French beer

RichieBeer · May 24, 2018

I'm driving down to France at the weekend for a half term holiday. I'm going to take a few bottles of homebrew with me, but can anyone recommend any French beer that I'm likely to find in you average French supermarket? I tend to drink lighter ales / IPAs etc, so I'm hoping someone can suggest something that'll suit my taste.

Sandimas · May 24, 2018

If you can be persuaded to drink a darker maltier beer, Pelforth Brune is one of my favourites.

I'm off to Menorca for half-term but not expecting much in the way of IPAs, I've been going for years and never seen anything remotely hoppy there or elsewhere on the continent.

robbym123 · May 24, 2018

If you like Belgian beers, Chimay, Leffe, Duvel etc, you should see plenty in le hypermarche. I saw one, can't remember which, that was advertised as dry hopped with American hops.

I did see a couple of small scale brewers selling bottles in farmers markets as well.

Paris has a couple of Craft Ale type bars but apart from that you are likely to see Little apart from Kronenbourg, Stella or Leffe on draft in a typical bar.

MickDundee · May 24, 2018

robbym123 said:
Paris has a couple of Craft Ale type bars but apart from that you are likely to see Little apart from Kronenbourg, Stella or Leffe on draft in a typical bar.

If my experience of my trip back in March is anything to go by, most pubs with Kronenbourg also have Grimbergen Blonde on tap as they are the same company. Despite being owned by the big brewery it’s a decent drop, I prefer it to Leffe.

RichieBeer · May 24, 2018

darrellm said:
If you can be persuaded to drink a darker maltier beer, Pelforth Brune is one of my favourites.

Thanks. I'll lookout for that. Presumably there's a Pelforth blonde too.

chthon · May 25, 2018

The average beer in the French supermarket is the average beer from big breweries.

However, Auchan e.g. also tends to stock locally produced things. What you will have is that that will vary across France, but that locally you might have some nice surprises. In the Nord of France: Ch'ti, Page 24, Deux Caps (2 Caps), also Belgian beers. Other places will certainly vary.

Horners · May 25, 2018

Stopped in the Auchan in Dunkirk recently and they had a massive variety of beers. Granted that is (I think) the biggest hypermarket in the whole of France and the proximity to Flanders may also have influenced the selection.

rats_eyes · May 25, 2018

I'm fond of a few french beers and have managed to pick them up in Super U. I recommend Ch'ti, thiriez d'esquelbec, la choulette, gavroche (malty but very nice). You'll find lots of belgian beer too

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Sadfield · May 25, 2018

Best French beers I've had were by https://www.labrasseriedumontsaleve.com, but in this country and Belgium. Not sure how widely available they are in France.

Stunning labels, too.

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RichieBeer · May 27, 2018

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm now sitting on a patio in a village somewhere outside Poitiers .Having driven down on a Sunday very little is open but I managed to find some of the Pelforth stuff in the local supermarket. Just opened the Brune

GerritT · May 27, 2018

Mainland is lager territory. Prepare for doubles and triples, and abbeys. Duvel, Leffe, Chamay and La Chouffe are the okay mainstreamers. Duvel have a Triple Hop, they have Citra now and had Nelson Sauvin in the past.

It's not the beer journey of a lifetime but you'll enjoy yourself :thumb: :beer1:

Duxuk · May 27, 2018

I went to Normandy a few weeks ago and thought it was supposed to be a cidre area. Kronenbourgh was everywhere but in a bar in Arromanches les Bains we had a wonderful beer at 6.8% ABV. After a few of those it's no wonder I've forgotten it's name! We stopped at a farm which produced cidre in champagne bottles for 4 euros a pop. The demi sec was the best. 4.5%ABV and exquisite. I usually like cider at 7% ABV but this didn't need the alcohol to carry it.

