Blog Tracker
16-11-2023, 09:10
Visit The Beer Nut site (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2023/11/from-salon-to-saloon.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9W6QKHgn8pFsDjVNyrNJd-x-JiJJ3otWRNDQXOpe3E94uh3fcG0P9t1LMoRJaH-kHDPM6P1LWuO6WIrjuJVE1_tYT_een70QYqkrz2sLC0nd13Dhr VhHbRI_MRD8at2w9VmmKeRZR84evsHYsLkVBlX2eyLIz3OAsEN N7W1JmRpyECTxB-eIwg/w200-h138/salon_du_brasseur_2023_int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9W6QKHgn8pFsDjVNyrNJd-x-JiJJ3otWRNDQXOpe3E94uh3fcG0P9t1LMoRJaH-kHDPM6P1LWuO6WIrjuJVE1_tYT_een70QYqkrz2sLC0nd13Dhr VhHbRI_MRD8at2w9VmmKeRZR84evsHYsLkVBlX2eyLIz3OAsEN N7W1JmRpyECTxB-eIwg/s3276/salon_du_brasseur_2023_int.jpg)Each year, the city of Nancy hosts a brewing trade show called Le Salon du Brasseur. Every machine, ingredient and packaging format available to the industry is showcased here, with suppliers from far and wide. It's not something that interests me much, but the meeting I was at happened next door and there was a bit of time afterwards to walk the floors.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQktpb0Sj3mW38n44KWlw2W62abvorEsKmOm2bwwJL7j CTyF2B4P-ldnN7PUe1KFmuug0NMN4vq7DS6MKloJpKMQIyPYcCS3YpFGoQP dfiU2JRBq2WbNFIuZ3s3HhvfWQmU_vl9W5_ysXqK634CW4XChd tURp3QV9ugpWtYT8aFrmerOLjUUnXmw/w166-h200/reservoir_dogs_little_sister_session_neipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQktpb0Sj3mW38n44KWlw2W62abvorEsKmOm2bwwJL7j CTyF2B4P-ldnN7PUe1KFmuug0NMN4vq7DS6MKloJpKMQIyPYcCS3YpFGoQP dfiU2JRBq2WbNFIuZ3s3HhvfWQmU_vl9W5_ysXqK634CW4XChd tURp3QV9ugpWtYT8aFrmerOLjUUnXmw/s2730/reservoir_dogs_little_sister_session_neipa.jpg)A couple of the hop suppliers had brought beers along so that potential customers could taste what to expect, and at the Barth-Haas stand, a fridge full of cans was getting thinned out by the punters. I was pleased to see Slovenian brewery Reservoir Dogs represented in there so asked to try a couple of theirs.
One was Little Sister, which the brewery describes as a "low ABV New England IPA", so a hazy session IPA then. It's 5% ABV, and a warm orange colour in the glass. I didn't get much juice or vanilla sweetness from it, only a broad new-world peach effect. The taste is dominated by a Germanic grassy bitterness, which I liked, but was unexpected. I guess it's the use of Slovenian hops that makes it different, and earned it a place in that particular fridge. It works, but it doesn't really hit the hoppy points of the style spec.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwspVJzbT4wXDNBjkmeEwlHnH9aw-sOAaE9j-hY6dUERTMwlkIFXPlH5WfiL0VsS7rKWZVC2tnlRofol0jt5ov2 HGOxHFtz2c1h77YaNQA0M4sR5v0pzSj2UE2OYKMl0hRQx_s9Gl q6bCwX4QFhscNoooridmrME0FfRSBl8wa2QCUzC5d7hn-A/w167-h200/reservoir_dogs_2023_wet_dreams_hop_ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwspVJzbT4wXDNBjkmeEwlHnH9aw-sOAaE9j-hY6dUERTMwlkIFXPlH5WfiL0VsS7rKWZVC2tnlRofol0jt5ov2 HGOxHFtz2c1h77YaNQA0M4sR5v0pzSj2UE2OYKMl0hRQx_s9Gl q6bCwX4QFhscNoooridmrME0FfRSBl8wa2QCUzC5d7hn-A/s2715/reservoir_dogs_2023_wet_dreams_hop_ale.jpg) The brewery also does a wet hop ale with local varieties Styrian Wolf and Styrian Kolibri, the latter being a recently developed aroma hop which I hadn't seen before. The beer has been given the unfortunate name of Wet Dreams. It's another orange-coloured one, but clear this time. The flavour's centrepiece is a big Sorachi-like hit of coconut and citrus pith, leading on to a slightly sweeter note of peach skin. Both aspects run long into the aftertaste, helped along by a nicely dense body and 6% ABV. The off-kilter nature of the hops works much better here than in the previous one, and it's a good illustration of what Slovenian ones can do, which I guess is the reason it was there.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k-P-VcwiJ8NzFX5_f3mODbm_EumOqOj11iDsQjYMFiP28aXNKmnlT-PxB3H24Bw_F3WYx-HokgrD4A1R458wlf2Z3rYgqKtx5IQ49zAkVEZr_PsW1rQivNGd M2gy1dVhyGOGNfQ_7sXTcTPGT3a9G38KPcGD2lPvxfPxCuPg_3 AxipqbBuzp4g/w165-h200/la_parisienne_liberee.