Stockport Express

Oh la la! Three French craft ales

- JOHN CLARKE

YOU don’t automatica­lly associate France with great beer.

It’s a country that has become so associated with wine in the popular imaginatio­n that it’s easy to forget it has a long and proud brewing industry.

Having said that the 20th century wasn’t very kind to French brewing as, like many other countries, consolidat­ion was the name of the game and most of the local breweries were absorbed into and ultimately extinguish­ed by, six large corporatio­ns. The heartland of French independen­t brewing remained, and arguably remains, in the North and particular­ly in what is often called ‘French Flanders’ near the border with Belgium, along with Picardy, the French Ardennes and down into Alsace (the original home of Kronenbour­g).

The global beer revolution hasn’t passed the country by and there are now something like 750 breweries in operation – which is about a 20-fold increase over a 40-year period.

They cover the whole country too and not just the northern beery heartland. You’ll need to visit a specialist beer shop to find French craft beers - I picked up these three from Beermoth on Tib Street in Manchester – although the Hope on Wellington Road North has a couple on its extensive and well put together list. Let’s have a look: Thiriez is based in the village of Esquelbecq which is about 20km from Dunkirk.

The village boasted five breweries at one time but no beer had been made there for over 50 years when Daniel Thiriez launched his first beer in 1997.

Since then a whole range of beers has emerged but this, a classic blonde beer in the Belgian style, was the first. There are fruity and spicy (clove perhaps?) notes from the yeast both on the nose and as you drink. It’s quite a soft palate with floral notes, hints of citrus and some malt sweetness too. Some hop bitterness come through in the fruity, dry finish. Le Débauche is based in Angoulême, north east of Bordeaux in the French South-West. The brewery opened in July 2013 since when something like 40 different beers have been produced. Many have been experiment­al and the brewery is keen on barrel ageing. This is a collaborat­ion with another craft brewer, La Goutte d’Or based in Pars and is a black IPA. So, it’s a blackbrown beer with espresso and bitter chocolate notes on the nose, along with a hint of sweetness, too.

As you drink the coffee and chocolate are still there although accompanie­d by a firm hop bitterness. The long finish is biter and dry.

This is an excellent example of this controvers­ial beer style. Brasserie Du Mont Saleve Tzarine (9%, 330ml, £5.25)

Based in Neyden in the Alpes Maritimes, not far from the Swiss border, Mont Saleve opened in 2010 and has made quite a name for itself with all manner of decidedly craft beers in its repertoire. They have even collaborat­ed with Manchester’s Cloudwater. As its name suggests this is an imperial stout with chocolate, coffee, hints of vanilla and even pecan nuts on the nose. It drinks smoothly with chocolate ganache, dried fruit (prunes and currants) and cocoa notes. There’s more chocolate in the warming finish. Gloriously good.

 ??  ?? Brasserie Thiriez La Blonde d’Esquelbecq (6.5%. 330ml, £2.90)
Brasserie Thiriez La Blonde d’Esquelbecq (6.5%. 330ml, £2.90)
 ??  ?? Brasserie La Débauche Chamanka (8%, 330ml, £4.35)
Brasserie La Débauche Chamanka (8%, 330ml, £4.35)
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom