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Brasserie de Granges-sur-Baume should be on the "must not miss" list of every gourmet. Not only is it set in stunning countryside in the middle of the Jura, well known for its renowned wines, but in addition to being a brewery it is also a patisserie and chocolaterie. For many people it could be considered heaven on earth. Luckily the beer is pretty good as well. The brewery run by Pierre Lureau and Stéphanie Roy is set in the tiny village of Granges-sur-Baume which is perched on a hill-top overlooking the almost as small and equally appealing village of Baume-les-Messieurs, complete with ancient abbey, nestling in the valley below. Neither village appears on many maps so the best way to find the brewery is to get to Lons-le-Saunier and take the D471 to Champagnole. About 8km out of Lons is the Cirque de Baume and the D70 to Voiteur. Take the D70 and the first village is Baume-les-Messieurs. A road, the D210, winds up the hill to the east, behind the abbey. Follow that to Granges-sur-Baume and go through the square, round the corner and the brewery is on the right. |
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The brewery was started on 3rd October 1995 and forms an equal part of the business with the patisserie and the chocolaterie. Baking is done Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, confectionery Wednesday and Friday with brewing on Monday. A very full week. Most of the brewing tends to be done in January and February when business is quiet since the majority of the trade is tourists. The main brewing equipment consists of two large gas fired cooking pots that saw service in a previous life curing hams and suchlike. They give a two hectolitres capacity though usually only one hectolitre is brewed at a time. There is a three hour boil with half of that time at 56 degrees C, the remainder at 65 to 68 degrees C. The yeast used is surprisingly a dried yeast of English origin and this is used for a three week primary fermentation and a three week secondary. This is followed by two to three months maturation before sale. |
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The name and label are intended to evoke visions of a natural, ancient, cloudy beer with tradition behind it. Currently only a blonde and amber are brewed. Previously there was also a brown but demand was not high enough demand to justify continuing with that, one theory for this is that brown beer is readily made by home-brewers so they do not need to go out and buy browns. However, demand it good for the blonde. Pierre suggested that the local palate favours sweet, slightly malty and not too fizzy beers and that many people found his beers had too much flavour. If demand does increase dramatically it will pose problems since there is little in the way of logistics infrastructure - storage capacity, delivery vehicles - to cope with what the brewery could produce. To end on a food, rather than drink, note. They offer a good range of specialty breads (with walnuts; hazelnuts; sesame seeds; currants; cheese, or organic bread) as well the usual offering of cakes. The chocolate they use is bought in from Belgium in large blocks and they turn it into a wide variety of very appealing sweets. |
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THE BEER RANGE |
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Nébuleuse Ambrée |
6% Alc/Vol. Available in 75cl bottles. |
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Lots of malt and lots of hop though with a good balance between the two. The hop has a distinctly sharp bite to it and the malt is quite tangy. The tastes are strong and distinct, though well balanced, and mellow out considerably when a little sediment is added. |
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Nébuleuse Blonde |
6% Alc/vol. Available in 75cl bottles |
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Strongly hoppy blonde beer with plenty of character. Fresh and refreshing with a nice light pale malt behind. A good summer quencher with loads more to offer. When young it is uncompromisingly hoppy and brilliantly refreshing but as it ages the freshness dies down taking the edge off the hops. However, it remains a very satisfying hoppy beer. |
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© 1998 The Artisan Press (Publishers) Limited
This page last updated Monday 5th October 1998
