Good Beer in Brittany

[Grealish]

I’m on holiday in Brittany. Can anyone recommend a good local (or at least French) beer I am likely to find in supermarkets here.

 

[An Ankoù]

I live in Brittany. Whereabouts are you holidaying?
No. Much of the beer in Brittany is quite poor- especially la bière artisanale, which you'll find in the tourist shops and some supermarkets at a ridiculous price.
I recommend beer from the NorthEast:
La Choulette
La Goudale
Trois Monts
Bière du Corbeau

Coreff IPA and Dramm Hudd aren't bad, and that's brewed in Finisterre. Their blonde, however, is very variable. If you're near Rennes (Acigné more precisely) check out Skummen. Much of their stuff is ok.

If you find anything decent, let me know. I think you'll be disappointed with the microbrewery stuff.

Good luck

 

[trevorS]

We had a house in the Bordeaux region for about five years and never found a decent local beer, I would usually buy German beer from the supermarket but otherwise French red wine ,usually from the pallet on offer in the centre isle!

 

[An Ankoù]

We had a house in the Bordeaux region for about five years and never found a decent local beer, I would usually buy German beer from the supermarket but otherwise French red wine ,usually from the pallet on offer in the centre isle!

I know, but drinking pints of red wine takes it's toll and if you're a pints drinker, anything less than a qoodly quart or more just isn't satisfying. That's why I've got a cupboard full of whiskey, calvados, chouchen, vodka, etc. that rarely get touched unless we have visitors with strange and uncivilised tastes.

 

[trevorS]

I agree totally, I partly remember some nights only drinking red wine

 

[jceg316]

@An Ankoù is there any decent cider from Brittany?

 

[An Ankoù]

Yes there is. Cidre bouché comes in a bottle corked like champagne. It's not the same as either West Country cider or fizzy cider even though it's very fizzy. The difference is because by and large they use different apple varieties, with the exception of Dabinett, which we both use.
Unlike the beer, the small cider producers make the better cider. Val de Rance is a good brand that can be found in most supermarkets. Avoid the cheap stuff- expecially in PETs. Avoid Loïc Raison and Ecusson, which are mass-produced horrors. Pay aorund 3-4 euros a bottle for a good one. Dry cider is brut and sweet cider is doux. The strength of dry cider is 5 or 5½% while sweet is around 2 to 2½ percent. I never seen the equivalent of the strong, vintage ciders that we make in England and Wales.

 

[jceg316]

Thanks for that. I might be going to Brittany or Normandy with my family sometime. Whilst I'm aware of the beer situation, I've heard mixed things about cider. It would feel weird to go to France and not drink wine, but I guess I can drink both!

 

[An Ankoù]

Thanks for that. I might be going to Brittany or Normandy with my family sometime. Whilst I'm aware of the beer situation, I've heard mixed things about cider. It would feel weird to go to France and not drink wine, but I guess I can drink both!

Normandy is just as famous for its cider as Brittany, and it's very similar. Brittany is more picturesque and interesting (IMNSHO) than Normandy though (although Normandy's nice enough). Pop in for a pint if you're passing by.

 

[Cwrw666]

I rather enjoy Jenlain.

 

[Oneflewover]

Thanks for that. I might be going to Brittany or Normandy with my family sometime. Whilst I'm aware of the beer situation, I've heard mixed things about cider. It would feel weird to go to France and not drink wine, but I guess I can drink both!

Went to Brittany at the end of May. Loved it. Emerald coast a particular highlight. Cider is lovely. As is Fine Bretagne the Bretagne version of calvados. Beer is not so good....

 

[An Ankoù]

Went to Brittany at the end of May. Loved it. Emerald coast a particular highlight. Cider is lovely. As is Fine Bretagne the Bretagne version of calvados. Beer is not so good....

My beer is the bees knees and 100% Breton. Made with Irish malt, American hops, Belgian yeast, and a recipe from Greg Hughes. How frencher can you get than that?
Oh, and Breton water.
C'est quoi le Fine Bretagne? Je n'en ai jamais entendu parler. C'est du lambig?

 

[bobukbrewer]

anything with swing tops - they seal better than UK ones....I have lots of fischers.......

 

[Oneflewover]

My beer is the bees knees and 100% Breton. Made with Irish malt, American hops, Belgian yeast, and a recipe from Greg Hughes. How frencher can you get than that?
Oh, and Breton water.
C'est quoi le Fine Bretagne? Je n'en ai jamais entendu parler. C'est du lambig?

Je suis desole! C'est exact, c'est du Lambig. D'oh

 

[Grealish]

Thanks, guys. An, Ankou, Lannion is the nearest town. I love bière de garde, but that is obviously more of a north east thing. I know Jenlein is famous for bière de garde and the supermarket had their IPA on offer so I tried that and it was pretty good, but obviously not traditional French. I’ve tried the Correff, and it was ok. I had an artisanal beer in Normandie and it was very nice, but I’ll beware of the Breton stuff now. I was given a bottle of Sant Erwann blonde at the castle in our village and I have to say I enjoyed that. Last year I ended up buying a lot of Trappist beer which was half the price it is in the UK. I hardly drink wine. As for cider, I’m in Herefordshire so I have a fierce loyalty to proper Herefordshire cider but I have to say, I do like a decent Norman or Breton cider. Having said that, I’m 95% a beer drinker.

 

[An Ankoù]

Thanks, guys. An, Ankou, Lannion is the nearest town. I love bière de garde, but that is obviously more of a north east thing. I know Jenlein is famous for bière de garde and the supermarket had their IPA on offer so I tried that and it was pretty good, but obviously not traditional French. I’ve tried the Correff, and it was ok. I had an artisanal beer in Normandie and it was very nice, but I’ll beware of the Breton stuff now. I was given a bottle of Sant Erwann blonde at the castle in our village and I have to say I enjoyed that. Last year I ended up buying a lot of Trappist beer which was half the price it is in the UK. I hardly drink wine. As for cider, I’m in Herefordshire so I have a fierce loyalty to proper Herefordshire cider but I have to say, I do like a decent Norman or Breton cider. Having said that, I’m 95% a beer drinker.

Never been to Lannion, but either side, St Brieuc and Morlaix are wonderful so must get up there some time. Bière de garde is my favourite, too, among the French beers. See if you can get hold of some La Choulette blonde or ambréee. It knocks the socks off Ch'ti.
As for cider, love still, West-country cider and the Welsh cider from Gwynt y Ddraig, Have a great holiday.

 

[prog99]

Last year I ended up buying a lot of Trappist beer which was half the price it is in the UK.

Always a safe option , the french supermarkets tend to have a decent range.

 

[Cwrw666]

Never been to Lannion

I've been to Lannion!
Went there with Fishguard choir to play my pipes with them to an audience of about a thousand packing out the church there. Had a beer in a bar there, from a pump on the bar. I just said I'll have one of those and the barman said are you sure? only the locals drink it. Well it was white, cloudy and about 2% ABV and you couldn't have told from the taste if it was beer or something else! Don't have one of those!

 

[An Ankoù]

Sounds like a blanche, which is a take on hefeweizen. The one in our neck of the woods is made by Lancelot Brewery. Lancelot brew some drinkable beers, if rather too strong for pint-swilling, but their Hermine Blanche is not one of their best.