Aux Brasseurs, where brasserie rhymes with gastronomy

Microbrewery Fridays - Max Moeschler

In the teeming Swiss brewing landscape, the now-famous «Les Brasseurs» chain has a special status. It is part of the spectacular rise in craft beer seen throughout the country in recent years, and responds to an ever-growing demand in this field, with a novel, challenging approach: offering quality craft beers paired with seasonal dishes, in a setting that is both pleasantly chic and resolutely convivial.

Where wine had long since earned its place on the finest tables, alongside the best dishes, beer has long suffered from a socially pejorative and gastronomically laughable image, that of a beverage intended for an uneducated and often alcoholic clientele, whose palate sensitivity and gastronomic knowledge would approach that of a primitive organism. The idea that a beer could accompany a quality dish and offer real taste value was therefore rejected out of hand by the dominant gastronomic vision and the diktats of so-called good taste. But those days are long gone. 

Like many craft breweries, Les Brasseurs was born of the shared passion of a group of friends who decided to combine their skills to create new beers. Founded in Geneva in 1997, at a time when the expansion of craft beer was in its infancy, the brewery was a forerunner, alongside the famous BFM brewery in Saignelégier, founded the same year. Its growing success then led to the opening of more establishments throughout French-speaking Switzerland: breweries in Lausanne (2000), Nyon (2001), Neuchâtel (2007) and finally Sion (2015) bear witness to a steady progression over almost twenty years.

In each of its establishments, Les Brasseurs offers classic top-fermented beers, updated and brewed on site. As many restaurants do with wine, Les Brasseurs offers food and beer pairings to guide the hungry customer towards the ideal combination. This particular attention to tasting and to the coherence between beer and food is testimony to beer's entry into the mercilessly fascinating world of gastronomy. 

The pure malt blonde, with its fine hops, lends itself equally well to aperitifs and as an accompaniment to homemade beef tartars. The extremely refreshing blanche is spiced with coriander and bitter orange peel, in the tradition of Belgian classics. The house also recommends it as an accompaniment to cold dishes or sauerkraut. Ambrée, meanwhile, has a magnificent dark color and a woody, strongly malty, slightly caramelized taste. Its perfect balance has won it several awards. It goes perfectly with red meats or traditional burgers. In addition to these year-round classics, the brewery offers special beers such as Agave (agave and lime flavored beer), Bière du lion (Trappist-style triple blonde), Bras'scott (whisky malt beer) and many others, which punctuate the year to our delight.

Write to the author: max.moeschler@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © Les Brasseurs