Hello from France!

[alsacebrew]

Hello everybody,
I now live in France but I started brewing in the 1990s when I went to university in England. What started as a poor student’s attempt to drink cheap beer quickly became a life-time hobby! I continued brewing in France because when I moved here there were hardly any English ales and I’d already developed a taste for them! I still brew regularly; almost all the beers I brew are ales. I’ve always enjoyed reading this forum and have learnt a lot from it. So thank you all and I am looking forward to exchanging ideas and continuing to learn. Cheers!

 

[chthon]

In the north of France they have nice beers, there are also nice beers to be found in Picardy, Normandy and Brittany. Where are you located?

 

[alsacebrew]

I live in Alsace, near Strasbourg. and yes, you are right there are good beers over here. It is also becoming more and more easy to find IPAs etc. in French pubs too. Where I live is also very close to Germany and I like German beers too. But my favourite is and has always been English ales!

 

[terrym]

Welcome to the forum

 

[braziliain]

Bonsoir!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Bigcol49]

'Ow do!
Welcome to the forum.

 

[alsacebrew]

Thank you for all your welcoming messages! Cheers

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi and welcome to the forum.. .

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi Alsacebrew,
Recently started up in Brittany. Still finding the best source of supplies to be the UK and Eire. Have you got any decent suppliers over there? Have been disappointed with Brouwland twice, so won't be going back.

 

[An Ankoù]

In the north of France they have nice beers, there are also nice beers to be found in Picardy, Normandy and Brittany. Where are you located?

Hi, moved to Brittany a few years ago, but have yet to find beer I would like to have a session on. Lancelot make some good stuff but the best is too strong for swilling, Coreff blonde is inconsistent- good when it's good, but can be languid, Skummen do a good drop but the price!!! Haven't found a micro whose beer I like very much. Recommendations would be gratefully received.

 

[chthon]

Hi, moved to Brittany a few years ago, but have yet to find beer I would like to have a session on. Lancelot make some good stuff but the best is too strong for swilling, Coreff blonde is inconsistent- good when it's good, but can be languid, Skummen do a good drop but the price!!! Haven't found a micro whose beer I like very much. Recommendations would be gratefully received.

Northern or southern Brittany, or east or west? Because the brands you quote I haven't seen three years ago. We were in Clohars-Carnoët. I got Dremwell, Gwiniz Du, Britt. I actually thought I had more brands. I think it is very regional.

Just got a link from my wife: Saint-Malo Craft Beer Expo

 

[An Ankoù]

Northern or southern Brittany, or east or west? Because the brands you quote I haven't seen three years ago. We were in Clohars-Carnoët. I got Dremwell, Gwiniz Du, Britt. I actually thought I had more brands. I think it is very regional.

Just got a link from my wife: Saint-Malo Craft Beer Expo

Excellent link indeed with further links to a host of tiny breweries, some of which I've never heard of. I see you're in Finisterre, while we're about as south-east as you can get in Le Morbihan without slipping into 44. All the commercial brands you mention above are available here in the supermarkets. I like Britt and some of Gwiniz Du, I have difficulty with Dremwell. Yes it's regional, our local big brewery is Lancelot near Ploermel, Some of them are very drinkable and all in the Breton beer genre.

 

[alsacebrew]

Hi Alsacebrew,
Recently started up in Brittany. Still finding the best source of supplies to be the UK and Eire. Have you got any decent suppliers over there? Have been disappointed with Brouwland twice, so won't be going back.

Hi Ankoù,
Welcome to the forum! I order from Brouwland occasionally, usually some European hops and sometimes yeast. When I am over in the Netherlands I also buy some stuff from Braumarkt in Almere. But these days almost all my ingredients come from the UK, mostly from the Maltmiller and Brewuk. Delivery cost is very reasonable and all my orders are delievered within about three days so there really is no point for me in looking elsewhere. Both of those HBSs are very well stocked and the quality of their ingredients is top notch. Where I live, Alsace, is, as you probably know, famous for its hops and I sometimes source my hops locally and very fresh. What kind of beers do you brew?

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi Alsacebrew,
and thanks for your reply. I order from the same sources having exhausted Rolling Beers and Saveur Bière, I was hoping there was something I had missed! Still trying to find a good balance with Alsace hops, I must confess. Tried Aramis, Strisselspalt and Barbe Rouge but instead of brewing a standard pilsner, tried making something exciting with Bestmalz' Red-X. No exceptional results, but still drinkable. Any suggestions? I brew according to the seasons so laying down pilsners now for the summer, interspersed with experimental oatmeal stouts and hoppy AIPAs. Heffeweisen and saison in the summer. What kinds of beers do you brew?
By the way. Made a couple of orders with thehomebrewcompany who have an Irish (in euros) and a UK (in GBP) website- just in case Brexit causes supply problems. Both orders have come in fine and cheaper than the Malt Miller- consistent failure to reply to emails, however, borders on rudeness.

 

[alsacebrew]

Hi Alsacebrew,
and thanks for your reply. I order from the same sources having exhausted Rolling Beers and Saveur Bière, I was hoping there was something I had missed! Still trying to find a good balance with Alsace hops, I must confess. Tried Aramis, Strisselspalt and Barbe Rouge but instead of brewing a standard pilsner, tried making something exciting with Bestmalz' Red-X. No exceptional results, but still drinkable. Any suggestions? I brew according to the seasons so laying down pilsners now for the summer, interspersed with experimental oatmeal stouts and hoppy AIPAs. Heffeweisen and saison in the summer. What kinds of beers do you brew?
By the way. Made a couple of orders with thehomebrewcompany who have an Irish (in euros) and a UK (in GBP) website- just in case Brexit causes supply problems. Both orders have come in fine and cheaper than the Malt Miller- consistent failure to reply to emails, however, borders on rudeness.

