Ne Bois Pas De Bière, C'est Un Ordre !

While France is best known for its wine, beer is also a popular drink in the country. However, it is important to note that drinking beer in a fancy restaurant or with a gourmet meal is considered a faux pas in French culture. Beer drinking is more of a casual and relaxed activity, often enjoyed during lunch or as an aperitif. Despite this, the interest in beer has been growing in France, with the emergence of many new breweries, particularly microbreweries. In fact, France has the highest number of breweries in Europe, with more than 2,500 registered companies. This growth is particularly notable when compared to previous decades; for instance, there were only around 30 breweries in the 1980s and about 100 in the 1950s.

Although most beer sold in France is pilsner lager, mass-produced by major breweries, there are also traditional beer styles and microbreweries to explore. So, if you're thinking of drinking beer in France, what should you know? Well, firstly, it's important to be mindful of the cultural context and avoid drinking beer in formal or gourmet dining settings. Secondly, when ordering beer, you can use phrases like Une bière, s'il vous plaît or Un demi, s'il vous plaît if you'd like a specific amount.

Now, let's shift our focus to the topic at hand: why should you not drink beer? Well, there are several reasons why someone might choose to abstain from drinking beer or any alcoholic beverage. Firstly, alcohol can impair judgement and decrease inhibitions, leading to risky behaviours and poor decision-making. Excessive alcohol consumption can also have negative impacts on physical health, contributing to liver disease, high blood pressure, and weight gain, among other issues. Additionally, alcohol can affect mental health, disrupting sleep patterns and potentially triggering or exacerbating mood disorders. It's also important to consider the financial implications of drinking, as purchasing alcoholic beverages can add up quickly.

In conclusion, while France may not be the first country that comes to mind when thinking about beer, it does have a thriving beer culture. However, it's important to be mindful of cultural norms and contexts when drinking beer in France. Additionally, there are several valid reasons why someone might choose to avoid drinking beer, including health, financial, and personal well-being considerations.

'Don't drink beer' in familiar imperative French is 'Ne bois pas de bière'

The French imperative is a common French mood used to give orders, make requests, and give recommendations and advice. It is the equivalent of the English imperative form.

The imperative mood is used to express demands, requests, direct exclamations, or to give commands, both positive and negative. The imperative mood is formed by omitting the subject pronoun and conjugating the verb in the present indicative tense.

The French verb 'to drink' is 'boire', which is an irregular verb. In the present tense, 'I drink' is 'je bois', and 'you drink' (singular familiar) is 'tu bois'. To form the negative imperative, you would use ''ne' before the verb and 'pas' after it. So, 'don't drink' in French is 'ne bois pas'. To make it plural, you would say 'ne buvez pas'.

Therefore, 'Don't drink beer' in familiar imperative French is 'Ne bois pas de bière'. This is the singular, familiar form of the phrase, used to address someone you are close to. To make it plural, or to use the polite form to address someone you don't know well, you would say 'Ne buvez pas de bière'.

• Sit down – Assis-toi
• Please, come. – Venez, s'il vous plaît.
• Show me your drawing. – Montre-moi ton dessin.
• Don't look! – Ne regardez pas !
• Let's not enter yet! – N'entrons pas encore !

When ordering beer in France, you can ask for 'une bière' or 'un verre'

When ordering beer in France, you can ask for "une bière" or "un verre". "Une bière" translates to "a beer", which can be served either by the glass or by the bottle. "Un verre", on the other hand, simply means "a glass".

• "Je voudrais une bière s'il vous plaît. Qu'est-ce que vous avez ?" - "I would like a beer please. What do you have?"
• "Nous avons des bières pression, des canettes et des bouteilles." - "We have beer on tap, cans and bottles."
• "Je préfère une bière pression." - "I prefer beer on tap."
• "D'accord. Vous n'avez pas de bière brune ?" - "Okay. Don't you have any stout?"
• "Si, mais en bouteille: de la Guinness ou de la Dremmwel, une autre bière régionale." - "Yes, but in bottles: Guinness or Dremmwel, another regional beer."
• "Ah, et bien je vais essayer la Dremmwel brune. Un demi s'il vous plaît." - "Well then I'll try the Dremmwel stout. Half a pint, please."

It's important to note that when using the imperative form in French, the subject pronouns are usually omitted. For example, "drink" in the imperative form would be "bois" (familiar singular) or "buvez" (plural/formal singular). However, it may be considered rude to use the imperative form when ordering, so it's best to stick to phrases like "Je voudrais" ("I would like") or "Pourrais-je avoir" ("May I have").

