One of the aspects of London I really miss is having a proper pint of beer. That’s not to say that after work I would always be necking back pints of beer but I do enjoy that aspect of London life of going down the pub or bar and having a drink and colleagues joking and laughing. Paris is not like that – the Parisians are a cold bunch who take a long while to warm up to anyone. I often joke that Paris is a village and in some respects it isn’t a joke: post offices closed at lunchtime, shops not open on a Monday as they are open on a Saturday – it’s hard to believe this is a G8 country. As people who have lived in villages know all too well if you aren’t from there it takes a long time to break down barriers and make friends with the villagers. So when I was thinking where I could go for a drink and because they also followed me on instagram I thought I might give this place a try. At the end of a trying week that Friday night was begging for a solo apero in the form of a proper beer just like back home.
Le Lieu/Location
The French Beer Factory is literally located just off the Grands Boulevards. Now don’t judge a book by it’s cover as this place looks like a tourist trap, sorry to say it, but take a look for yourself:
However, all that aside I wasn’t planning on staring at the outside of the building but getting down to the serious business of drinking at a microbewery in the heart of Paris brewing 4 different types of beer and as I stepped inside I was greeted by these beautiful stills:
L’ambiance/ Good Vibes
I arrived and the music was blaring and it was just after so I missed the very generous 5 hours of Happy hour or as the French call it Happy Hours I guess as the fun just goes on and on. In any event, I received a very warm greeting and was offered a place at the bar. Whilst I am all for a bit of music – it was super loud in there so much so that I was glad I was having a solo apero as I would just have been smiling politely at my drinking companion thinking I can’t hear a bloody word they are saying. Upstairs is the restaurant and the menu looks good although I was not in the mood for food.
Le Verre/ Drinks
I had come for beer and that was what I was going to have although the bar also serves cocktails and the like. However when in a microbewery there is only one drink to order – beer! The four beers on offer are: L’adorée Paris, Le FBF,
Label de Montmartre ,La Parisian PA or in Liquid Marmalade language: a light beer, dark beer, pilsner and a special one and all brewed in-house. Obviously I chose the special served in 500ml glass. Now, I am no beer aficionado, however, one thing I know for sure is that I want to be drinking is beer and not foam. When I saw the head on my beer I almost felt like saying you need to add a bit more beer to that glass but given the noise and the fact that I was in a generous mood I accepted it (photo taken before I started drinking):
Having said all that the beer was lovely, with a depth of flavour etc I could try and and pad this out and it will sound like rubbish. What I want to say is that it was rounded in flavour and I really enjoyed drinking it.
Would I go back – most definitely but during the day once the Happy Hours has started and the music is playing very quietly in the background after all €8 for 500ml of beer is a lot when I remember thinking £2.50 a pint was expensive back in the day in London!
Where? 176 Rue Montmartre, 75002 Paris
How? Line 8 or 9 (Grands Boulevards)
Pricey? Get yourself down there for Happy Hour (15h to 20h) when a pint of beer is €3,50 otherwise you are looking at around a very steep €7/8 a pint.
Open when? Monday to Friday 09:00 to 02:00 and Saturday 15h to 02:00
Website: http://www.frenchbeerfactory.fr/
This looks great, I’ll have to try it!! Thanks for sharing, I’ve never heard of this place before!