GerritT · May 27, 2018

Duxuk said:
I went to Normandy a few weeks ago and thought it was supposed to be a cidre area. Kronenbourgh was everywhere but in a bar in Arromanches les Bains we had a wonderful beer at 6.8% ABV. After a few of those it's no wonder I've forgotten it's name! We stopped at a farm which produced cidre in champagne bottles for 4 euros a pop. The demi sec was the best. 4.5%ABV and exquisite. I usually like cider at 7% ABV but this didn't need the alcohol to carry it.

Had the same experience on Sicily: we rented a houselet on a farm, and could buy wine for €1 the liter, just bring your own PET bottle. Young wine, low ABV, went down like water.

BeerisGOD · May 28, 2018

robbym123 said:
If you like Belgian beers, Chimay, Leffe, Duvel etc, you should see plenty in le hypermarche. I saw one, can't remember which, that was advertised as dry hopped with American hops.

I did see a couple of small scale brewers selling bottles in farmers markets as well.

Paris has a couple of Craft Ale type bars but apart from that you are likely to see Little apart from Kronenbourg, Stella or Leffe on draft in a typical bar.

I'll second the Belgium beers
They saved my life in Spain two years ago
But buy two at a time as they serve them far too cold for'my liking

Sandimas · May 31, 2018

BeerisGOD said:
They saved my life in Spain two years ago

My life needs saving now, I'm in Spain (Menorca) and I really thought a wider of selection of beer would have made it out this way, but no just the usual San Mig, Estrella Damm etc. And John Smiths for 4 euros a pint if you really search for it. Have found a local microbrewery but underwhelmed to be honest, their Brown Ale is pretty average.

Best I've found so far is Voll Damm which is a strong lager-type beer late-hopped with Hallertau, tasty but at 7.2% not for the feint-hearted
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voll-Damm

dad_of_jon · May 31, 2018

Horners said:
Stopped in the Auchan in Dunkirk recently and they had a massive variety of beers. Granted that is (I think) the biggest hypermarket in the whole of France and the proximity to Flanders may also have influenced the selection.

Auchan in dunkirk gets my vote for a big selection of beers to. I used to stock up there on the way home before I found Vanuxeem.

brewhaha · May 31, 2018

darrellm said:
My life needs saving now, I'm in Spain (Menorca) and I really thought a wider of selection of beer would have made it out this way, but no just the usual San Mig, Estrella Damm etc. And John Smiths for 4 euros a pint if you really search for it. Have found a local microbrewery but underwhelmed to be honest, their Brown Ale is pretty average.

Best I've found so far is Voll Damm which is a strong lager-type beer late-hopped with Hallertau, tasty but at 7.2% not for the feint-hearted
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voll-Damm

Apparently there's a craft beer shop in Ciutadella called Sa Bona Birra. Don't know if that's anywhere near you?

Good luck with the hunt!

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Oneflewover · May 31, 2018

darrellm said:
My life needs saving now, I'm in Spain (Menorca) and I really thought a wider of selection of beer would have made it out this way, but no just the usual San Mig, Estrella Damm etc. And John Smiths for 4 euros a pint if you really search for it. Have found a local microbrewery but underwhelmed to be honest, their Brown Ale is pretty average.

Best I've found so far is Voll Damm which is a strong lager-type beer late-hopped with Hallertau, tasty but at 7.2% not for the feint-hearted
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voll-Damm

I've just got back from Portugal, and the best beer I found was the Voll Damm Marzenbier (which I think that you are referring to) and their dark Bock. Thoroughly enjoyed both to be honest, and given me some impetus to explore German beer more thoroughly

sven945 · Jun 1, 2018

darrellm said:
I'm off to Menorca for half-term but not expecting much in the way of IPAs, I've been going for years and never seen anything remotely hoppy there or elsewhere on the continent.

If you're ever next door in Mallorca, look our for Sullerica. They're based in Soller and do some lovely beers. Not sure how far they go out of the north west of the island though.

Sadfield · Jul 30, 2018

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread. This cropped up in my twitter timeline and may be useful as it's the summer holidays.

Top 100 beer bars in France.

http://www.mostlyaboutbeer.co.uk/100-best-beer-bars-in-france/

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French beer

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