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k-P-VcwiJ8NzFX5_f3mODbm_EumOqOj11iDsQjYMFiP28aXNKmnlT-PxB3H24Bw_F3WYx-HokgrD4A1R458wlf2Z3rYgqKtx5IQ49zAkVEZr_PsW1rQivNGd M2gy1dVhyGOGNfQ_7sXTcTPGT3a9G38KPcGD2lPvxfPxCuPg_3 AxipqbBuzp4g/s2730/la_parisienne_liberee.jpg)Elsewhere, the agency tasked with promoting French hops had a stand with three beers on tap. I began my taking advantage of the hospitality with La Parisienne Libérée, a 4.7% ABV lager from La Parisienne brewery in [checks notes] Paris. It was a good place to start as this is a rather boring affair, doing the clean pale lager thing but failing to go anywhere interesting with it. It was meant to demonstrate the benefits of Aramis hops, and if the benefit is that they don't intrude on the taste, then well done. There's a minimal kick of bitterness if you look closely but not a whole lot else going on.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuUgMRaqWACJkbJy6OL_tbydy6qTaUVz8G9t0_FtHJA Ni7aJlHbVcCjDfUGFOh7fZnGkvdALMwTLvjpj2anBsXRdQklx2 d8kdpgpEIWcdPtO03KuALtPDwmd1plkbErqKKg_w4i59iT2M2l hDz-V36MB0aPuv1_6nvuoEyA8Pzb7lb8fyaSAB8w/w166-h200/brique_house_triple_hoppy_double_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuUgMRaqWACJkbJy6OL_tbydy6qTaUVz8G9t0_FtHJA Ni7aJlHbVcCjDfUGFOh7fZnGkvdALMwTLvjpj2anBsXRdQklx2 d8kdpgpEIWcdPtO03KuALtPDwmd1plkbErqKKg_w4i59iT2M2l hDz-V36MB0aPuv1_6nvuoEyA8Pzb7lb8fyaSAB8w/s2725/brique_house_triple_hoppy_double_ipa.jpg)Brique House, as featured on yesterday's pub tour (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2023/11/les-bars-et-les-boires.html), was also here. Their beer seems to have been made especially for the occasion: an 8% ABV hazy double IPA called Triple Hoppy, because it uses Magnum, Elixir and another new one for me: Barbe Rouge. It looks murky but tastes clean, though there's a significant heat. And the hops? Very convincingly American, with lots of fresh and bright pineapple and a funkier ripe guava side. It's a sipper for sure, but very enjoyable as it goes. Whoever commissioned it chose well.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbulQVJX-X8UJVwaXbnx7MwDzASj1LowxAl8ktk3dZwxm-IwdPVPc1q1n_b0Q-NhcO8OgKGjbo_Ve6VjTy_1hpDiyDihiizXeg7vR7MmXEqEXgO2 srbtIbpiU0bt5iDCHXdS441YkbmPaAkcOlB3CLf58bDaqCHOjQ Z1LcOV-4cEsRko-u-9bsA/w149-h200/mont_hardi_nova_hazy_pale_ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbulQVJX-X8UJVwaXbnx7MwDzASj1LowxAl8ktk3dZwxm-IwdPVPc1q1n_b0Q-NhcO8OgKGjbo_Ve6VjTy_1hpDiyDihiizXeg7vR7MmXEqEXgO2 srbtIbpiU0bt5iDCHXdS441YkbmPaAkcOlB3CLf58bDaqCHOjQ Z1LcOV-4cEsRko-u-9bsA/s3035/mont_hardi_nova_hazy_pale_ale.jpg)Finally for this stall, a hazy pale ale called Nova, from Hardi. Mistral and Triskel are the hops here. Although it's only 4.5% ABV there's plenty of body, and a proper New England softness. The bitter foretaste is odd, starting on grapefruit peel but introducing a weird plasticky tang. My fellow drinkers were keen, but I wasn't a fan, perhaps from drinking the DIPA ahead of it. Thanks to the hops it's certainly different to most beers of this sort, but still not brilliant.
Takedown began as I was finishing that, and a neighbouring exhibition hall took up the mantle for the evening, hosting La Fête des Bières, an (almost) all-French beer festival, open to the public. It's a slightly boutique affair but there was plenty of choice. Plus my favourite feature of any beer festival: loads of breweries I had never heard of or drank before.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxehqm4DeY2og4N3J4vMJO5Uxl-ycu0lEt7r1fbI7qMLHyo2CgR_yh94j_-cycJYIdgXsb3ZxtYpRKYm7p090Pqv5HpE_ntxlVYEN0Ruj4KsF s1sUHTNuhPtwGmFTIHkonFSGyvM5WkciJchOTAZssSxuIPMWnt RVpn_Y57JWoPGXdNRZeSza4TA/w148-h200/bon_poison_midsummer_blonde.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxehqm4DeY2og4N3J4vMJO5Uxl-ycu0lEt7r1fbI7qMLHyo2CgR_yh94j_-cycJYIdgXsb3ZxtYpRKYm7p090Pqv5HpE_ntxlVYEN0Ruj4KsF s1sUHTNuhPtwGmFTIHkonFSGyvM5WkciJchOTAZssSxuIPMWnt RVpn_Y57JWoPGXdNRZeSza4TA/s2805/bon_poison_midsummer_blonde.jpg)First thing to catch my eye as I entered the hall was a cask beer engine at the stand of Bon Poison -- a brewery name that's a little too on the nose. It was pouring Midsummer, a 5.3% ABV wheat ale, and that seemed like a good place to start. The low carbonation and soft texture was beautiful, and the flavour a bucolic mix of floral honey and candied lemon. Despite the strength it's very quaffable and I liked the classy simplicity of it: not the sort of thing I expected from a brewery with a skull as its logo.