I’ve made three SMASH beers one day a couple of years ago, using only MO and each with a different local hop, fermented with WLP005. I served them slightly chilled. Rouge Barbe was my favourite, followed by Perle. Aramis one wasn’t that good, though it might be better in a lager. If you would like to get very fresh Alsatian-grown hops, have a look at this website: https://www.comptoir-houblon.fr/5-houblons-alsace
You are right about the Red-X, I’ve used it only once (and probably too high a percentage of the total grist) and wasn’t very impressed with it. It was too dry and had a murky colour.
I brew mostly English ales; pale ones in the summer and milds and traditional bitters and porters in the winter. I’ve also developed this “personal tradition” now, whereby I brew a Whitbread’s London Porter (1850; recipe from the Old British Beers and How to Make Them, by the Durden Park Beer Circle) every spring and drink it during the following Christmas holidays. I’ve also started using corny kegs very recently, after having used PBs for a couple of decades. This way I should be able to keep my beers longer without any deteriation. I am also now in the process of building a keezer.
By the way, I am sorry to hear that you’ve had problems with the Malt Miller, I’ve onlye ever had very good service from them. Don’t give up on them yet!
Also, maybe you should brew a stout and put in some of those nice Brittany oysters; I’ve had an oyster stout the other day in the local Irish Pub here in Strasbourg (it was brewed by Porterhouse Brewing Company) it was one of the best stouts I’ve had! Cheers!

 

[An Ankoù]

I’ve made three SMASH beers one day a couple of years ago, using only MO and each with a different local hop, fermented with WLP005. I served them slightly chilled. Rouge Barbe was my favourite, followed by Perle. Aramis one wasn’t that good, though it might be better in a lager. If you would like to get very fresh Alsatian-grown hops, have a look at this website: https://www.comptoir-houblon.fr/5-houblons-alsace
You are right about the Red-X, I’ve used it only once (and probably too high a percentage of the total grist) and wasn’t very impressed with it. It was too dry and had a murky colour.
I brew mostly English ales; pale ones in the summer and milds and traditional bitters and porters in the winter. I’ve also developed this “personal tradition” now, whereby I brew a Whitbread’s London Porter (1850; recipe from the Old British Beers and How to Make Them, by the Durden Park Beer Circle) every spring and drink it during the following Christmas holidays. I’ve also started using corny kegs very recently, after having used PBs for a couple of decades. This way I should be able to keep my beers longer without any deteriation. I am also now in the process of building a keezer.
By the way, I am sorry to hear that you’ve had problems with the Malt Miller, I’ve onlye ever had very good service from them. Don’t give up on them yet!
Also, maybe you should brew a stout and put in some of those nice Brittany oysters; I’ve had an oyster stout the other day in the local Irish Pub here in Strasbourg (it was brewed by Porterhouse Brewing Company) it was one of the best stouts I’ve had! Cheers!

Some very interesting comments, Alsacebrew, I'll try Aramis and Barbe-rouge in a more appropriate style before I write them off. Especially seeing as I've got some left. Never had any problem with The Malt Miller. Their service is absolutely first class. My gripe was with the homebrewcompany who just don't answer emails. I used Red-X at 100% as that is what Bestmalz recommend. It drinks a little thin and a tad sour, but I'm sure I could get a decent pint out of it if I could find the right hop. Don't recommend Huell Melon, either, it needs a bit more of a kick. The beer itself is a lovely colour, I think I'll pile a load of German noble hops into it or some Saaz, seeing as it's a German malt.
Any suggestions, anyone?

 

[An Ankoù]

I’ve made three SMASH beers one day a couple of years ago, using only MO and each with a different local hop, fermented with WLP005. I served them slightly chilled. Rouge Barbe was my favourite, followed by Perle. Aramis one wasn’t that good, though it might be better in a lager. If you would like to get very fresh Alsatian-grown hops, have a look at this website: https://www.comptoir-houblon.fr/5-houblons-alsace
You are right about the Red-X, I’ve used it only once (and probably too high a percentage of the total grist) and wasn’t very impressed with it. It was too dry and had a murky colour.
I brew mostly English ales; pale ones in the summer and milds and traditional bitters and porters in the winter. I’ve also developed this “personal tradition” now, whereby I brew a Whitbread’s London Porter (1850; recipe from the Old British Beers and How to Make Them, by the Durden Park Beer Circle) every spring and drink it during the following Christmas holidays. I’ve also started using corny kegs very recently, after having used PBs for a couple of decades. This way I should be able to keep my beers longer without any deteriation. I am also now in the process of building a keezer.
By the way, I am sorry to hear that you’ve had problems with the Malt Miller, I’ve onlye ever had very good service from them. Don’t give up on them yet!
Also, maybe you should brew a stout and put in some of those nice Brittany oysters; I’ve had an oyster stout the other day in the local Irish Pub here in Strasbourg (it was brewed by Porterhouse Brewing Company) it was one of the best stouts I’ve had! Cheers!

Old British Beers and How to Make Them, by the Durden Park Beer Circle
I 've just dug out my copy of this book. Bought it ages ago, read it cover to cover, got distracted and completely forgot about it. I think I'll have a go at recipe #7 their favourite bitter. Will need to re-read, though, to get a sense of what degree of attenuation can be expected from these initial high gravities. Thanks for the reminder.