Showing posts with label paris craft beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paris craft beer. Show all posts

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Beer Tasting Review - Mosaic Black Bitter

Join me in the darkest of Parisian beer caves as I sip out a quick review of a popular local session ale.

Mosaic Black Bitter by Brasserie du Mont Saléve



This black bitter is based off the Strong Bitter style , often referred to Extra Special Bitter, ESB or English Pale Ale.

Balance is important and most examples range from balanced to moderately bitter. While many commercial examples can be described as "hoppy," do not confuse this style with American pale ale. Strong bitter has more fermentation and malt character than American pale ale and the hop character is nothing like the big, bold hop character you find in many American-type pale ales. Moderate is the key word here and the hop character should be somewhat restrained and balanced, never overshadowing the fermentation and malt character.


While these styles are usually best done using English hops, like East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, Target, Northdown or Challenger, Mont Saléve pops in with what hopunion.com refers to as, "a great aroma variety," Mosaic, which adds a great pine and citrus note to the nose that keeps the fresh sessionability of this low abv beer a winner for a variety of occasions.

Unless you're like me and you just want to skip to the stouts.

XOXO

For more on ESB skim through this in depth profile from BYO.com

Also :

Friday, April 18, 2014

Deck & Donohue

the new age D&D.


Around Paris when people refer to D&D, they no longer mean the 70's mash hit paper and pencil gaming adventure that turned so many single men into single reclusive men. We mean Deck & Donohue!

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Located along metro line 9, the French/American duo behind Pari's newest micro-brewery is opening it's doors to tastings and spreading around the bar/restaurant scene like wildfire. For a back story on how Deck & Donohue made their way to Paris take a look at their colorful 'something brewing' blog.

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Sniff, sniff and hands on (with a beer in one hand), tours through the brewery are in French, English or Franglish as required.

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There are currently five brews available: Trouble #6 Blonde, Mission Pale Ale, Indigo IPA, Monk Hoppy Amber. All fantastic, well balanced and simple. Although I'm usually a 'darker the better' kinda girl, the Pale ale with it's citrus and orange blossom notes is heavenly. I ran into D&D's Mission Pale Ale on draft while on an adventure with Not drinking poison in Paris at Les Trois 8. Meg over at de quelle planete es-tu? is a hoppy beer fan and an IPA fanatic,
"their Indigo IPA did just the trick for me."

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Happy Beer time goes into detail about the 10 year friendship between Deck Thomas and Mike Donohue. Their lives went different directions with Thomas in France home brewing through his business degree and Mike gaining professional experience with legendary 21st Amendment brewpub.

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For more of Nitch's pictures from the tasting event, head over to her facebook or check out Whats so great about Paris from my buddy Kate.

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New hot spot cafe HolyBelly cafe carries Deck & Donohue! Check out their beautiful event photos or hop over to La Moustache Blanche for a take home bottle.

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71, rue de la Fraternité à Montreuil

Open to the public Saturdays 10am to 3pm, no reservation needed!

[mappress mapid="2"]

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Chop'in Cave à Bière

Local shop owner Lionel Libert (Mickey to his friends) knows his craft beer and is spreading love of the stuff to his neighborhood! On hand to answer home brewing questions, guide newbie beer lovers around the world of beer or simply hang for a chat, the 14th arrondissement's local beer spot is on!

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Chop'in


With a generalized selection of French, Belgian and specialty imports, the store has a little something for everyone and a big something for beer nerds. One will find that Mickey is one of Paris's only locations for homebrew retail. And if you're feeling hungry, grab yourself some gourmet pate and sausages for your food pairing needs.

Click here to see Chop'in's full bottle list.

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Customers who can't wait to get to their arm load of goodies home, like yours truly, are welcome to a bottle opener. Turn bottle into road beer! On your way out ask the Chop'in CEO for local dining and drinking advice, he won't hesitate to give you suggestions for the area and then go on to suggest some of Paris's better beer joints.

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This is the first place where I spotted La P'tite Soeur brand! Check out the video of my morning sampling, where I begin the process of defining the common style of 'noire'.


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What is a noire beer? As far I've found, it literally refers to the color of the beer. Is it a Stout or Black Ipa... meh, c'est noire. Gotta love the French mentality. It is in connection with how wine is categorized, I'm assuming. Red wine, is red in color and then it is defined by the grape and the region. Beer styles are color, region and then maybe a style. Weisse beer is a blanche (white), Russian Imperial stout (noire) and American Pale Ale (blonde). Rather convenient really.


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Red, white or blue, Chop'in cave à bière's tailored advice and jolly atmosphere gain a big two thumbs up from this beer hunter. Stand around long enough and you'll see why no one leaves the shop without a big smile.

Beer samples anyone?


