Hello! This being my first ever review, I feel like I should give you a little bit of background knowledge about me. Don't worry, I'll keep it short!
- I moved to France only 6 months ago from the UK.
- I've worked in many pubs in the UK and I love beer.
- Trying new beers is really exciting for me. I have probably tried over a hundred different beers in the last 7 years.
- Following my recent pregnancy I now have a 3 month old girl, and finally I can drink beer again and I'm eager to try everything that the French have to offer.
- We live in the Haut-Savoie region right next to the Alps and there are beaucoup de artisan breweries around. Which means I can keep those reviews coming!
To kick off my first ever review I have chosen 2 local beers, both named beers of spring. (Printemps means spring). How very appropriate, right! Intending to do them justice, first of all I needed some good pictures, preferably somehow representing the link with spring. So, with my 3 month old sitting comfortably on the front in a sling, a rucksack containing the beers on my back and our dog in tow, with a determined and excited spring in my step hoping to find flowers and stuff, I ventured out to the local field to do my first ever beer photo shoot... And this is the result. I almost started my review with the words "Here in France beer bottles casually lay among flowers and rocks..." but I risked sounding too much like David Attenborough.
Et voilà! I present Biere De Printemps from the Léman brewery and Printemps beer from Brasserie La Rochoise.
ABOUT
Let's start with the big pink one.
THE BREWERY: Léman brewery is nestled in Chablais between the mountains and lake Léman. This is what the brewery says about their beers:
"Neither filtered nor pasteurized, our beers are 100% natural, brewed in the traditional way (gas carbon dioxide comes from the refermentation in the bottle - the deposit of yeast attests), all are "Original and tasty”, with only raw materials from organic farming: barley, wheat, hop, sugar malts (for refermentation)."
That sounds right up my street.
THE BEER: 5% ABV, copper color IPA , described as lively and light on the palate with notes of green tea and exotic fruits.
Let's check out the other one.
THE BREWERY: Located in La Roche-sur-Foron (my current hometown), which is in the heart of Haute-Savoie. Passionate and ethical brewers since 2014 brewing their artisanal organic beers on site .
THE BEER: 6.3% ABV, unfiltered, unpasteurised, bottle refermented. Described as herby with floral notes, medium bodied yet easy to drink.
THE TASTING
Léman:
Smell: sweet and fruity, dried fruit like apricots with a hint of honey.
Taste: Suple, moreish, fruity but not greipfruity, if you know what I mean, more floral; bitter finish.
I would pair with: magret (caramelised duck breast), goats cheese and honey pizza.
La Rochoise Printemps
Smell: malty and fruity.
Taste: this copper colour beer is medium hopped, early with slight pine-niness.
I would pair with: BBQ meats, spicy chicken wings.
Cheers! Or rather - SANTÉ !