Homebrew Summer: Gavroche
A homebrew recipe for a sadly discontinued French red ale was the basis for Ballast Point recreating it and putting it on tap in Little Italy
Homebrewing is more than a pastime. In some cases, it’s a necessity. Before the modern craft-beer movement, many styles of beer were largely unavailable in the U.S., requiring stateside amateurs to brew their own if they wanted something going beyond meager grocery-store offerings. In the case of local amateur Jacob Gottlieb, a French red ale he harbored an affinity for was discontinued. His recipe for a cloned version of that beer, Gavroche, was selected by Ballast Point Brewing Specialty Brewer Michael Bracey as part of our Homebrew Summer program. It has since been recreated (the recipe can be downloaded below), and will make its debut at the company’s Little Italy taproom on Friday, September 12.
Jacob Gottlieb
Homebrewer
My wife and I enjoy dining at a French restaurant in North Park called Et Voila. During our first visit, I tried a French red ale called Gavroche. While this wasn’t a style of beer I typically gravitated toward, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it complemented my meal. It became my favorite there, but it eventually disappeared from the menu. I later discovered that Gavroche was made by a family-run brewery in the North of France, which had been operating for 100 years but was sold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the family remains involved, Gavroche is no longer part of their offerings. Unable to find a substitute, I decided to brew my own version.
Michael Bracey
Specialty Brewer, Ballast Point Brewing
We chose the French red ale style because it’s been several years since we brewed one, it is not a common style here in San Diego and it relies on the grain bill for its typical attributes with little hops to hide behind. Jacob came to us with a strong recipe, but we modified it to shift focus from specialty malts to base malts in order to provide the essential character of the beer. Jacob also was trying to clone a discontinued beer from a traditional farmhouse brewery that did not use a saison yeast, so it lacked the phenolic character of a traditional bière de garde. After reviewing several possibilities for yeast, Jacob chose to ferment with our proprietary house strain, which has a British character and can produce notes of dark fruit. The brew day went very smoothly, and we enjoyed sharing our practices and providing hands-on opportunities to engage.
Any tips for homebrewers using this recipe?
The best tips we can provide would be: 1) Always prioritize cleanliness and sanitation, 2) Use the best quality ingredients, 3) Experiment with yeast strains, 4) Employ an extensive cold-conditioning period, and 5) Don’t be afraid to try new or rare styles that might push your boundaries. A votre santé!
New homebrew recipes and pro-am beer release information will be posted to our site throughout the summer, so check back with San Diego Beer News on a regular basis (or subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter and we’ll send all the recipes and release information straight to your inbox). Cheers and happy homebrewing!
Ballast Point Brewing’s R&D brewery and taproom is located at 2215 India Street in downtown San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood