Going to Europe

[Stuart Hagerman]

I will be in London a few days, Paris a few days, La rochelle (France), Brest (France), Lisbon (Portugal), and Vigo (Spain) one day each

What are some beers that I HAVE to try while I am over there? I like almost all styles, so any suggestions would be great. I am kind of upset that we are not going to Belgium or Germany just for that fact that I will be missing out on some great beer. What styles of beer do they have in France? We will be spending a majority of time in France and I want to get a true appreciation for their beer.

[ratman03]

Um... Drink wine? France is not exactly a brewing hotbed!

[petitbilbo]

In Brest, you could try the "chouchen", the local form of mead in Bittany.

In Paris, you could go to a "Café Leffe" and drink some belgian beers.

But please, please keep your hands off the Kronembourg mega-swill or the Kronembourg 1664 (or something) they call "bière spéciale". It's just awfull.

With a bit of luck, you can get some bière de garde in France also.

Dunno about Portugal or Spain, sorry.

[corkybstewart]

Originally posted by ratman03
Um... Drink wine? France is not exactly a brewing hotbed!
Actually there is a growing brewpub movement in France. Google "French microbreweries" and there's a web page with all of them listed. Wine consumption has dropped in France, beer consumption is way up. It's mostly crappy pale Euro-lagers but there are some good brewpubs springing up. and there's always the French producers along the Belgian border.
I think you're pretty well screwed in Spain and Portugal, learn to love wine.

[dparsons]

England, Germany, Belgium - Beer

France, Spain, Portugal, Italy - Wine

[East Coaster]

heres a map for breweries to visit in belgium.

http://belgianstyle.com/mmguide/locate/locate01.html

And for france.

http://www.frenchbeer.info/France/frbrewer.html

If you have a chance this might save alot of bad beer tasting.

I am in Costa Rica not known for wine. Imperial is tastier than the mass produced Canadian lagers but not as tasty as i would like. I have found some belgium imports however ad am having a fantastic sip of st sebastiaans Grand cru. I believe this might be a more mass produced abbey style beer. But I enjoy it all the same

The coffe however is deliscious.

[East Coaster]

as it was brewed in a certain season of the year. and drank at a later date. for the winter seasons they would brew a stronger version. and lighter more refreshing version in for the summer seasons.

correct me if I am wrong on this, I know that it is true but the finer details slip my mind.

[East Coaster]

Saison originated in France as it was brewed in a certain season of the year. and drank at a later date. for the winter seasons they would brew a stronger version. and lighter more refreshing version in for the summer seasons.

correct me if I am wrong on this, I know that it is true but the finer details slip my mind.

[corkybstewart]

Originally posted by East Coaster
heres a map for breweries to visit in belgium.

http://belgianstyle.com/mmguide/locate/locate01.html

And for france.

http://www.frenchbeer.info/France/frbrewer.html

That's the site I was referring to. Thanks for the link.

[petitbilbo]

Originally posted by East Coaster
Saison originated in France as it was brewed in a certain season of the year. and drank at a later date. for the winter seasons they would brew a stronger version. and lighter more refreshing version in for the summer seasons.

correct me if I am wrong on this, I know that it is true but the finer details slip my mind.

Actually, "bière de garde" originated in France and "Saison" in Belgium.

There's a very good book about both called "Farmhouse Ales".

[Stuart Hagerman]

Ok Great! Thanks for all of your responses. http://www.frenchbeer.info/France/frbrewer.html <good link...

What about London? Maybe I will save my beer drinking until then. Has anybody ever been on a cruise? Will the only beer I can get be Bud? :rolleyes: The ship is the Sea Princess and it is based out of Southampton, UK. Maybe they will serve like Boddingtons or Guinness...