When we talk about booze, it is impossible to avoid discussing one of the most favorite drinks of all time, the light buzz inducing, amber-colored beer. Now, people all over the world have their preferences and choices when it comes to drinking. Some might like rum, while others may prefer a glass of whiskey over other drinks, but whatever their likes or dislikes are, there are certainly not many people in the world who don’t harbor a soft spot for beer.
France is renowned in the world for its wine. But there are also some French beer brands that will win your heart. To give your more information about the authentic and favored beer styles in France, I have curated a list of the eight bestselling French beers! Here we go!
8 Famous French Beers You Should Try
La Cagole Blonde Ale
‘La Cagole’ is named after a Marseille slang that means a feisty, brazen woman. It is a well-known beer brewing brand that is very popular in the South of France. Hailing from Marseille, La Cagole produces three different kinds of beers, among which blonde ale is the most famous one.
Crisp and refreshing, it is the preferred drink of French people after a long day at work. If you are in the South of France and wish to try this ale, visit any supermarket or go to any half-decent bar to find your beer for the evening.
3 Monts – Brasserie de Saint Sylvestre
Trois Monts, brewed by Brasserie de Saint Sylvestre, is a pale golden colored beer that features a slim frothy appearance when it is decanted. The drink is tantalizing and succulent in taste and is known for the sweet buzz it leaves you with after you have finished your pint.
The beer has a pleasant smell of lemons, hops, and fruits that invites you to lose yourself in it. Its secret lies in the upward infusion technique and natural fermentation process that aids its processing.
Bière de Garde Ch’ti – Brasserie Castelain
Bière de Garde is the favorite beer of those who are residing in the North of France, especially Pas-de-Calais. This beer that dates back to many centuries was prepared to be aged once it was bottled. When it was prepared, it was corked and left in cellars to age during cold winters.
Due to this aging process, this drink’s alcoholic content is more than other beers. The ale packs a malty flavor and has 8% ABV! You can find it in almost any supermarket in France.
La Blanche – Brasserie du Mont-Blanc
The La Blanche beer needs no words of praise for its introduction, given that this ale won the bronze medal in the 2016 World Beer Awards! The brew features a sparkling white color and is known to take you back in time as soon as you taste your first sip. Equal parts of wheat and barley are used in its preparation, and the beer leaves a fruity aftertaste on your tongue.
1664 – Kronenbourg
If you are lucky to tour France for whatever purpose, don’t miss out on the opportunity of trying this beer that has been featuring in France’s top-selling beers for a long time. Kronenbourg 1664 comes in a light golden hue and packs a distinct bittersweet aftertaste that is layered with the flavors of grapefruit, hops, and hints of candy fruit.
The ale uses strisselspalt hop in its brewing and is said to leave you with a fuzzy feeling once it is inside your system. You can also use it for seasoning a range of foods like salmon fillets or cods.
Barge du Canal – Paname Brewing Company
When you think of Paris, inadvertently, an image of the Eiffel Tower pops inside your head. Other than the famous tower, I would like to suggest you enjoy a Barge du Canal beer the next time you are in Paris. This ale that you can easily count as one of the best French beers is not easily available outside Paris.
The beer has a bittersweet taste that it owes to the Citra and Cascade hops that go into its preparation. The overall effect is refreshing and buzzy.
Bière Bock – Brasserie Saint-Omer
This beer is another famous product of France. It is brewed by the Saint-Omer brewery that began production in 1866. At that time, the brewery was said to produce some 45000 hectoliters of ale. Presently, production has increased to over 2 million hectoliters every year.
Bière Bock is a neutral and smooth beer that features a pale yellow color. If you sniff it before gulping it down, you can detect a rich odor of malts, peppery hops, cut grass, and hay. The beer features an unusually white head that stays for quite some time.
Triple grain blonde – Brasserie Dulion
For those of you who are not familiar with this, let me tell you that a triple beer is actually a Belgian brewing method. The style owes its origin to the Belgian Monks who discovered it centuries ago. Since then, such beers have been quite popular in France and are consumed on a regular basis.
The particular Triple grain blonde hails down from Lyon. As a result of the triple style, this beer packs a punch of 9% ABV that leaves the drinker with a slight heady feeling. However, taste-wise, the drink is remarkable, and, not at all heavy or over-powering.
Conclusion
These are some of the most sought-after beers that are produced in France. So, the next time you are in France, and you wish to have something to wash down your food, maybe try one of these beers! 🙂
Any other French beers that you’d like to recommend? Let me know in the comments! If you’re looking for other tasty beverages, check out my list of French drinks.