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYVhDxYo_b8WvdCYD7bTs9m65-NZmHeWgetPqKx6fJGvPUPQi7cVvGAmZRjfIHbuhqyUcS6fXDrH QKlu6CrX93gjaiU8NROdk0OQnIy_bx07JEyObEUdnHOt9yDo_B-ucMq_sHpf-B3aC7ceqIQcnU8EI1YniIgeSR0K8h-DBvhMQWkW6gVLmLg/w178-h200/la_bourlingueuse_mr_hyde_porter.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYVhDxYo_b8WvdCYD7bTs9m65-NZmHeWgetPqKx6fJGvPUPQi7cVvGAmZRjfIHbuhqyUcS6fXDrH QKlu6CrX93gjaiU8NROdk0OQnIy_bx07JEyObEUdnHOt9yDo_B-ucMq_sHpf-B3aC7ceqIQcnU8EI1YniIgeSR0K8h-DBvhMQWkW6gVLmLg/s2545/la_bourlingueuse_mr_hyde_porter.jpg)Staying drinking beers by the entrance would never do so I made a point of heading to a distant corner next. There I found another skull-fan, La Bourlingueuse, with a range of mostly bottled stuff and a couple of draft lines. One of these was pouring a porter called Mr Hyde. This is a straight-down-the-line example of the style, 5.5% ABV but tasting like 4. A silky smooth texture complements medium-sweet milk chocolate. There are no fancy complexities but no off flavours either. It's a beer to have a case or two of on hand when you just want quality without having to think too much about it.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCoo7zrIrf555sL17nHyiEh4vTxwCUsqOgsgHuIkaU5 NZlWHS7yYNY4_DDSuR8gIfqrwTijwpgEouM4Yb0-_J6AZpQql0Yunrpbkm7YWF1tnddyQuPh8XL6aeuPCgIuY8XrlV SUhQx85OXYIvnlILuXMAJs80EYSiFcu6LnekrsGnOGOcosRvOQ/w161-h200/la_bourlingueuse_la_catrina_brune_au_piment_chipot le_piquante.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCoo7zrIrf555sL17nHyiEh4vTxwCUsqOgsgHuIkaU5 NZlWHS7yYNY4_DDSuR8gIfqrwTijwpgEouM4Yb0-_J6AZpQql0Yunrpbkm7YWF1tnddyQuPh8XL6aeuPCgIuY8XrlV SUhQx85OXYIvnlILuXMAJs80EYSiFcu6LnekrsGnOGOcosRvOQ/s2805/la_bourlingueuse_la_catrina_brune_au_piment_chipot le_piquante.jpg)Because there were many more beers yet to try that evening, and the stand was selling bottles, I took away a La Catrina, their chipotle brown ale, after only a rudimentary quality check. It's really red rather than brown, and an ugly murky colour. I've known chipotle to produce a stale plasticky note, and that's here in the aroma, though offset by a caramel and honey sweetness. It's neither the malt nor the chilli which dominates the flavour, but the smoke. It's quite an acrid, dusty, paprika-powder effect, followed by a subtle hint of spice which tingles at the back of the tongue long after swallowing. It's not as good as it was at the festival -- funny how that happens -- but I'm OK with it. Don't expect any clean complexity though.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BU0VJSw-BC5WYQrP7UVv8_Q7lwIiZJAWQ6fF7fIIPm6szGL5dDj7vFQAKG T6KlXKgy_AKRBnxMLdJ57e7UJsTpXJ6XFw54LRxRDIpS988FsS hWS16_w-jEKf9B5DqnZBtlAyBoqIzD7QVKFjvnUOHxsZ8nIFvYJRmWM_Gs mKvFX4QIQbr-rcWQ/w138-h200/la_deesse_des_chutes_white_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BU0VJSw-BC5WYQrP7UVv8_Q7lwIiZJAWQ6fF7fIIPm6szGL5dDj7vFQAKG T6KlXKgy_AKRBnxMLdJ57e7UJsTpXJ6XFw54LRxRDIpS988FsS hWS16_w-jEKf9B5DqnZBtlAyBoqIzD7QVKFjvnUOHxsZ8nIFvYJRmWM_Gs mKvFX4QIQbr-rcWQ/s3270/la_deesse_des_chutes_white_ipa.jpg)One of my tablemates had picked up a can of La Déesse des Chutes by Belgh Brasse of Quebec, one of the rare imports available. This is a 6.5% ABV white IPA, but one which takes a very different direction from the usual in its flavour. A candy base leads on to a massively spicy main act, with clove being the dominant taste. It took a bit of getting used to but it's highly enjoyable. I don't know what white IPA enthusiasts would make of it, but I'm not one of them so it doesn't matter.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveX5EVSYPLaXOGf0jJE74eLcGMq-E7svTFzgXk-oT8k4LP-wDJDLIkyhMhykj-ARLcdSVnT47zm8JYaOI5SVfGL_aoeZOmEOTl_QRSnmEPvm7l_k Iu7lEp3GoLZoVRzCru39a9RXB69QNa6J5NpYr37aN32ByYIDR1 FaWCbZ6TdKRWwwzCsLBnA/w163-h200/simone_basilic_sour_ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveX5EVSYPLaXOGf0jJE74eLcGMq-E7svTFzgXk-oT8k4LP-wDJDLIkyhMhykj-ARLcdSVnT47zm8JYaOI5SVfGL_aoeZOmEOTl_QRSnmEPvm7l_k Iu7lEp3GoLZoVRzCru39a9RXB69QNa6J5NpYr37aN32ByYIDR1 FaWCbZ6TdKRWwwzCsLBnA/s2770/simone_basilic_sour_ale.jpg)I do like a beer with basil, so when I noticed Basilic from Ferme Brasserie Simone in passing, I jumped on it. It's a sour ale too, and 5.1% ABV. Though an unattractive dirty blonde colour, it's crisply tart to begin, and then massively lays on the oily green basil taste. One dimensional? Absolutely. But it delivers what's promised and I could drink a lot of it. One of those occasions when it seems a brewery has made a beer for me and nobody else.