XOXO


45 Rue de Gergovie 75014 PARIS

Open Tuesday- Saturday

11am- 2pm and 3:30pm-8pm

[mappress mapid="1"]


 

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Thanking Brewers #1- Craig Allan

Brasserie Craig Allan


Father, brewer, scotsman and co-creator of the newly released UNSTOUT- a full body, highly hopped sessionable beer of the highest order, Craig deserves a big GROUP HUG for his pioneering in the French craft beer scene!

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On February 13th Parisians (me included) were able to meet and bisous the man himself.

Thanks Brewer Soirée #1: Craig Allan


Craig allen trois 8 men


Trois 8 located just off metro line 2, station Ménilmontant is one of Paris's best beer geek locations, with great atmosphere, a revolving tap list and plenty of local love. Owners Phillipe (left) and Julien (right) invited Craig Allan (center) for a showcase evening and many group hugs.

[caption id="attachment_2438" align="aligncenter" width="960"]craig allen trois 8 mix Biérocratie owners Pierre and Jaclyn hugging Craig[/caption]

Craig Allan's three stable beers were on draft: Psychedelia, a blond beer starring the Moteuka hop variety from New Zealand, Agent Provocateur a Belgian style golden ale brewed with floral and citrus aromatic American hops and Cuvée d'Oscar a dark wheat beer named for his son Oscar. But the starlet of the night was without a doubt Craig's collaboration piece with friend and fellow brewer Craig. A different scotsman named Craig. Thats right!

2 Craigs UNSTOUT


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Craig of Cromarty Brewing Co and Craig of Brasserie Craig Allan had the idea to produce a
"very low alcohol beer packed with flavour."

[caption id="attachment_2435" align="alignnone" width="960"]craig allen trois 8 Stout feeling, high hopped and any only 2% abv? Clement explains to me the impossible[/caption]

In order to achieve this masterful feat they packed loads of un-malted ingredients and an unusually high mash temperature to for a stout-like feel.  Mashing in at 72°C instead of the typical 65°C the Craigs were able to obtain an extract from the cereal which was deliberately less fermentable. As a result, unfermentable sugars and carbohydrates give UNSTOUT a fuller body.

Check out more of the team's brewing tricks here!

This big, little beer sports a classic smooth expresso and liquorice-like quality of a stout, huge herbal hop character from French hops, and pulls in a subtle 2% abv. May we call it a black IPA? May we call it sessionable? Lets just say that it has all the Craigs' personality and won't leave you drowning in pétrole.

[caption id="attachment_2439" align="alignnone" width="960"]Craig loves his Alsace hops Craig loves his Alsace hops[/caption]

Check out more photos of Thanks Brewer soirée #1 and keep up to date on when we'll be thanking more local brewers in Paris.

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Monday, December 30, 2013

Tasing Biérocratie!!

Looking for neighborhood beer culture inspiration?


Newly opened cave à bière has just the bureaucratic thing the 13eme needs



Biérocratie


http://youtu.be/N8ijgRjpDw0

Holiday bottles to share

The newly opened craft beer bottle shop located at 32, rue de l'Espérance is owned by a young and beautiful married duo on hand at all times to lead you through the growing selection of local and import brews available in Paris, France.

Horaires d'ouverture :
Lundi & mercredi : 16h30 - 20h
Mardi, jeudi, vendredi & samedi : 11h - 20h

In French or in English, Pierre and Jaclyn are ready to help you discover your newest beer addiction. For me, it's Cycle Éphémère or Corinne Louise which we sampled during and meet and greet last week.

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Holiday bottles to share

[caption id="attachment_2325" align="alignnone" width="696"]DSC_2153 (1) The bigger the bottle, the more to share! (or horde)[/caption]

and a full refrigerator stocked with beers to go

[caption id="attachment_2320" align="alignnone" width="687"]DSC_2144 Beers chilled for your immediate enjoyment[/caption]

With everything from beer soap, to beer vingaire, to beer fashion asscesories.

[caption id="attachment_2322" align="alignnone" width="696"]DSC_2148 Hand made local beer soap[/caption]

Beer hunters beware: Biérocratie is addicting! shelves packed with the best beers France has to offer, knowledgable owners on hand to educate and prices at a wallet friendly level. One is bound to spend more than passing time.

[caption id="attachment_2326" align="alignnone" width="696"]DSC_2155 Hand made up cycled bottle crown earrings[/caption]

those lucky enough to live in the area have learned that, although Heinekin might be cheaper, a share bottle of craft beer carries better than a case of green glass and cardboard. (feel free to leave your macro brew box outside when entering)

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Follow Biérocratie to get up dates on the growing Parisian craft beer scene and high five the power couple behind the name who is holding down for craft beer in the 13eme.

CRAFT FRENCH BEER- coming to a neighborhood near you!


