Table of Contents:
NEW BEER.
TYPES OF BEER.
SUMMARY.
Wines of France, French Spirits.
Very Old French Artisan Beer.
Beer in France goes back to ancient times possibly 1400 BC. From excavations of sites dating to the bronze age, there are signs of barley cultivation as well as other grains used in early beer-brewing; The knowledge came from the Greeks and Phoenicians arriving along the Mediterranean, and the Celtics from the northeast. They were brewing it locally. Also, they were consuming it locally.
Between 50 and 30 BC., the Romans conquer Gaul (present-day France) and put a significant pinch on beer production. They are wine drinkers. In time, this will spread to a majority of Europe except where wine grapes are difficult to grow, i.e., today’s Britain, Belgium, and Germany.
Old Ale
Around 500 AD, the Celtic forces push back and regain large portions of the western Roman empire. With them comes beer as a favorite beverage.
By the 8th-century AD., Christianity is spreading throughout Europe, and with it, large monasteries are being under construction. Up until this time, beer making is considered a woman’s work as part of preparing the food for the family. Now the monks begin to take over the process of brewing beer. They continue to plant and grow wine in the southern areas. In the colder north, where barley grows more successfully than grapes, they become brewers.
And like an answer to every beer drinker’s dream, the monks drink beer daily. The brewing makes it safer to drink beer rather than the water in the nearby rivers that they are polluting.
At this time, brewers are using an assortment of herbs to flavor their beers. (think French Artisan beer) The local rulers own the herb fields. These rulers make their money by taxing the herbs. Brewers discover that by adding hops, they can extend the beers life. Also, it offsets the flavor of the malts, basically replacing the need for the other herbs. The local rulers, seeing a drop in taxes, declare hops illegal. Brewers must use their herbs, in set amounts and pay taxes upon them.
These laws will remain in place over the next 500-600 years in different regions.
A Hoppy Day for Beer.
By the 1400’s most regions in Northern Europe are using hops in beer production. They no longer refer to it as ale, but call it beer.
By the mid-1400s, the Papal States are busing fighting the Holy Roman and Ottoman Empires and have no time to pay attention to the monasteries. In turn, the monks begin losing market share to commercial breweries. These larger breweries can produce more and can transport beer further due to the longer life from the hops.
European Beers Golden Age.
For the next 250 years, Europe enjoys a renaissance of beer. Many of these will be the forerunners of French Artisan beers. Part of this is because the drinking waters become more polluted making the boiled water in beer safer to drink. Also, Europe is enjoying prosperity after The Black Death removes half of Europe’s population between 1347 and 1353. The poor can finally afford beer.
In the 1500s, during the Reformation, the Catholic monasteries lost even more significant market share.
In the 1700s, Beer and wine face a new challenge. Non-alcoholic beverages from the colonies; tea, cocoa, and coffee arrive.
Sold the Farm.
In the early 1800s, brewers discover lagering, a new bottom-fermenting process. Within 30 years, they finally understand the full part yeast plays in the fermenting. French scientist Louis Pasteur discovers (first for wine) how to pasteurize wine and beer making them safer. By the end of the 1800s, two new inventions will boost the beer industry into mass production. The steam engine and refrigeration.
By the time of this Industrial reinvention of Europe, the wine industry has made a grand recovery. In the areas of France where they can grow grapes, it is once again the alcoholic drink of choice. But, France has numerous rural breweries producing beer for the working people. With the industrialization of Europe, the agrarian society is becoming an industrial one. People are leaving the country to seek work in the cities. Rural communities dry up, and so do their breweries. Generic urban beers are replacing the diverse regional (French Artisan) beers.
1900 AD.+
In addition to the “industrial progress” of the 20th century, France goes through two World Wars. Breweries either suffer from bombing or their equipment goes for metal. After the war, many of these breweries do not have the resources to re-invent themselves. The giant European brewing companies start buying them up in the late 50s. They produce generic beers that have no traits of the traditional French beers. The last French brewery goes to a foreign owner in 2000.
Newer Beers, sorta.
Microbreweries begin popping up the end of the 1990s. Are they completely new? They are a tip of the hat to the old breweries before the Industrial Revolution.
Also, they revisit the use of herbs that they are using before the advent of adding hops. Everything old is new again. It is a renaissance of aromas and flavors. Today, there are over 1000 breweries in France. Although the majority are in the north (the hops belt), the breweries are slowly spreading south.
You say, Ale. I say lager.
A quick look at Beer – 101 cliff notes.
You have an ale, and you have a lager. After that, just about every beer falls under one of these. The big difference is how the beers go through fermentation.
Because of the different yeasts, ales (using top-fermenting yeast) tend to be fruitier, spicier.
The lagers, (bottom-fermenting yeast) tend to be cleaner and crisper.
Equally important, lagers go through fermenting at lower temperatures. As this takes a longer time, it creates a more mellow, lower alcohol beer.
I Only Drink Pilsner?
Once again, you have an ale, and you have a lager. Pilsner is a lager where hops can be spicy and bitter or a spicy floral or grassy flavor. Crisp with a clean malty presence. In general, a strong malty beer with stronger hops, probably bitter.
It is a lager, originally from the town of Plzen (Pilsen) Bohemia. Nowadays the Czech Republic.
