NABC World Cup Series continues on Wednesday morning with "USA vs Algeria -- Maghreb Biere de Garde."

NABC’s World Cup trilogy of specially brewed and football-themed beers concludes on Wednesday with the morning release (and match) of USA vs. Algeria -- Maghreb Biere de Garde. Bank Street Brewhouse will be open at 10:00 a.m., four hours early for a Wednesday (don’t get used to it), and the Pizzeria & Public House will follow suit at its usual 11:00 a.m. time.

As the notes below indicate, this one is Jesse Williams’ baby, drawing on his culinary education as well as brewing experience. Jared Williamson co-captained and brewed the small batch at the original NABC brewery on the north side, proving that collaboration beers come from within as well as without.

Previous World Cup Series releases were USA vs England – Ordinary Bitter, and USA vs Slovenia – Keller Pils. As of yesterday, the Keller Pils was still flowing, and if you enjoyed the Ordinary Bitter, know this: Jared will be tapping another firkin of cask-conditioned USA vs England for his Gumbo Family Quartet performance at Bank Street Brewhouse, also on Wednesday, June 23, but in the evening (7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.)

USA vs Algeria – Maghreb Biere de Garde

Malts: Castle Pale, Castle Biscuit, Castle Special B

Malts note by Jesse: Franco-Belgian malts are traditional to Biere de Garde style. Castle malts produce a less sweet wort than English or American malts, allowing the yeast to really shine in the final product. Biscuit dries it out a little, and Special B is not just for color, but to impart its own cooked fruit/raisin quality to the bill.

Hops: USA Goldings

Hops notes by Jesse: It’s hopped to style, and not too much to hide the stars of the show, the malts and spices.

Fruit and Spices: Apricot, Cinnamon, Ginger

Fruit and Spice notes by Jesse: USA vs Algeria takes inspiration from the Maghreb region’s cuisine, specifically tajine spices. Tajine varies across North Africa, but is known to us as the long-simmered meat stews, fragrantly spiced and often incorporating dried fruit. These specific spices come from my
favorite tajine: Rabbit with ginger, cinnamon, and apricot. We've left out the rabbit … and kept the awesome.

Yeast: Belgian Chouffe

Yeast notes by Jesse: Our house Belgian strain works well for the style and adds a bit of fruity ester, as well.

O.G.: 1044

ABV: 3.9%

IBU: 15

Color: 11.7 degree Lovibond SRM

Style notes by Jesse: Biere de Garde was chosen as the style owing to the strong French tradition in Algeria, and while Algeria does produce some fine wines, the country’s beer culture is lacking. Pale lagers are dominant, and that’s a little boring: Freaking world domination of German brewing. Being session strength, this beer -- while complex -- is easily quaffable, and not overly spiced.

Style notes by Roger: Jesse now is obliged to prepare his Rabbit Tajine at a future brewery function. Both style and spicing couldn’t be more appropriate, given that Biere de Garde remains quite possibly the single most underrated of “food beer” styles hailing from Europe. As such, note that we’ll save some of USA vs Algeria (NABC’s first ever Biere de Garde, and the first Maghreb Biere de Garde, perhaps anywhere), for the special Bastille Day dinner on July 14.