XOXO


 

Sunday, October 13, 2013

French Kissing with La Goutte d'Or at La Fine Mousse

Paris's first micro brewery celebrates 1 year anniversary and releases a collaboration beer


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FRENCH KISS is a beer made with grapes and French hops, designed in collaboration with the brewery Outland and created for the Harvest Festival of Montmartre in 2013. A true blend of all things that make Paris 'The City of Love.'

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Located between the metro stops of Ménilmontant and St. Maur, Le Fine Mousse was a buzz with Goutte d'Or Birthday bash go-ers in a flood of great beer and converted wine lovers. The theme of the night was "I used to love wine, but now I French Kiss."


Tasting


LA GOUTTE D'OR- French Kiss


DSC02016A: Lush rosy pink color of lips, veiled with a soft haze.

S: Oh honey, honey, honey! Huge sweet honeycomb notes followed by a pomegranate, red fruits, and a slight rosé tang with a delicate hay touch on the base.

T: Sweet, sugar love'in mama! Not much more bitter then a gentle love bite and while the malt stands out unexpectedly, there is no missing the fact that there was grape juice AND fresh grapes used in this baby. Imagine honey and pink grapefruit on a bowl of cereal.

M: Slight mouth coating on a medium body.

O: This beer has all the potential of a blossoming virgin, but isn't quite ready for the plucking. There was a lack of bubbles and sourness to cut through the grape juice and caramel malt. Give it

[caption id="attachment_2032" align="alignleft" width="418"]French Kiss French Kiss[/caption]

Romain from Outland admitted that the two week fermentation of the beer wasn't as much time as they would have liked and that the pilot batch had more astringent characters. The bottled versions will make for great cellaring!

Home Brew from Guillaume Toussaint


DSC02039A: Murky apple juice

S: Say what, bacon? There is a smokey smell, like roasting chestnuts.

T: Figs, sugared dates, malty and smoked.

M: That slightly flat effect that home brew often gets, but a clean mouth feel.

O: Guillaume used a huge amount of dates in the post boil and thinks that having let them sit in the wort for such a long time roasted the date pits thus causing the smoked effect. All in all, a pretty cool idea. Bacon wrapped date beer. Test batch #1 get Nitch's nod of approval. Lets do another!


LA GOUTTE D'OR- Chateau Rouge


[caption id="attachment_2038" align="alignleft" width="487"]Chateau Rouge Chateau Rouge[/caption]

A: Head for days, what a slut. Dense and the color of a red wood

S: Yeast and again, that hard honey hit that the French Kiss had

T: Bitter, floral and hop forward with a smooth cherry touch and delicate spices.

O:. Very much like French Kiss but less grape juiced. Great balance. Each element has a place: malt, hops and sweet red fruits. Very smooth and crowd pleasing. I can see now why so many of the converted wine drinkers love this beer.

Below is Thierry, the brewer/founder/owner of La Goutte D'or with Quentin Blum (enjoying some home made chocolate cake). Mr. Blum is one of Paris's only craft beer import/export merchants and has converted his lovely girlfriend Leone (second from the right) from a wine drinker to a beer and food pairing apprentice. Clemence (on the far right) is Thierry's converted wine drinking neighbor.

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"Thierry is passionate about beer but not showy."



-Clemence



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It was brought to my attention that Nitch, whore of many things, is a coffee virgin.

Tom and Paul from Café Lomi in the 18th were French Kissing and spreading their version of geekiness. Coffee Geeks? Who knew. They've promised to pop my craft coffee cherry- such gentlemen these Aussie expats.

Café Lomi/La Goutte d'Or fusions in the future? The magic 8 ball says, "the future looks bright."

If you speak a bit of French, check out the below video of Thierry and Romain talking about the story behind French Kiss, the collaboration and what it means to be craft beer in Paris.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yj1g5BmbMk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Didn't get enough tongue action? Check back tomorrow for more coverage of the 2013 Montmartre Harvest Festival festival including: people who take pictures of things instead of experiencing them, snails as street food and 'Merica.


Thats right 'Merica.


XOXO

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Rouge, Rogue, Glass and Paris Craft Beer Tastings

Walking past the Moulin Rouge


En route to lip some Brutal Rogue.


"Le Glass is where?"


s'il vous plaît monsieur,


ou est la Rue Frochot?


He says to the right, it ain't fo sho.


giphydoAverage Parisian night out in the Pigalle district being mostly lost and mostly driving up a huge thirst. Paris's touristy sex arcade infested 9th district is all lights and English speakers. Which was perfect for my visiting friend, who is all male American man and comedy. Just in town from Oktoberfest, we needed to show him not only that Paris was more wet then Germany but that the baguettes are better. (Fun fact: the word baguette in French is often used as a slang term referring to the male genitalia.)

logo Will was at Le Glass doing a tasting of his newly imported bottles and we had to get us some.


As soon as we found the fucking place.