The French word for beer is 'la bière'

The French word for beer is "la bière". While France is best known for its wines, beer is also a popular drink in the country. In fact, France has the highest number of breweries in Europe, with more than 2,500 registered companies. This includes regional beer microbreweries and larger, popular French beer brands.

When ordering a beer in France, you can ask for "une bière, s'il vous plaît". You can also specify how you would like your beer served. For example, you can order a beer on tap by asking for "une bière pression". If you prefer a bottled beer, you can say "une bouteille de bière". You can also ask for a half-pint, or "un demi", or a pint, "une pinte".

There are many different types of beer available in France. A stout is called "une bière brune", while a lager is "une bière blonde". If you're looking for a white beer or wheat beer, you would ask for "une bière blanche". For a reddish beer, you can order "une bière ambrée" or "rousse".

In addition to these options, there are also various popular French beer names to choose from. The most famous French beer brand is "Kronenbourg", produced by an Alsacian brewery. Another well-known beer from the same region is "Fischer". If you're looking for a local lager, you might try "La Philomenn". For a stout, "Guinness" and "Dremmwel" (another regional beer) are available.

So, whether you're visiting a bar, restaurant, or store in France, you now know how to order "la bière" like a local!

France has the highest number of breweries in Europe

Despite this, France is not typically considered a beer country, perhaps due to its strong wine culture and reputation for wines and other alcoholic drinks. Beer consumption in France is relatively low compared to other European countries, with only 33 litres consumed per person per year. However, beer is the favourite alcohol of the French people, and the country's craft beer scene is thriving.

The French craft beer scene offers a diverse range of options, from traditional beer styles with Belgian inspiration to more modern American-style beers. While the former appeals to the general public with familiar styles, the latter targets "beer geeks" with hoppy recipes and new styles such as pastry sour and pastry stout.

France also has a rich history of beer production, dating back to the Gauls. However, much of this history has been lost, and the rural breweries that once catered to local residents declined with industrialisation and the impact of the two World Wars. Today, historical beer regions like French Flanders in the North and Alsace in the East continue to be important centres of beer production, with 80% of French hops grown in Alsace.

When it comes to drinking beer in France, it is considered more of a casual or relaxed affair, often enjoyed with lunch or as an aperitif. While it may have been associated with the working class in the past, drinking beer has become trendy, with specialty beer stores and English or Irish pubs gaining popularity.

If you find yourself in France and want to order a beer, here are some useful phrases:

• "Une bière, s'il vous plaît" - A beer, please.
• "Une pinte, s'il vous plaît" - A pint, please.
• "Un demi, s'il vous plaît" - A half-pint, please.
• "Une bière blonde" - A lager.
• "Une bière brune" - A stout.
• "Une bière blanche" - A white beer or wheat beer.
• "Une bière ambrée" - An amber beer.

So, while France may be more renowned for its wines, its beer culture is thriving, and with the highest number of breweries in Europe, it is a destination worth exploring for beer enthusiasts.

Beer is the favourite alcohol of French people

Although France is best known for its wine, beer is the favourite alcoholic drink of French people. In a survey, 58% of respondents chose beer as their favourite alcoholic beverage, compared to 60% for wine and 39% for Champagne.

France's Beer History

France has the highest number of breweries in Europe, with over 2,500 registered companies. This is a massive increase from the 500 breweries in 2013 and the 30 breweries in the 1980s. The country also exports 1.2 million tons of malt each year, making it the largest malt exporter in the world. Despite this, France's strong wine culture overshadows its growing interest in craft beer.

Beer in French Culture

While beer is popular in France, it is generally considered more of a casual drink. Drinking beer in a fancy restaurant or with a gourmet meal would be seen as a faux pas. Beer drinking used to be associated with the working class, but it has become trendy, with many specialty beer stores and English or Irish pubs opening in the country.

Beer in Northern France

Northern France, particularly the regions above the northern limit, has a strong history of beer production due to its ideal conditions for hop growing. French Flanders in the North and Alsace in the East are historical beer regions that continue to thrive, with 80% of French hops produced in Alsace.

Beer in Brittany

Brittany is one of the regions that consumes the most alcohol in France, and its specialities include cider, chouchen, beer, and lambig.

Beer in Paris

In Paris, beer can be found everywhere, from regional beer microbreweries to larger popular French beer brands. The most famous French beer brand is "Kronenbourg," produced by an Alsatian brewery in the region of Alsace.

Frequently asked questions