French Craft Beer and the realisation that hops isn’t the only flavour queen in town
We had been on the road for a while when we finally pulled up at the hotel in Lille, France. Last time I had been here was in 2019. And how the world had changed since then… but we were not here to dwell on our pre-Covid lifestyle, we were here to celebrate Zwanze Day with other like-minded Cantillon enthusiasts.
Check-in and room perusal complete, we hit the streets and wandered across to La Capsule (c’est le temple de la bière craft à Lille), with our timers set to 9pm sharp. Poised to be introduced to ‘Poivre de Gorilles’, “a two-year-old Lambic blend with black pepper”, clocking in at 6.9% ABV.
Heading to “the temple of craft beer” to drink a very traditional and regional sour beer, will that even work?
Lambic brewers still utilize hops, although not for their potential to add flavour and aroma, but for their natural preservative qualities: Iambics ferment spontaneously, and that can take weeks, so every little helps.
These days, craft beer is almost synonymous with hop-forward beers. Taprooms are filled with IPA’s, DIPAs and TIPAs, juicy, fruity, dank, bitter and dry – hops is, more-often-than-not, seen as the flavour queen of craft beers. Fellow hop-head unite, amirite?
Zwanze Day was born in 2008 to counteract black market sales of the prized beers brewed by Cantillon, and is celebrated annually: each year, the Belgian cult brewery releases a limited edition Lambic specifically made for the day. Last year, we drank Zwanze 2021 – Parasol (5% ABV), a Lambic full of oranges (oh the summer vibes!!!!) and the year before, beetroot (drool….) was the star of the show in Zwanze 2020 – Brettrave (6% ABV). Well, and in 2022, it is black pepper’s time to shine.
I recall Anthony Gladman’s words “[…] There’s always an element of faith involved when embarking on the pilgrimage to the nearest Zwanze Day event. […]”[i].
A sour beer with pepper? I muse while trying to read the tap board above the bar. An element of faith indeed…
Table successfully claimed, we order a beer. After enjoying some fantastic French Blanche over the last two weeks, I am keen on exploring some more French wheat beers. I settle for Brasserie Iron‘s ‘Wheat Ale Citron Verte Gingembre’ (5% ABV): a straw coloured Witbier / Blanche, serving oodles of lime and ginger aromas, creamy mouthfeel yet refreshingly sour, dazzling zesty citrus acidity and fiery ginger heat that lingers. A far cry from the more traditionally brewed heavy German Weizens I grew up with – and yet a somewhat conservative choice compared to the rest of my beers this very evening.
Next up, another Witbier / Blanche, called Wheat Ale Thym/ Citron (5% ABV), also by Brasserie Iron: presenting itself as a hazy medium to dark straw, light-bodied ale, you’ll first notice the intense thyme aroma, followed by a sharp hit of lemon, the flavours mimics the aromas and you’re presented with gorgeous thyme followed by a welcoming lemony character. The finish is short, yet you’ll notice a lingering herbal and sour aftertaste for a while.
Thyme in a beer I hear you ask? I have to confess that I do love thyme, so ordering this wasn’t difficult at all, but I would encourage you to try this even if you’re not a thyme lover, it is simply that good.
[Note to self – two out of two, I think I’m going to like Brasserie Iron]
Continuing on my journey into wheat beers and ales, I opt for Gose Concombre/ Aneth/ Citron Verte (4% ABV), Brasserie Iron.
Cucumber, dill and lime??
Yes, cucumber, dill and lime. We are raiding the herb garden now! Dill is another of those herbs that I just can’t get enough of, and cucumber and dill is just delish, so I am extremely keen on trying this one.
But, cucumber, dill and lime in a salt-kissed Gose? Yes, cucumber, dill, lime and salt –no it is not a salad dressing, it is indeed a beer.
If you’re not familiar with Gose you’ll wonder why anyone would want to drink salty beer. And you’d be right to do so, but give this style the time it deserves, you might, just might be hooked. Gose originates in Goslar, Germany, and makes for, at first, a weird drinking experience: it’s essentially a wheat beer, and a far distant cousin to the Belgian Witbier. Pale and unfiltered, both are brewed with coriander, but instead of orange peel, as in a Witbier, Gose brewers opt for salt. We’re not talking full on salt-bomb here, but more of a nice satisfying brine character.
[… Yes, those Germans were indeed allowed to brew a beer with salt, as Gose was exempt for the Reinheitsgebot (purity law) duty to it being a regional speciality … ][ii]
But back to the beer in hand: presenting hazy medium to dark straw and smelling like a German cucumber salad, this is the way to my heart! Dill and cucumber aromas hit you first, followed by fierce lime. In the mouth a gentle tartness underlines a refreshing cucumber and dill flavour, followed by a lime and salty aftertaste.
Ok, Brasserie Iron are onto something here, but can they make it a four out of four? Yes, they can: Gose Tomate/ Carotte/ Origan (6% ABV), Brasserie Iron, does not only sound like everyone’s ideal pizza, it also taste like one!
Gasp! This Gose presents itself as a hazy medium pink to red liquid, with a gorgeous white head. The aromas channel a herbal and veggie Italian pizza – oregano, tomatoes and sweet carrots, while the flavours back up everything the aromas have promised. A light mouthfeel, this little number has to be tried to be believed.
I am truly living my herb-garden-fantasy to the fullest!
But we are not done yet: Enter Brasserie Iron’s Basil Big D (11% ABV) – an imperial stout brewed with, yup basil!
Jet black with a tan head, this boozy stout hits you straight away with herbal aroma, which gives way to chocolate and roasted coffee notes. Indulgent, rich and bitter chocolate and roasted coffee serve you the perfect astringent mouthfeel to counteract the high ABV. This Imperial Stout throws in a kick of herbs when you least expect it and I am here for it. Basil and chocolate, who woulda thunk it?
And on that bombshell of a realisation, debauchery and awe, the clock struck 9pm – Happy Zwanze Everyone!
I hold my glass with glee: was my pilgrimage across France fruitful?
This year’s offering pours a dark straw to light amber, topped with a fluffy white head. On the nose peppery spice, sour tartness and freshly cracked black pepper. The flavour journey begins with a welcoming and warming peppery heat, followed by a beautifully aged apple and lemon tartness. Think juicy ripe apples and acidic citrus. Drinking this, it is not hard to understand why Cantillon’s beers are often seen as gateway beers for cider drinkers: dry, acidic, yet fresh and funky. Overall, Poivre De Gorilles is unquestionably Cantillon and unmistakeable Zwanze.
And what a better way to end my beery adventures into herbs and spices, than with a sour beer packed full of black pepper.
[…although maybe a pastry stout or two…]
Sante‘
xx
[i] Zwanze Day, Anthony Gladman, in Ferment, Raise the Bar 2019, Issue 43 https://www.beer52.com/ferment/article/540/zwanze-day [Accessed 06/10/2022]
[ii] All About Gose Beer: How Gose Beer Is Made, Masterclass Jan 5, 2022 https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gose-beer [Accessed 07/10/2022]
Leave a Reply