The French Artisan Beer list.
This list is to give people an idea of the enormous amount of French craft beers there are.
It barely begins to touch on the MANY different styles of beers available.
Also, this list is out of date five minutes after updating. THAT’S how fast the French Artisan beer industry is changing.
Moreover, new breweries and flavors keep popping up every day.
In general, these beers are in random order. Yes, they are favorites of beer drinkers, receiving high ratings. But, different people have different tastes.
SO, you need to look at the list. Get an idea of what sounds good to YOU. Then try it. Decide for YOUR self how it rates.
Lager
Pale lager is the most popular beer in the world. In addition to pale, but you can find it in golden, amber, or dark.
- Desperados (Schiltigheim, Bas-Rhin France).
- Bière Blonde (Vallouise, Hautes-Alpes France).
- La Parisienne Libérée (Paris, Île-de-France France).
- Mor Braz Bio Blonde (Theix, Morbihan France).
- La Dodo Bourbon Héritage (Saint Denis Cedex, Reunion France).
Pilsner
A type of lager, it usually has a very light, bright color from (pale to golden-yellow). Also, a flavor and aroma of hops.
- Ciutat Pils (Carcassonne, France).
- La Cristal (La Motte-Servolex, Savoie France).
- Blonde (Benodet France).
- Perle Blonde (Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin France).
IPA
Standing for India Pale Ale, these can vary from country to country. Malt is the common ingredient for brewing the original, which goes to India. While in the USA, many breweries use American Hops.
- IPA Mosaic Pacifica (Vaumort, Yonne France).
- IPA collaboration (Vaumort, Yonne France)
American Double IPA
A quick history lesson. Imperial beers are strong beers the British borrow from the Russians. (Everyone borrows in beer). Double is the American term for strong as they don’t want to sound Russian. When you see “double,” think twice as many hops and extra malt to balance it.
- Double IPA (Vaumort, Yonne France)
American Triple IPA.
See definition of “Double IPA.” These beers are “triple.”
- Pimp My IPA (Angoulême, Charente France)
Stout – Russian Imperial
Brewers vying to be the brewer to the Russian Czar began making these high alcohol malty beers. Often with low to moderate carbonation and intense roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavors. Tones of dark fruit, they are usually dry. Hop character can vary from none thru aggressive.
Amorena (Angoulême, Charente France)
- Nevermore (Angoulême, Charente France)
- Mazout (Nancy France)
- Russian Imperial Stout – Vanilla Chocolate (Vaumort, Yonne France)
Stout – Imperial / Double
Double usually means “more.” In this case, a higher alcohol content.
- Big Boy (Charente France)
- Baden Power (Bourbon Barrel Aged) (Yvelines France)
- Demi-Mondaine (Angoulême, Charente France)
Stout – Imperial Oatmeal
Similar to a Russian Imperial with oat added to give it an additional layer of flavor.
- Monstruous Fat Pig Stout Mexican Cake Edition (Chatel-Saint-Germain, France)
Porters
Porters (the name coming from the traditional consumers?) are a blend of three different styles of ale. In other words, old, new and weak. While some put in more of the first, others use more of the second. Consequently, the resulting taste is not old or new. Was this to extend the shelf life of the not so fresh ales?
- Baltic Porter (Chateau Margaux BA) (Angoulême, Charente France)
French Ciders
The French Artisans have been making ciders for hundreds of years and may do it best. They also make calvados, which is an Apple brandy and not a cider. A classic cider has 3 -5% alcohol. They bottle the cider before fermentation has finished, creating a sweet, sparkling flavor. You can find these breweries in the apple-growing regions in the north.
- Cider Dupont Reserve (Victot-Pontfol, Calvados France)
- Eric Bordelet (Normandy)
- Poiré Granit (Normandy)
French Artisan round-up.
ONCE AGAIN, this is ONLY a handful of the craft beers in France.
Did you see how many were the same but different? And then some were different but familiar. Also, they come from soo many regions.
New breweries and new flavors keep popping up every day. Therefore, there is no way to keep up with them. Also, some of the beers above may be seasonal and therefore out of production.
French Artisan beers that are favorites today may not be next season. Artesian beers, like wines, have good years and bad years. Just because it was great last year does not guarantee it will be as exceptional this year. In contrast, it may be even better.
And finally, all people do not like the same beer. Or Jambon beurre, or wine or.
For this reason, a good bartender or server is probably necessary to point you towards the right bière artésienne.
Then, YOU need to decide on YOUR OWN if it’s acceptable.
Toasting.
In French, the word for “health” is Sante – (Son tae).
The word for “your” is Votre – (Vo tro).
FORMAL
À votre santé – (ah Vo tro Son tae) To your health – when saying cheers in a formal setting.
À la vôtre – (ah la Vo tro) And to yours – responding in a formal setting.
CASUAL
À ta santé – (ah ta Son tae) Cheers – when saying to friends you know well.
à la tienne – (à la ti nn) Cheers – when responding to friends you know well.
But I was in France, and everyone was saying Tchin Tchin, (chin-chin) it sounds Japanese.
Actually, it comes from China and was brought back by the French soldiers returning from the Second Opium War (1856-1860) In Chinese it means “please please” as in “please please enjoy your drink” which the waiter/bartender said while serving it. Use this only with friends.
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