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkVJ1N1tfuZyHj9Pl-nGpn5Cc0mqLnZuropKEio7qRXugA1fE78upWhphGPBCrexOAxD 5zIS1DWk7qFVOrcKMpqpMzqpksguyk2gofQHmVDidD31Dt_8k4 XaXpgA6w6Pyife4lv4yTU_ony_N1BE4WyfQWdXBhlAl0SnzwCH uKeIgCy1Ufh920A/w179-h200/la_vaugermaine_au_mout_de_raisins_pinot_noir_blond e.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkVJ1N1tfuZyHj9Pl-nGpn5Cc0mqLnZuropKEio7qRXugA1fE78upWhphGPBCrexOAxD 5zIS1DWk7qFVOrcKMpqpMzqpksguyk2gofQHmVDidD31Dt_8k4 XaXpgA6w6Pyife4lv4yTU_ony_N1BE4WyfQWdXBhlAl0SnzwCH uKeIgCy1Ufh920A/s2530/la_vaugermaine_au_mout_de_raisins_pinot_noir_blond e.jpg)There was an interesting looking grape ale on offer from the La Vaugermaine brewery, based on their Au Moût de Raisins blonde ale, with Pinot Noir. It turned out to be quite plain, however, with nice dry tannins but not much to show beyond that. The base offers a different sort of dryness with a bread crust note, and that's as complex as it gets. Fine as a beer, but below par for a grape ale, I'm sorry to say.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-kFumcJiipEbSAkKN3C80pNbJyyBv7cXuVEGCNu1qzPK6Mzk2jf hnOiTPjaaxixasRE0GN_H0vokwHzfv87E_S5R_eVQ6Wo2WOJUb SKq2iv4kSd52YtCB-R4zvBje5F_aHp8oDEsltaWYOSfcWFhz32EDA4vNhFIlw2cQLq7 2-eJcYZah2IYzw/w200-h164/piggy_tangerine_quadrupel_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-kFumcJiipEbSAkKN3C80pNbJyyBv7cXuVEGCNu1qzPK6Mzk2jf hnOiTPjaaxixasRE0GN_H0vokwHzfv87E_S5R_eVQ6Wo2WOJUb SKq2iv4kSd52YtCB-R4zvBje5F_aHp8oDEsltaWYOSfcWFhz32EDA4vNhFIlw2cQLq7 2-eJcYZah2IYzw/s2205/piggy_tangerine_quadrupel_ipa.jpg)Time was running on, so it was time for a quadrupel IPA. This was supplied by Piggy Brewing and called Tangerine Dream. I'm not sure I've ever had one as strong as this, 12% ABV, and that doesn't bode well. Sure it's hot, but almost to the point where it becomes a feature not a bug. There's a bit of onion at first, then a tang of orange peel, before finishing on thick vanilla custard. It wouldn't be my sort of thing, but seemed well made in general for what it was.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxxJNvUV4hEc7j-JzIsbAz7QtAc5CRzvDQSVH_2tgW3oJoWGKUpfXDa1Jls8dLoED QeHs_24biRhBrhi6_Iy3ZVtTAgA8e33svTctXmCuEyuC9xetxY 3MMQ-NtN2ZYHd5I3VJeRUGdGQfiDpiWtPBqoCSIzF3xpTrdoWv8j-PA2QnASXggqBG3A/w145-h200/pump_king_by_la_no.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxxJNvUV4hEc7j-JzIsbAz7QtAc5CRzvDQSVH_2tgW3oJoWGKUpfXDa1Jls8dLoED QeHs_24biRhBrhi6_Iy3ZVtTAgA8e33svTctXmCuEyuC9xetxY 3MMQ-NtN2ZYHd5I3VJeRUGdGQfiDpiWtPBqoCSIzF3xpTrdoWv8j-PA2QnASXggqBG3A/s2425/pump_king_by_la_no.jpg) French brewing has taken somewhat to the pumpkin beer, and one brewery was making a big thing of theirs: Brasserie de l'île de Noirmoutier, with Pump'king. It turned out to be a very poor example, tasting like a basic blonde ale into which someone has sprinkled a flavouring powder. It actually tastes powdery -- dry and acrid -- but without any real spice. Pointless. I liked the label, though.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pot208OoP0CBiGHOxxtgP5GU0OQDEnYCkFopyc9d9x QOAEiHjHDnCj8XuYvJocrbQ0Ky3Hnn7ZhzYmkN5AGSrnqjIr9v Ddv_Bcnh2CT6gpj32g6wnkA7pjiMFwgW8P5B8qQkg6ChNxU_bV YsNbMSRgNxlyIWbB8jC1lM-WSE4aN-YMf2QUfdiA/w144-h200/parcel_schwarzbier.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pot208OoP0CBiGHOxxtgP5GU0OQDEnYCkFopyc9d9x QOAEiHjHDnCj8XuYvJocrbQ0Ky3Hnn7ZhzYmkN5AGSrnqjIr9v Ddv_Bcnh2CT6gpj32g6wnkA7pjiMFwgW8P5B8qQkg6ChNxU_bV YsNbMSRgNxlyIWbB8jC1lM-WSE4aN-YMf2QUfdiA/s2575/parcel_schwarzbier.jpg)A Schwarzbier to finish, from Parcel. The brewery's branding is quite farmy but there was nothing rough or rustic about this one. It's absolutely on the money for the style; only 5.2% ABV but still with a treacle unctuousness. The flavour is centred on dark chocolate but includes lighter cocoa powder as well. Roasted grains and cola nut also feature. Above all it's dry, supremely clean, and with nothing that shouldn't be in there.
