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Shopping
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 26/04/2008, 20:52
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Jill
Joined on 23/08/2004
Posts 557
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Re: Finding British Beer in France
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 LyndaandRichard wrote: | Yet to see a British beer being sold in France. Come to think of it, I can't think of a single world famous brand beer from Britain. I'm sure there would be one. Ireland has Guiness, Australia Fosters and the US, Bud.
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This is because all the best beer in Britain comes from the smaller breweries, or the larger breweries selling beer which had been made at the smaller breweries, so that there are more varieties and therefore none monopolise the market. I feel this is better, as variety and quality is worth having. I expect that the beers in mass circulation are those which keep better and travel better. Years ago, I think you used to see Watney's Red and Double Diamond advertised outside the "British" pubs in France and it was everywhere in England too (awful stuff). Most foreign countries are used to lager type beers or are faithful to their own beers. The better known British beers in circulation abroad are the mass produced ones, which may be OK for many people, but not for those of us who are into Ale. British beer is considered by foreigners to be warm and flat - I drink it because it is less fizzy and if beer is too cold you can't taste it. I expect this is why you don't see much of it in France.
Over the last 30 years, I've noticed a big change in beer in France. The changes have been more in the last 20 years. 20 years ago, we used to buy Pelforth Brune and 1664 Brune (the latter seems to have disappeared). It was the best we could do to find a beer with flavour. Then we discovered Jenlain Ambree which was a big improvement. For those who want something a little more like British Beer - not really the same, but good beers come in many varieties - the Ambrees are not a bad substitute - although I love La Goudale which says it is blonde, but tastes nothing like a blonde. Unfortunately, the better beers are not easy to find in some regions of France (the further away from Nord/Pas de Calais you are) and even from the better breweries, there tends to be more of the blondes than ambrees in other regions. I did get a bit fed up of Jenlain last time I was in France as I was feeling the need for something more refreshing such as Speckled Hen, or Marston's Old Empire which I'm drinking at this moment. But if you can't find British beer, I would recommend the French bottled beers - Grain d'Orge, Lutece, Cht'i, La Choulette - other bieres de garde. I'm not so keen on the Cerveze - old style beers though - it's pot luck. Some can be a bit like dodgy home brew! Cheers!
Jill (99)
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28/04/2008, 19:00
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Jazzer
Joined on 07/01/2008
Sugeres
Posts 36
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Re: Finding British Beer in France
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Cheers to you all!! I am enjoying my favourite tipple- a bottle of Fullers ESB(bottle conditioned), bought in Leclerc in St Jean D'Angely at the weekend. I've also got a bottle of Bombardier for tomorrow! Some Intermarche shops have a small range of British Beers including Newcastle Brown. There is an Irish shop in La Rochelle which has a reasonable range of English, Welsh and Scottish beers- may bottle conditioned.. Also In La Rochelle an Asian Minmarket sells Guiness export small bottles-stronger than those available in UK - served chilled an excellent thirst quencher.
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28/04/2008, 22:44
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LyndaandRichard
 
Joined on 01/05/2005
Posts 807
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Re: Finding British Beer in France
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| LEO wrote: | | LyndaandRichard wrote: | Yet to see a British beer being sold in France. Come to think of it, I can't think of a single world famous brand beer from Britain. I'm sure there would be one. Ireland has Guiness, Australia Fosters and the US, Bud.
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Guiness is stout
Fosters is lager
Bud is lager
The op was asking about British beer ie, ale not lager.
Does a beer have to be "world famous" to be excellent? |
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Don't think excellent came into it. Just pointing out that I'd not seen any British beer in France. Certainly not in the centre region. Used see a fair bit in Australia, mainly Bodintons which was reasonably nice.
And as I'd been living in Australia for 8 years prior to France, I've just remained in the same mindset as the Aussies and kept calling lager beer, just like the French do. Don't think the word lager exists over there. You'd get some strange looks if you asked for lager anyway.
Your Property in France
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29/04/2008, 10:35
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cooperlola
Joined on 05/05/2006
72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans
Posts 6,408
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Re: Finding British Beer in France
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29/04/2008, 21:06
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brianagain
Joined on 08/11/2007
Somerset
Posts 35
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Re: Finding British Beer in France
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There is an artisanale brewery at Arcambal (Brasserie Ratz) near Cahors which brews a top-fermented (ale) blonde (pale) beer "Bière d'Olt". Their beers were on sale in Cahors a couple of years ago when I was last there. La Lutine brewery at Limeuil also produces a similar beer but I have not yet tried this so hesitate to recommend it. Not sure how far either of these are distributed into 47.
Top fermented French beers can usually be distinguished by the words haute fermentation somewhere on the label.
One of the best examples is also my favourite "3 Monts" which I am pleased to see is now quite widely distributed in France; it's sold in 75cl bottles and at 8.5abv so has to be treated with care.
Brian (again)
http://www.lalutine.com/
http://www.bieredolt.fr/
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France Forum » Leisure and Pas... » Shopping » Re: Finding British Beer in France
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