The Best Places To Buy French Beer

French craft beers are becoming increasingly popular, and there are a number of places where you can purchase them online. Saveur Bière, for example, is France's market leader for online beer sales, offering an extensive range of bottled beers, beer pumps, and glasses. Alternatively, you can try Vinatis.co.uk, which offers French beers at competitive prices. If you're looking for a wider selection, Amazon.co.uk also offers a range of French beers, including well-known brands such as Kronenbourg 1664 and Saint Omer.

French beer online: GotoLiquorStore, Saveur-Biere, The Belgian Beer Company, Beers of Europe

French beer is often overshadowed by wine, but the country has a rich history of brewing beer with a wide variety of styles and flavours. From rural breweries catering to local residents to the modern-day rise of microbreweries, French beer is rapidly competing with wine in popularity.

If you're looking to buy French beer online, here are some websites to consider:

• GotoLiquorStore: This website offers a range of French beers, but you need to provide your address and verify your age to access product pricing and availability in your area. They also have a mobile app for a better user experience.
• Saveur-Biere: While this website doesn't specifically mention French beer, it is an online beer store with a wide range of products, so it's worth checking if they cater to French beer enthusiasts.
• The Belgian Beer Company: This company specialises in beers from Belgium and around the world, including French beers. They recommend Bellerose beer, a blonde French farmhouse beer with a rich hoppy flavour. They offer free UK delivery on orders over £75.
• Beers of Europe: This website highlights the variety of French beer, from regional varieties to traditional top-fermented Bière de Garde and monastic/trappist brewing styles. They offer free delivery for orders over £100 and have a range of French beers to choose from, including La Goudale Biere Blonde, Trois Monts Grande Reserve, and Anosteke Cuvee d’Hiver.

Each of these websites provides an opportunity to explore and purchase French beer online, allowing you to discover the diverse and delicious world of French brewing beyond its famous wines.

French beer in-store: Calais Vins, Olivier Vins

If you're looking for French beer in Calais, there are two main superstores to visit: Calais Vins and Olivier Vins. Both stores offer an extensive range of beers, wines, and spirits, and are conveniently located just a few minutes from the port and Eurotunnel terminal.

Calais Vins

With over 25 years of experience, Calais Vins boasts a vast selection of wines and beers from France and around the world. They offer a unique system that allows customers to reclaim VAT on purchases, providing additional savings on top of their already competitive prices. The store is located on Rue Gutemberg Zone Curie in Calais and can be reached by calling 0033(0)321 36 40 40.

Olivier Vins

Olivier Vins, located in Frethun, is another popular destination for beer and wine enthusiasts. They offer a wide range of quality wines, spirits, and beers, including Belgian beers, French beers, and ciders. The store also provides a beer pump rental service and Perfect Draft beer kegs for beer lovers. Olivier Vins is known for its friendly and knowledgeable staff, who are always ready to assist customers in selecting the right products. Contact them at 0033(0)321 85 29 39.

Both Calais Vins and Olivier Vins provide excellent opportunities to stock up on French beer and take advantage of their VAT reclaim offers. With their proximity to the port and Eurotunnel, they are convenient stops for travellers looking to enhance their beverage collections.

French beer styles: blonde, white, brown, amber, triple, fruity, organic, Trappist

French beer styles include blonde, white, brown, amber, triple, fruity, organic, and Trappist.

Blonde beers are typically light in colour, with a moderate strength of around 4.5 to 8% ABV. They tend to be less bitter, with a fruity flavour derived from fermentation. Examples include Bellerose Biere Blonde, La Goudale Biere Blonde, and La Goudale Grand Cru Fantasia.

White beers, or witbiers, are brewed with unmalted wheat, coriander, and orange peel. They are tart, light in body, and moderate in alcohol, typically ranging from 4.5 to 5.5% ABV. Examples include Brasserie du Pays Flamand and Moulins d'Ascq Organic Craft White Beer.

Brown beers, or dubbels, are strong brown ales with low bitterness and a heavy body. They have a malty, nutty finish and range from 6.5 to 8% ABV. An example is the Rouge Flamande craft beer from Flanders.

Amber beers, or bières de garde, are available in pale, amber, and brown varieties, each with a different expression of malt flavour. Blonde versions tend to be doughy and lightly caramelly, while amber beers emphasise the caramelisation, and brown beers supplement the caramel with a toasty, dense malt complexity. An example is the La Goudale French Amber Beer.

