Where’s a good place to enjoy a beer “Made in Breizh”?
Where’s a good place to enjoy a beer “Made in Breizh”?
The top 5 artisanal microbreweries with tasting opportunities
Served at between 6°C and 12°C, and in the right glass too, of course! Pale, dark or red: there is definitely a Breton beer that you’ll like. Taste them where they are brewed, or at a bar, and always in a cheery atmosphere.
1. In a Brew Pub with a view of the vats, in Vannes
In Vannes, the Awen brewery has developed a well « inspired » concept based on the Celtic tradition of its name. This is a real pub, with fish and chips and live sports broadcasts, in the middle of an artisanal microbrewery. In other words, you can taste the brewery’s two constant beers – pale and amber – plus a seasonal beer, and watch how they are made at the same time. In the restaurant, a picture window opens onto the brewing unit, the fermentation tanks and the storage tanks. After ordering your beer at the bar, you can also enjoy it on the rooftop, with a view of the Gulf of Morbihan, a museum space will reveal all the secrets!
A real, modern-day tavern. At La Baleine Déshydratée, in the Locmaria district in Quimper, you don’t need change, just a pre-paid card that you can connect to the beer tap yourself. Among the 400 references to choose from, there are 40 somewhat bold home-made recipes. Such as the peach-thyme « Session », the raspberry-peach-chilli « Berliner Weiss », the mango-pepper-vanilla « Saison », and others. They are made in front of you, in the integrated microbrewery. Looking for a good idea? The beers are debited by the centilitre, making the system ideal for just quenching your thirst or for testing several beers without excess. La Baleine Déshydratée is also in Saint-Nazaire.
Quality beer on an exceptional brewing site. Térénez beers are made in a former military tunnel on the edge of the Aulne maritime commune. They are pale, dark, wheat and triple-brewed beers, which have received many prizes in France and abroad. Judge for yourself in the brewery’s tasting area. You can even taste the limited edition of the moment: honey beer, Christmas beer, etc. In season, the « Brasserie du bout du monde » also opens its production workshop for tours. What else? You can get there by sea, on board the Brestoâ or the Loch Monna from Brest.
This is the senior of Breton beers. Although the Coreff (barley beer in Breton) is served in nearly every bistro in the region, it’s also nice to drink the beer where it is made. Created in 1985 in Morlaix, this artisanal microbrewery is now located in Carhaix. Push open the door of the Ambassad, the museum space, and follow the guide to absorb the Coreff spirit, the know-how, the attachment to Brittany and to its culture. You’ll learn it all: from the farmlands to the beer barrels, the alchemy of brewing, supplying the Vieilles Charrues festival by tractor, etc. After the tour, don’t forget to pass by the bar!
How about brewing your own beer? According to the experts of En bières inconnues, in Brest, it’s as easy as following a cooking recipe. Located in the Ateliers des Capucins, this new-style shop organises initiation workshops. You’ll learn all there is to know about malting, filtration, fermentation, cold storage, etc. And after one month, you’ll leave with your 18 litres of « do it yourself » beer. Don’t forget to taste the company’s creations too. Although their names evoke far-flung adventurers, they are made with local ingredients. Everything you need to brew beer can be found in Brittany!