That American touristing friend of mine, who's job it is to rain on people'e picnics and predict the future, best weather forecaster the government can buy, just to happened to have a working phone. (Unlike yours truly.) Voila- Location acquired.

Le Glass


[caption id="attachment_2017" align="aligncenter" width="540"]1LeGlass This isn't Glass's logo but the shiny lights told me to use it.[/caption]


Soon to celebrate it's one year anniversery Le Glass is a snug, well heated space not much bigger than my drunk kitchen but with better lighting. Most everyone spoke English but not many people were speaking at all. In fact, when we walked in there was a hello from the barmen but everyone else seemed to have their mouth occupied. Organic hot dog, a home made pickle or someone else's face are top ticket menu items at Le Glass.

Felix to the rescue! For customers to wash down their seriously delicious dogs, or pickles or what ever else, he pumps out amazing house made specialty cocktails. Whipped up with flare and skill, Le Glass is not only sporting yummy yum foods but killer drinks to drown in. Le GlassMy Forecaster friend was right at home and ready to move.  Le Glass's ambiance had set the mood and we were staring a craft beer line up what would later have him determined to expat to Europe.
"St.Louis is great but I'd move here today if I wasn't contracted until 2017."

No luck for the Forecaster, more for me. But, for the moment we have some magic, space men and hoppiness ahead of us so let's leave the future to future and

Taste Beers!


Rogue_Brutal_IPASip #1: ROGUE- Brutal IPA


A: It's hard to see in such a sexily lit location but I think it's a tawny orange.

S: Pine with roasty caramel

T: No so brutal

O: This is one of America's original IPAs, made in a time before the "west coast IPA" had ravaged all beer geek's palates and caused a hop addiction epidemic. So, it's more like a nice pale ale that was understandably brutal back in the day. Love the bottle, great for sharing and food pairing.

brewfistSip #2: BREWFIST- Space Man IPA 7% 70 IBUs


A: So, so, so bright! Like a golden/copper tinted champagne. So clear and bright

S: Passion fruit, exotic fruits in huge amounts

T: Sweet, soft bitter finish, not aggressive, caramel grapefruit with heaps of citrus.

O: This is Will's favorite beer at the moment and I have to agree that if I was craving a super fresh hop bomb THIS would be the definition of what I would be craving. So fresh and so clean, clean.

Sip #3: MOOR- Hoppiness 6.7%hopp


A: Copper with a great lingering head

S: Cascade pine (at the date we were drinking this beer about 5 months, it may have lost some of it's aroma).

T: Barley wine malt bill balances with American hops. Not too hard on the finish, so drinkable.

M: Grainy more thick full body than is usual for this style.

O: MOOR Brewing is a great company, UK based but turned around by a California brewer and his wife with a massive passion. I recommend checking out the website and seeing the rouse they have about traditional beer vs natural beer. Fish bladder protests!

Sip #4: MOOR- Illusion 4.7%


A: Murky brown

S: Very faint, slight coffee and toasted malt.

T: Toffee sweet roasted malts, bittering hops are present in a grassy way and come out in the taste rather then the smell.

O: Hello session beer with a kick.

Sip #5: BREWFIST- 2 Late IPA 9.5%BREWFIST2LATEIPA112


S: American hops with heaps of citrus and pine but also a delicate floral sweetness like honey.

T: Grapefruit and a candied fruit, peaches maybe. Malt is in perfect balance with the freshness of the hops. No alcohol on the nose or in the taste with is a real surprise.

jjjSip #6: MOOR- JJJ IPA Triple IPA 9.5%


S: Malt sweet, sugar, caramel no hops- super slight earthy smell

T: Like fresh wort, sweet with a subtile hop middle, lingering bitter- like an english cask ale. American and UK hops. Sweet hop finish.

Sip #7:


MORE HOTDOGS PLEASE!

Magic Rock CannonballMAGIC ROCK- Double IPA Human CannonBall IIPA 9.2%


This. This is kind of a big deal. It is the last keg in ALL of France! When it's gone. It's effing gone people! Bet you wish we were with me. But you weren't, so I'll tell you all about it and let you have dreams about it later.

A: Golden peachy color with light haze and slim bubbles S: Citrus flowers and fresh cut grass

T: I'm hit with huge grapefruit and orange blossom hop blast but then... a meaty, smoked malt. Like smoking rain under a heap of floral hop and citrus peel.

O: Very interesting. So many things going on, such originality and intrigue that I'm slightly baffled. That big roasty thing that happened at the end kinda put me off a bit. I would for sure Cannon Ball again, but for tonight I'm taking my  beer like I take my men: thick, black and rich.

ON TO DIRTY DICKS!


giphyda


...I'll give you some Dirty Dick later, we've had enough sexual references and sipping for one post. Tease, tease, tease! Oh okay, if you really can't wait click Paris My Mouth to see what they do with the Dirty Dick.


XOXO