Triple beers, or tripels, are the strongest Trappist ales, ranging from 7.5 to 9% ABV. They are highly alcoholic but brewed with high carbonation and high attenuation yeasts to reduce the taste of alcohol. Examples include PAGE 24 Triple Bière de Garde Blond Artisanal Beer and Moulin d'Ascq Craft Beer Triple Organic Beer.

Fruity beers can include traditional lambic, gueuze, and fruited lambics. Lambics are made through spontaneous fermentation, using wild yeast and bacteria that float in the air. Gueuze is a blend of young and old lambics, resulting in a complex, funky flavour. Fruited lambics are made by adding fruit to the barrel, which kicks off another fermentation that leaves behind a dry finish and a burst of fresh fruit flavour.

Organic beers are also available in France, such as the Moulins d'Ascq range, which includes a triple organic beer and an amber organic beer.

Finally, Trappist beers are those brewed by Trappist monks within the walls of a Trappist monastery. The beers must be brewed either by the monks themselves or under their supervision, and the income generated is used to cover the monks' living expenses and maintain the buildings and grounds. Any remaining income is donated to charity. Examples of Trappist beers include those produced by the La Trappe and Chimay breweries.

French beer brands: Kronenbourg, Bellerose, Pietra, Trois Monts, La Goudale

French beer is often overlooked, but the country is home to some truly spectacular varieties. While the mass-produced stuff may not be the best, there are many lesser-known gems to choose from, as well as regional varieties and traditional top-fermented Bière de Garde.

One of the most well-known French beer brands is Kronenbourg, which offers a range of wheat beers with a delicate twist of citrus. Their 1664 Blanc has subtle aromas and a beautiful haziness, while the 1664 Rosé offers a hint of red fruits with a complex fruitiness. Kronenbourg also has a non-alcoholic option, the 1664 Blanc 0.0, which has the same refreshing taste as the original but without the alcohol.

Another French beer brand to try is Bellerose, which offers a blonde beer. Pietra is also a popular option, especially their 6% ABV amber beer brewed from a blend of malt and chestnut flour. This unique brewing method, using chestnuts as a cereal, gives the beer its golden colour and contributes to its high fermentability. La Goudale is another French beer brand with a light taste of special malts, flavoured with Flemish hops and aromas of high fermentation. Lastly, Trois Monts is a beer with an 8.5% ABV, brewed by infusion with strong and hearty Flemish hops, then fermented using top yeasts. It is perfectly balanced between malt aroma, fruity flavours, and bitterness, and is best served in a cool cellar.

French beer travel: day trip to Calais for €300 of beer

Are you a beer lover looking for an exciting day trip? Look no further than Calais, France, for an unforgettable beer-filled experience. With a rich history of brewing and a wide range of unique beer styles, France offers a refreshing change from the usual wine-tasting vacations. Spend €300 and unlock a ferry return day trip to Calais, where you can explore the vibrant world of French beer.

Exploring Beer in Calais

Your journey begins with a trip to the bustling town of Calais, located just across the English Channel. Here are some highlights of what you can expect:

• The Calais Grape Escape: Start your day at the Calais Vins superstore, just five minutes from the port. With over 25 years of experience, they offer a vast selection of wines and beers, including French and Belgian varieties. Take advantage of their innovative system that allows you to reclaim VAT on your purchases, giving you significant savings.
• Olivier Vins & Cie: Located conveniently near the shuttle terminal in Frethun, this store is your one-stop shop for all things beer. With a friendly and knowledgeable staff, you'll find an extensive range of Northern French beers, including blondes, whites, browns, ambers, triples, and even organic options.
• Beer Varieties: Discover the diverse flavours of Northern French beers, such as the regional specialties of Pas de Calais, the Somme, and the Hauts de France region. Indulge in blonde beers like the Bellerose Blond Beer or explore unique options like the Rouge Flamande craft beer from Flanders.
• Ferry Offer: The highlight of this trip is the opportunity to unlock a free ferry return day trip to Calais with your purchases. Simply spend €300 on beer or other alcoholic beverages, and your travel expenses are covered. It's like getting a free vacation just for stocking up on your favourite drinks!
• Tax Benefits: As a British visitor, you are entitled to tax-free purchases in Calais. This means you can claim back the VAT on your beer purchases, resulting in significant savings. With the money you save, you can buy even more beer to enjoy!

In conclusion, a day trip to Calais for €300 of beer is a beer lover's dream come true. With a rich brewing history, diverse beer styles, and tax-free benefits, Calais offers a unique and exciting beer-tasting experience. So, pack your bags, grab your passport, and get ready to explore the wonderful world of French beer in the charming town of Calais. Cheers to that!

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