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Session strength ales

French session ales

"France has for the last twenty years been building a formidable beer culture.  With more breweries than any other country in Europe and the same focus on creating local beers as applies to the creation…"
France has for the last twenty years been building a formidable beer culture.  With more breweries than any other country in Europe and the same focus on creating local beers as applies to the creation of local dishes, several candidates are emerging for style or sub-style status, such as Hopped Saison (saison houblonée), Black Buckwheat Beer (bière de blé noir) and a variety of spelt beers.

For now we are including only one but more are bound to come.

Bière brune

Regular French Bière Brune (4.0-6.5% ABV) differs from its English counterpart by being less sweet and a lot more estery, with bigger roasted, coffee, chocolate and liquorice flavours.  Traditionally a specialty of northern and eastern France, the best-known brand is Pelforth, from Alsace, which although considered in France to be an everyday drinking beer comes in at the top of the range strength-wise.

About the Author

Tim Webb

The lead author and curator of The Beer Styles of Europe and beyond is Tim Webb, co-author of The World Atlas of Beer.

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