That was quite enough for one day. We wrap up the trip, and pop into a country next door, tomorrow. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDSrBFG-CK2Me4etjvFbxL5jI2veKRC9dLRup7YTYLTIEdBnXzgO2jPzIa J1-NrvDpjDGgtowom56X-pE2ekWVlR9suQTgbftTadq8ZWAJne4CEnn6QTMwm_nCOz5p-7Xlg66prR_ky8ZAU55eRssxq-7UjOHuFlAn6Oabko_PtuoA0PV6f13LQ/w640-h248/nancy_fetes_des_bieres_int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDSrBFG-CK2Me4etjvFbxL5jI2veKRC9dLRup7YTYLTIEdBnXzgO2jPzIa J1-NrvDpjDGgtowom56X-pE2ekWVlR9suQTgbftTadq8ZWAJne4CEnn6QTMwm_nCOz5p-7Xlg66prR_ky8ZAU55eRssxq-7UjOHuFlAn6Oabko_PtuoA0PV6f13LQ/s4029/nancy_fetes_des_bieres_int.jpg)
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2023/11/from-salon-to-saloon.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9W6QKHgn8pFsDjVNyrNJd-x-JiJJ3otWRNDQXOpe3E94uh3fcG0P9t1LMoRJaH-kHDPM6P1LWuO6WIrjuJVE1_tYT_een70QYqkrz2sLC0nd13Dhr VhHbRI_MRD8at2w9VmmKeRZR84evsHYsLkVBlX2eyLIz3OAsEN N7W1JmRpyECTxB-eIwg/w200-h138/salon_du_brasseur_2023_int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9W6QKHgn8pFsDjVNyrNJd-x-JiJJ3otWRNDQXOpe3E94uh3fcG0P9t1LMoRJaH-kHDPM6P1LWuO6WIrjuJVE1_tYT_een70QYqkrz2sLC0nd13Dhr VhHbRI_MRD8at2w9VmmKeRZR84evsHYsLkVBlX2eyLIz3OAsEN N7W1JmRpyECTxB-eIwg/s3276/salon_du_brasseur_2023_int.jpg)Each year, the city of Nancy hosts a brewing trade show called Le Salon du Brasseur. Every machine, ingredient and packaging format available to the industry is showcased here, with suppliers from far and wide. It's not something that interests me much, but the meeting I was at happened next door and there was a bit of time afterwards to walk the floors.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQktpb0Sj3mW38n44KWlw2W62abvorEsKmOm2bwwJL7j CTyF2B4P-ldnN7PUe1KFmuug0NMN4vq7DS6MKloJpKMQIyPYcCS3YpFGoQP dfiU2JRBq2WbNFIuZ3s3HhvfWQmU_vl9W5_ysXqK634CW4XChd tURp3QV9ugpWtYT8aFrmerOLjUUnXmw/w166-h200/reservoir_dogs_little_sister_session_neipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQktpb0Sj3mW38n44KWlw2W62abvorEsKmOm2bwwJL7j CTyF2B4P-ldnN7PUe1KFmuug0NMN4vq7DS6MKloJpKMQIyPYcCS3YpFGoQP dfiU2JRBq2WbNFIuZ3s3HhvfWQmU_vl9W5_ysXqK634CW4XChd tURp3QV9ugpWtYT8aFrmerOLjUUnXmw/s2730/reservoir_dogs_little_sister_session_neipa.jpg)A couple of the hop suppliers had brought beers along so that potential customers could taste what to expect, and at the Barth-Haas stand, a fridge full of cans was getting thinned out by the punters. I was pleased to see Slovenian brewery Reservoir Dogs represented in there so asked to try a couple of theirs.
One was Little Sister, which the brewery describes as a "low ABV New England IPA", so a hazy session IPA then. It's 5% ABV, and a warm orange colour in the glass. I didn't get much juice or vanilla sweetness from it, only a broad new-world peach effect. The taste is dominated by a Germanic grassy bitterness, which I liked, but was unexpected. I guess it's the use of Slovenian hops that makes it different, and earned it a place in that particular fridge. It works, but it doesn't really hit the hoppy points of the style spec.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwspVJzbT4wXDNBjkmeEwlHnH9aw-sOAaE9j-hY6dUERTMwlkIFXPlH5WfiL0VsS7rKWZVC2tnlRofol0jt5ov2 HGOxHFtz2c1h77YaNQA0M4sR5v0pzSj2UE2OYKMl0hRQx_s9Gl q6bCwX4QFhscNoooridmrME0FfRSBl8wa2QCUzC5d7hn-A/w167-h200/reservoir_dogs_2023_wet_dreams_hop_ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwspVJzbT4wXDNBjkmeEwlHnH9aw-sOAaE9j-hY6dUERTMwlkIFXPlH5WfiL0VsS7rKWZVC2tnlRofol0jt5ov2 HGOxHFtz2c1h77YaNQA0M4sR5v0pzSj2UE2OYKMl0hRQx_s9Gl q6bCwX4QFhscNoooridmrME0FfRSBl8wa2QCUzC5d7hn-A/s2715/reservoir_dogs_2023_wet_dreams_hop_ale.jpg) The brewery also does a wet hop ale with local varieties Styrian Wolf and Styrian Kolibri, the latter being a recently developed aroma hop which I hadn't seen before. The beer has been given the unfortunate name of Wet Dreams. It's another orange-coloured one, but clear this time. The flavour's centrepiece is a big Sorachi-like hit of coconut and citrus pith, leading on to a slightly sweeter note of peach skin. Both aspects run long into the aftertaste, helped along by a nicely dense body and 6% ABV. The off-kilter nature of the hops works much better here than in the previous one, and it's a good illustration of what Slovenian ones can do, which I guess is the reason it was there.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k-P-VcwiJ8NzFX5_f3mODbm_EumOqOj11iDsQjYMFiP28aXNKmnlT-PxB3H24Bw_F3WYx-HokgrD4A1R458wlf2Z3rYgqKtx5IQ49zAkVEZr_PsW1rQivNGd M2gy1dVhyGOGNfQ_7sXTcTPGT3a9G38KPcGD2lPvxfPxCuPg_3 AxipqbBuzp4g/w165-h200/la_parisienne_liberee.