Is there real ale in Paris, and can the French make beer?

Location: Paris centrale

Moodmusic: padam, padam, padam

Today's memories and soundbites
Spent the last few days in Paris.  Started from St Pancras, with a lunch at the Grand.  Drank Asahi.  Food good, service doubtful, beer unremarkable.

St Pancras Grand seafood platter, very enjoyable

Arrived in France and wondered was there beer to be had?  This was something I had not explored before just taking French wine for granted as the only interesting national alcohol.  Noting what was available in the bars and restaurants we passed as we looked for a place to take our first evening meal, it seemed that the most readily available beers were macros, many of them being Belgian or brewed by Heineken.  However, there was discussion with restaurant owners and waiters which indicated that France too is seeing something of a 'craft beer' revival.  Data supports the view that as wine consumption per head decreases since the high of the 1970s beer consumption is increasing .... slowly (a few percentage points) .... not as fast as in Spain and Italy (close to 20% increase over the last 20 years) (see World Drink Trend data).  It might be argued that in the North and within the abbeys the tradition has never really died. So Breton continues to have a reputation for real ale, as does French Flanders. French Flanders is well known for Bieres de Garde or pale ales 'for keeping', traditionally overwintered as a farmhouse product, and usually bottle conditioned.  There are three well known styles common to France - blonde, ambree and brune. However, finding out something about the beer was easier than actually finding the stuff to drink it.  Micro-breweries, including monasteries make up about just 8-9% of the market.  I discovered a real ale bar in the Belleville area of Paris, the Fine Mousse, but despite trying hard I didn't manage to get there.  I settled instead for bottled beers, some in bars and others bought when I bumped into a real beer shop in the Montmarte/Abesses area.  There are other beer bottle stores in Paris Bieres Cultes has 3 shops all over the center of the city, La Cave a Bulles is situated close to the Pompidou Centre and has a knowledgeable owner as well as an extensive stock. 

The fresh beer shop!  Cite Germain Pilon 

STOP PRESS!!! Tax increase on beers but not on wine may act as a serious disincentive for French brewers
Beer lovers fear unequal treatment in France
Belgium may retaliate and increase tax on french wine

Drinks

Pelforth in granduer 

Musee d'Orsay, Restaurant in the previous Hotel d'Orsay

Fantastic decor, well worth a visit. Never seen so much sparkly stuff crammed into one room.  You can just imagine the travellers of yesteryear in their equally sparkly dresses swishing their way through this place.

1. Heineken (France), Pelforth Brune (6.5%)

Reactions

Emotional:  mmm I like this ... even if it is brewed by Heineken

Critical: Lovely dark brown colour, whisky malty mashy toffee flavours.  Medium bodied.  Carbonation stops this from being sickly sweet.

Le Zebre de Belleville

Russian circus cabaret a woman on a trapeze with magician and fortune telling - all fantastic fun along with a dinner and booze.  Intimate and enjoyable authentic atmosphere.

2. Heineken (France), Fischer Adelscott (5.8%)

Reactions

Emotional: jury is out

The Zebra cabaret dinner seating and stage

Critical: Kind of nice, a sort of toffee smoky whisky, but can't decide if its a clean and interesting, or faux and headache inducing.  This was the original 'Whisky beer' which was brewed in Alsace, but the company sold twice now sits with Heineken. Innes and Gunn are far more authentic!

3. Brasserie d'Orgemont, Valmy Biere Blanche (5%)

Reactions

Emotional: Aaahhhh yes very nice

Critical: Cloudy pale yellow colour with a healthy head.  Nice clean citrus, yeast and bubblegum flavours.

Hoegaarden with snails

4. Heineken, Fischer Desperados (5.9%)

Reactions

Emotional ..... you must be desperate to drink this!

Critical: **@@!!

Montmarte. Place du Tertre. La Boheme

Check the reviews for this place.  I won’t be going back.  Le Troubadour for pudding and coffee was delicious, calm and sunny - clientele all French which must surely be a good sign?

5. Hoegaarden White (4.9%)

Reactions

Emotional. Refreshing.  Goes well with the snails

Critical. You know what it's like.  It’s available everywhere.  Standard wiessbier.

Rue Lepic. Chez Julien

Simple easy convenient quick stop.

6. Grimbergen Blanche (6%)

Not too Grimbergen

Reactions

Emotional: Oooh looks like buttercup lemon sorbet and a nice glass.  I know its not French .... never mind

Critical: Blonde beer as expected, lemon slice seems to improve the drink over time. Not outstanding but pleasant enough. Gentle character. Soothing.

Hotel Nice. Rue Rivoli. 

Can thoroughly recommend this as a place to stay.  Market opposite.  Bar beside.  Madam is a very interesting character and the wallpaper is something else!

7. Gallia, Gallia 1890 (5.5%)

Reactions

Emotional: Bog standard

Nice wallpaper with Gallia

Critical: A lager rather than a real beer.  Tastes of  toasted cereals, rather like Weetabix. Medium bodied.  Now contract brewed in the Czech Republic.

The Louvre and Tuileries gardens

Brilliant!  My original 1896 hard copy of Baedekers Guide to Paris provides a lovely description of this part of Paris with its grand boulevards and the fantastic architecture of the Louvre.  However, the author bemoans this new building (much of which was finished 40-50 years earlier) and talks of it as being monotonous, with regret over the lovely medieval streets and passageways which were removed to make way for the new grand Parisian layout.  Same nostalgia for historic buildings then as today!  Remembering too, that up until the 1870s the Comunards were still removing buildings and reshaping Paris, e.g. clearing the old Tuileries Palace.

8. Biera Corsa, Pietra (6%)

Corsa in the sun at the Tuileries

Reactions

Emotional: Oh Gawd Yeah!  Very, very luscious

Critical: Drank from the bottle so no comment on colour and head.  The chestnut flour gives this a very interesting flavour and body.  Nutty, bready, malty, sweet dry finish.

Gare du Nord.

Oh dear time for home.  Good thing I have left the best till last.  At least the journey back home will be enjoyable!

9. Trappistes Rocheforte No 8 (9.2%)

Reactions

Emotional: Died and gone to heaven oh yeah

Critical: Fantastic! Beautifully complex flavours and that deep, deep, vinous flavour and warmth from a high alcohol beer. Dates, currants, toasted cereal, spices, ruby richness. Yummy.

10. St Sylvestre, La Gavroche (8.5%)

Reactions

Emotional: To savour .... long and strong

Critical: Thick head. Strong carbonation which keeps the beer light and fresh. Full bodied. Complex flavours.  Brioche, toffee apple, earthy notes and a champagne finish.  I want some more please.

11. Brasserie des Cimes, Yeti (8%)

Reactions

Emotional: Not bad

Critical: Sweetish, jammy, sultana, yeasty.  Thin to medium body.  Finishes like a lager. 

Paris views

Love on Pont Des Artes

Faded shock of new

Paris central pattern