surrounding environment. Rather than relying exclusively on a selected commercial yeast strain, De Garde allows the coastal air around Tillamook to contribute to the fermentation character of its beers. The brewery began on a small scale in the Rogers’ garage in Tillamook. Trevor Rogers had worked as an assistant manager at Pelican Brewing in Pacific City, while Linsey Rogers had worked at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Their location was central to the concept: Trevor reportedly tested wort samples at different points along the Oregon Coast to identify an environment suitable for spontaneous fermentation, ultimately selecting Tillamook. The town’s coastal climate and air became part of the brewery’s production identity. As interest in the beers increased, De Garde moved its brewing operations among several facilities in Tillamook. Its production facility is identified at 114 Ivy Avenue. The brewery’s beers are generally produced in small batches, with many releases made in quantities of fewer than 1,000 bottles. This limited-volume model supports a portfolio centered on maturation, experimentation, and bottle releases rather than broad industrial distribution. De Garde’s range includes wild ales, lambic-inspired beers, gueuzes, and krieks. Some beers are aged in large wooden foeders, and fruit may be added during or after fermentation to develop additional acidity, aroma, and flavor. The resulting beers are associated with the tart, complex, and evolving character of spontaneously fermented and mixed-culture ales. The brewery has also emphasized direct sales: according to the cited Wikipedia entry, on-premises sales account for approximately 95 percent of its bottle sales, while kegs are rarely sold outside the tasting room. The brewery received notable recognition in 2016, when RateBeer ranked it the fifth-best brewery in the world and named it the best brewer in Oregon. That recognition reflected the growing reputation of American breweries working with Belgian-inspired sour and wild-ale traditions. De Garde remains primarily identified with its Tillamook base, coastal fermentation approach, small-production releases, and specialty beer culture.

De Garde Brewing was established by Trevor Rogers and Linsey Rogers in Tillamook, Oregon. Before starting the brewery, Trevor worked as an assistant manager at Pelican Brewing in Pacific City, while Linsey was employed by the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The couple began brewing in their garage, developing a concept based on the use of naturally occurring microorganisms rather than a fully controlled commercial-yeast fermentation. The brewery’s location was selected deliberately. Trevor tested wort samples at multiple points along the Oregon Coast to determine where the surrounding environment would be most suitable for spontaneous fermentation. Tillamook became the preferred site, linking the brewery’s identity to the coastal air and climate of the area. In the coolship process, freshly brewed wort is exposed to the ambient air as it cools, allowing naturally present yeasts and bacteria to begin fermentation. The beer can then mature over an extended period and develop a complex, acidic profile. As demand for De Garde’s beers expanded, production moved from the original garage operation to a succession of facilities in Tillamook. The brewery’s current production address is listed as 114 Ivy Avenue. Its output has remained deliberately small compared with that of large regional breweries. Many beers are produced in batches of fewer than 1,000 bottles, and the brewery has relied heavily on sales made at its own premises. The cited reference states that approximately 95 percent of bottle sales occur on premises and that kegs are rarely distributed outside the tasting room. De Garde’s brewing program is centered on wild ales and Belgian-inspired sour styles. Its products include lambics, gueuzes, and krieks, as well as other mixed-culture and fruit-influenced beers. After primary fermentation, some beers are aged in wooden foeders. Fruit can also be incorporated into selected releases, adding flavor and aroma while interacting with the beer’s developing acidity and fermentation character. The brewery gained wider recognition in 2016. RateBeer placed De Garde fifth in its ranking of the best breweries in the world and identified it as the best brewer in Oregon. The accolade helped establish the Tillamook brewery as a prominent American producer in the spontaneous-fermentation and wild-ale category. De Garde’s historical identity continues to rest on its Oregon coastal setting, small-batch production, open-air fermentation, extended aging, and specialized bottle releases.

• 2016

  International brewery recognition

  [1]De Garde Brewingen.wikipedia.org

  RateBeer ranked De Garde Brewing fifth among breweries worldwide and named it the best brewer in Oregon.

• Garage-based brewery founded in Tillamook

  [1]De Garde Brewingen.wikipedia.org

  Trevor Rogers and Linsey Rogers began De Garde Brewing as a small garage operation in Tillamook, Oregon, with a focus on spontaneous fermentation.

• Tillamook selected for coastal spontaneous fermentation

  [1]De Garde Brewingen.wikipedia.org

  Trevor Rogers tested wort samples at locations along the Oregon Coast and selected Tillamook as the brewery’s preferred environment for capturing naturally occurring fermentation microorganisms.

• Production moved into dedicated Tillamook facilities

  [1]De Garde Brewingen.wikipedia.org

  Growing demand led the brewery to move production through several Tillamook locations; the listed production facility is at 114 Ivy Avenue.

A small-production Oregon brewery positioned around coastal spontaneous fermentation, mixed-culture wild ales, Belgian-inspired sour-beer styles, long maturation, fruit experimentation, and direct tasting-room sales.

• Wild ale

  Spontaneously fermented wild ales

  These beers are made using an open coolship, allowing wort to encounter naturally occurring yeasts and microorganisms in the coastal Tillamook environment. The method can produce complex, tart, and evolving fermentation profiles and is the defining technical feature of De Garde’s brewing identity.

• Sour and wild ale

  Lambic-inspired beers

  De Garde produces beers influenced by Belgian lambic traditions, using spontaneous or mixed-culture fermentation and extended maturation. These releases are generally associated with pronounced acidity, layered fermentation character, and small-batch availability.

• Blended sour ale

  Gueuze-style beers

  The brewery’s gueuze-style offerings draw on the Belgian tradition of blending aged and younger spontaneously fermented beer. They form part of De Garde’s rotating wild-ale portfolio and are produced in limited quantities rather than as mass-market year-round products.

• Fruit sour ale

  Krieks and fruit beers

  Selected beers receive fruit during the aging or fermentation process. Kriek-style releases and other fruit beers combine the brewery’s acidic, mixed-culture base with fruit-derived aroma, flavor, and color, while maintaining the small-production character of the overall range.

• Barrel-aged beer

  Foeder-aged beers

  Some De Garde beers mature in large wooden foeders after fermentation. Extended wood aging gives the beers additional time to develop and integrate acidity, fermentation-derived flavors, and any fruit components used in particular batches.

1. 1De Garde Brewingen.wikipedia.org
2. 2De Garde Brewing official websitedegardebrewing.com