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k-P-VcwiJ8NzFX5_f3mODbm_EumOqOj11iDsQjYMFiP28aXNKmnlT-PxB3H24Bw_F3WYx-HokgrD4A1R458wlf2Z3rYgqKtx5IQ49zAkVEZr_PsW1rQivNGd M2gy1dVhyGOGNfQ_7sXTcTPGT3a9G38KPcGD2lPvxfPxCuPg_3 AxipqbBuzp4g/s2730/la_parisienne_liberee.jpg)Elsewhere, the agency tasked with promoting French hops had a stand with three beers on tap. I began my taking advantage of the hospitality with La Parisienne Libérée, a 4.7% ABV lager from La Parisienne brewery in [checks notes] Paris. It was a good place to start as this is a rather boring affair, doing the clean pale lager thing but failing to go anywhere interesting with it. It was meant to demonstrate the benefits of Aramis hops, and if the benefit is that they don't intrude on the taste, then well done. There's a minimal kick of bitterness if you look closely but not a whole lot else going on.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuUgMRaqWACJkbJy6OL_tbydy6qTaUVz8G9t0_FtHJA Ni7aJlHbVcCjDfUGFOh7fZnGkvdALMwTLvjpj2anBsXRdQklx2 d8kdpgpEIWcdPtO03KuALtPDwmd1plkbErqKKg_w4i59iT2M2l hDz-V36MB0aPuv1_6nvuoEyA8Pzb7lb8fyaSAB8w/w166-h200/brique_house_triple_hoppy_double_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuUgMRaqWACJkbJy6OL_tbydy6qTaUVz8G9t0_FtHJA Ni7aJlHbVcCjDfUGFOh7fZnGkvdALMwTLvjpj2anBsXRdQklx2 d8kdpgpEIWcdPtO03KuALtPDwmd1plkbErqKKg_w4i59iT2M2l hDz-V36MB0aPuv1_6nvuoEyA8Pzb7lb8fyaSAB8w/s2725/brique_house_triple_hoppy_double_ipa.jpg)Brique House, as featured on yesterday's pub tour (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2023/11/les-bars-et-les-boires.html), was also here. Their beer seems to have been made especially for the occasion: an 8% ABV hazy double IPA called Triple Hoppy, because it uses Magnum, Elixir and another new one for me: Barbe Rouge. It looks murky but tastes clean, though there's a significant heat. And the hops? Very convincingly American, with lots of fresh and bright pineapple and a funkier ripe guava side. It's a sipper for sure, but very enjoyable as it goes. Whoever commissioned it chose well.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbulQVJX-X8UJVwaXbnx7MwDzASj1LowxAl8ktk3dZwxm-IwdPVPc1q1n_b0Q-NhcO8OgKGjbo_Ve6VjTy_1hpDiyDihiizXeg7vR7MmXEqEXgO2 srbtIbpiU0bt5iDCHXdS441YkbmPaAkcOlB3CLf58bDaqCHOjQ Z1LcOV-4cEsRko-u-9bsA/w149-h200/mont_hardi_nova_hazy_pale_ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbulQVJX-X8UJVwaXbnx7MwDzASj1LowxAl8ktk3dZwxm-IwdPVPc1q1n_b0Q-NhcO8OgKGjbo_Ve6VjTy_1hpDiyDihiizXeg7vR7MmXEqEXgO2 srbtIbpiU0bt5iDCHXdS441YkbmPaAkcOlB3CLf58bDaqCHOjQ Z1LcOV-4cEsRko-u-9bsA/s3035/mont_hardi_nova_hazy_pale_ale.jpg)Finally for this stall, a hazy pale ale called Nova, from Hardi. Mistral and Triskel are the hops here. Although it's only 4.5% ABV there's plenty of body, and a proper New England softness. The bitter foretaste is odd, starting on grapefruit peel but introducing a weird plasticky tang. My fellow drinkers were keen, but I wasn't a fan, perhaps from drinking the DIPA ahead of it. Thanks to the hops it's certainly different to most beers of this sort, but still not brilliant.
Takedown began as I was finishing that, and a neighbouring exhibition hall took up the mantle for the evening, hosting La Fête des Bières, an (almost) all-French beer festival, open to the public. It's a slightly boutique affair but there was plenty of choice. Plus my favourite feature of any beer festival: loads of breweries I had never heard of or drank before.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxehqm4DeY2og4N3J4vMJO5Uxl-ycu0lEt7r1fbI7qMLHyo2CgR_yh94j_-cycJYIdgXsb3ZxtYpRKYm7p090Pqv5HpE_ntxlVYEN0Ruj4KsF s1sUHTNuhPtwGmFTIHkonFSGyvM5WkciJchOTAZssSxuIPMWnt RVpn_Y57JWoPGXdNRZeSza4TA/w148-h200/bon_poison_midsummer_blonde.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxehqm4DeY2og4N3J4vMJO5Uxl-ycu0lEt7r1fbI7qMLHyo2CgR_yh94j_-cycJYIdgXsb3ZxtYpRKYm7p090Pqv5HpE_ntxlVYEN0Ruj4KsF s1sUHTNuhPtwGmFTIHkonFSGyvM5WkciJchOTAZssSxuIPMWnt RVpn_Y57JWoPGXdNRZeSza4TA/s2805/bon_poison_midsummer_blonde.jpg)First thing to catch my eye as I entered the hall was a cask beer engine at the stand of Bon Poison -- a brewery name that's a little too on the nose. It was pouring Midsummer, a 5.3% ABV wheat ale, and that seemed like a good place to start. The low carbonation and soft texture was beautiful, and the flavour a bucolic mix of floral honey and candied lemon. Despite the strength it's very quaffable and I liked the classy simplicity of it: not the sort of thing I expected from a brewery with a skull as its logo.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYVhDxYo_b8WvdCYD7bTs9m65-NZmHeWgetPqKx6fJGvPUPQi7cVvGAmZRjfIHbuhqyUcS6fXDrH QKlu6CrX93gjaiU8NROdk0OQnIy_bx07JEyObEUdnHOt9yDo_B-ucMq_sHpf-B3aC7ceqIQcnU8EI1YniIgeSR0K8h-DBvhMQWkW6gVLmLg/w178-h200/la_bourlingueuse_mr_hyde_porter.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYVhDxYo_b8WvdCYD7bTs9m65-NZmHeWgetPqKx6fJGvPUPQi7cVvGAmZRjfIHbuhqyUcS6fXDrH QKlu6CrX93gjaiU8NROdk0OQnIy_bx07JEyObEUdnHOt9yDo_B-ucMq_sHpf-B3aC7ceqIQcnU8EI1YniIgeSR0K8h-DBvhMQWkW6gVLmLg/s2545/la_bourlingueuse_mr_hyde_porter.jpg)Staying drinking beers by the entrance would never do so I made a point of heading to a distant corner next. There I found another skull-fan, La Bourlingueuse, with a range of mostly bottled stuff and a couple of draft lines. One of these was pouring a porter called Mr Hyde. This is a straight-down-the-line example of the style, 5.5% ABV but tasting like 4. A silky smooth texture complements medium-sweet milk chocolate. There are no fancy complexities but no off flavours either. It's a beer to have a case or two of on hand when you just want quality without having to think too much about it.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCoo7zrIrf555sL17nHyiEh4vTxwCUsqOgsgHuIkaU5 NZlWHS7yYNY4_DDSuR8gIfqrwTijwpgEouM4Yb0-_J6AZpQql0Yunrpbkm7YWF1tnddyQuPh8XL6aeuPCgIuY8XrlV SUhQx85OXYIvnlILuXMAJs80EYSiFcu6LnekrsGnOGOcosRvOQ/w161-h200/la_bourlingueuse_la_catrina_brune_au_piment_chipot le_piquante.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCoo7zrIrf555sL17nHyiEh4vTxwCUsqOgsgHuIkaU5 NZlWHS7yYNY4_DDSuR8gIfqrwTijwpgEouM4Yb0-_J6AZpQql0Yunrpbkm7YWF1tnddyQuPh8XL6aeuPCgIuY8XrlV SUhQx85OXYIvnlILuXMAJs80EYSiFcu6LnekrsGnOGOcosRvOQ/s2805/la_bourlingueuse_la_catrina_brune_au_piment_chipot le_piquante.jpg)Because there were many more beers yet to try that evening, and the stand was selling bottles, I took away a La Catrina, their chipotle brown ale, after only a rudimentary quality check. It's really red rather than brown, and an ugly murky colour. I've known chipotle to produce a stale plasticky note, and that's here in the aroma, though offset by a caramel and honey sweetness. It's neither the malt nor the chilli which dominates the flavour, but the smoke. It's quite an acrid, dusty, paprika-powder effect, followed by a subtle hint of spice which tingles at the back of the tongue long after swallowing. It's not as good as it was at the festival -- funny how that happens -- but I'm OK with it. Don't expect any clean complexity though.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BU0VJSw-BC5WYQrP7UVv8_Q7lwIiZJAWQ6fF7fIIPm6szGL5dDj7vFQAKG T6KlXKgy_AKRBnxMLdJ57e7UJsTpXJ6XFw54LRxRDIpS988FsS hWS16_w-jEKf9B5DqnZBtlAyBoqIzD7QVKFjvnUOHxsZ8nIFvYJRmWM_Gs mKvFX4QIQbr-rcWQ/w138-h200/la_deesse_des_chutes_white_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BU0VJSw-BC5WYQrP7UVv8_Q7lwIiZJAWQ6fF7fIIPm6szGL5dDj7vFQAKG T6KlXKgy_AKRBnxMLdJ57e7UJsTpXJ6XFw54LRxRDIpS988FsS hWS16_w-jEKf9B5DqnZBtlAyBoqIzD7QVKFjvnUOHxsZ8nIFvYJRmWM_Gs mKvFX4QIQbr-rcWQ/s3270/la_deesse_des_chutes_white_ipa.jpg)One of my tablemates had picked up a can of La Déesse des Chutes by Belgh Brasse of Quebec, one of the rare imports available. This is a 6.5% ABV white IPA, but one which takes a very different direction from the usual in its flavour. A candy base leads on to a massively spicy main act, with clove being the dominant taste. It took a bit of getting used to but it's highly enjoyable. I don't know what white IPA enthusiasts would make of it, but I'm not one of them so it doesn't matter.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveX5EVSYPLaXOGf0jJE74eLcGMq-E7svTFzgXk-oT8k4LP-wDJDLIkyhMhykj-ARLcdSVnT47zm8JYaOI5SVfGL_aoeZOmEOTl_QRSnmEPvm7l_k Iu7lEp3GoLZoVRzCru39a9RXB69QNa6J5NpYr37aN32ByYIDR1 FaWCbZ6TdKRWwwzCsLBnA/w163-h200/simone_basilic_sour_ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveX5EVSYPLaXOGf0jJE74eLcGMq-E7svTFzgXk-oT8k4LP-wDJDLIkyhMhykj-ARLcdSVnT47zm8JYaOI5SVfGL_aoeZOmEOTl_QRSnmEPvm7l_k Iu7lEp3GoLZoVRzCru39a9RXB69QNa6J5NpYr37aN32ByYIDR1 FaWCbZ6TdKRWwwzCsLBnA/s2770/simone_basilic_sour_ale.jpg)I do like a beer with basil, so when I noticed Basilic from Ferme Brasserie Simone in passing, I jumped on it. It's a sour ale too, and 5.1% ABV. Though an unattractive dirty blonde colour, it's crisply tart to begin, and then massively lays on the oily green basil taste. One dimensional? Absolutely. But it delivers what's promised and I could drink a lot of it. One of those occasions when it seems a brewery has made a beer for me and nobody else.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkVJ1N1tfuZyHj9Pl-nGpn5Cc0mqLnZuropKEio7qRXugA1fE78upWhphGPBCrexOAxD 5zIS1DWk7qFVOrcKMpqpMzqpksguyk2gofQHmVDidD31Dt_8k4 XaXpgA6w6Pyife4lv4yTU_ony_N1BE4WyfQWdXBhlAl0SnzwCH uKeIgCy1Ufh920A/w179-h200/la_vaugermaine_au_mout_de_raisins_pinot_noir_blond e.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkVJ1N1tfuZyHj9Pl-nGpn5Cc0mqLnZuropKEio7qRXugA1fE78upWhphGPBCrexOAxD 5zIS1DWk7qFVOrcKMpqpMzqpksguyk2gofQHmVDidD31Dt_8k4 XaXpgA6w6Pyife4lv4yTU_ony_N1BE4WyfQWdXBhlAl0SnzwCH uKeIgCy1Ufh920A/s2530/la_vaugermaine_au_mout_de_raisins_pinot_noir_blond e.jpg)There was an interesting looking grape ale on offer from the La Vaugermaine brewery, based on their Au Moût de Raisins blonde ale, with Pinot Noir. It turned out to be quite plain, however, with nice dry tannins but not much to show beyond that. The base offers a different sort of dryness with a bread crust note, and that's as complex as it gets. Fine as a beer, but below par for a grape ale, I'm sorry to say.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-kFumcJiipEbSAkKN3C80pNbJyyBv7cXuVEGCNu1qzPK6Mzk2jf hnOiTPjaaxixasRE0GN_H0vokwHzfv87E_S5R_eVQ6Wo2WOJUb SKq2iv4kSd52YtCB-R4zvBje5F_aHp8oDEsltaWYOSfcWFhz32EDA4vNhFIlw2cQLq7 2-eJcYZah2IYzw/w200-h164/piggy_tangerine_quadrupel_ipa.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-kFumcJiipEbSAkKN3C80pNbJyyBv7cXuVEGCNu1qzPK6Mzk2jf hnOiTPjaaxixasRE0GN_H0vokwHzfv87E_S5R_eVQ6Wo2WOJUb SKq2iv4kSd52YtCB-R4zvBje5F_aHp8oDEsltaWYOSfcWFhz32EDA4vNhFIlw2cQLq7 2-eJcYZah2IYzw/s2205/piggy_tangerine_quadrupel_ipa.jpg)Time was running on, so it was time for a quadrupel IPA. This was supplied by Piggy Brewing and called Tangerine Dream. I'm not sure I've ever had one as strong as this, 12% ABV, and that doesn't bode well. Sure it's hot, but almost to the point where it becomes a feature not a bug. There's a bit of onion at first, then a tang of orange peel, before finishing on thick vanilla custard. It wouldn't be my sort of thing, but seemed well made in general for what it was.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxxJNvUV4hEc7j-JzIsbAz7QtAc5CRzvDQSVH_2tgW3oJoWGKUpfXDa1Jls8dLoED QeHs_24biRhBrhi6_Iy3ZVtTAgA8e33svTctXmCuEyuC9xetxY 3MMQ-NtN2ZYHd5I3VJeRUGdGQfiDpiWtPBqoCSIzF3xpTrdoWv8j-PA2QnASXggqBG3A/w145-h200/pump_king_by_la_no.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxxJNvUV4hEc7j-JzIsbAz7QtAc5CRzvDQSVH_2tgW3oJoWGKUpfXDa1Jls8dLoED QeHs_24biRhBrhi6_Iy3ZVtTAgA8e33svTctXmCuEyuC9xetxY 3MMQ-NtN2ZYHd5I3VJeRUGdGQfiDpiWtPBqoCSIzF3xpTrdoWv8j-PA2QnASXggqBG3A/s2425/pump_king_by_la_no.jpg) French brewing has taken somewhat to the pumpkin beer, and one brewery was making a big thing of theirs: Brasserie de l'île de Noirmoutier, with Pump'king. It turned out to be a very poor example, tasting like a basic blonde ale into which someone has sprinkled a flavouring powder. It actually tastes powdery -- dry and acrid -- but without any real spice. Pointless. I liked the label, though.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pot208OoP0CBiGHOxxtgP5GU0OQDEnYCkFopyc9d9x QOAEiHjHDnCj8XuYvJocrbQ0Ky3Hnn7ZhzYmkN5AGSrnqjIr9v Ddv_Bcnh2CT6gpj32g6wnkA7pjiMFwgW8P5B8qQkg6ChNxU_bV YsNbMSRgNxlyIWbB8jC1lM-WSE4aN-YMf2QUfdiA/w144-h200/parcel_schwarzbier.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pot208OoP0CBiGHOxxtgP5GU0OQDEnYCkFopyc9d9x QOAEiHjHDnCj8XuYvJocrbQ0Ky3Hnn7ZhzYmkN5AGSrnqjIr9v Ddv_Bcnh2CT6gpj32g6wnkA7pjiMFwgW8P5B8qQkg6ChNxU_bV YsNbMSRgNxlyIWbB8jC1lM-WSE4aN-YMf2QUfdiA/s2575/parcel_schwarzbier.jpg)A Schwarzbier to finish, from Parcel. The brewery's branding is quite farmy but there was nothing rough or rustic about this one. It's absolutely on the money for the style; only 5.2% ABV but still with a treacle unctuousness. The flavour is centred on dark chocolate but includes lighter cocoa powder as well. Roasted grains and cola nut also feature. Above all it's dry, supremely clean, and with nothing that shouldn't be in there.
That was quite enough for one day. We wrap up the trip, and pop into a country next door, tomorrow. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDSrBFG-CK2Me4etjvFbxL5jI2veKRC9dLRup7YTYLTIEdBnXzgO2jPzIa J1-NrvDpjDGgtowom56X-pE2ekWVlR9suQTgbftTadq8ZWAJne4CEnn6QTMwm_nCOz5p-7Xlg66prR_ky8ZAU55eRssxq-7UjOHuFlAn6Oabko_PtuoA0PV6f13LQ/w640-h248/nancy_fetes_des_bieres_int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDSrBFG-CK2Me4etjvFbxL5jI2veKRC9dLRup7YTYLTIEdBnXzgO2jPzIa J1-NrvDpjDGgtowom56X-pE2ekWVlR9suQTgbftTadq8ZWAJne4CEnn6QTMwm_nCOz5p-7Xlg66prR_ky8ZAU55eRssxq-7UjOHuFlAn6Oabko_PtuoA0PV6f13LQ/s4029/nancy_fetes_des_bieres_int.jpg)
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2023/11/from-salon-to-saloon.html)