La Brasserie, in the heart of Montreux

Microbrewery Fridays - Jonas Follonier

Today is special. Today is a festival. The mood in Montreux is one of quality. Quality of the concerts, quality of the panorama, quality of the people. But before the performances by Etienne Daho and Paolo Conte, which start at 8:00 p.m., we've got to eat, don't we? So let's head to La Brasserie for a well-sauced cockerel with potatoes. And an amber beer.

As it happens, the establishment is renowned for the beers you can order there, which fit in with the Parisian brasserie decor that gives the place its charm. I wasn't lied to on the phone. Wide banquettes, tiled floors, refined food and drink, friendly staff. Enough glossing over, it's time for a tasting session with the barman, who doesn't detract from the perfection of this frank day.

Jonas Follonier: Why choose Swiss beers?

Lucas Denuzière: First and foremost, it's about supporting Swiss know-how. We work with Doctor Gab's Brewery for several reasons: firstly, and most importantly, they are quality products; secondly, they use Swiss ingredients, which is a mark of intelligence, and we have an international clientele who therefore expect to enjoy Swiss beverages; thirdly, Doctor Gab's relies on short circuits for the processing of their glass. For the record, Doctor Gab's will be inaugurating its new brewery in Puidoux tomorrow.

As a bartender, what's your take on the craft beer craze?

It is indeed a fashion. What interests me is quality. There are a lot of microbreweries in Switzerland - in fact, it's the country with the highest number of microbreweries per capita, you might say. IPA beer is the big trend of the moment: personally, it's not a type of beer I'm used to enjoying. In any case, the craft beer phenomenon must be taken seriously. In agreement with my manager, we're going to launch a special beer that will change with the seasons, to better accompany the restaurant's dishes.

You arrived from France and have been working here for two years. How do you feel about Montreux, with its famous festival starting today?

It's funny: I come from a village near Vienne, in the Rhône Valley, and Vienne also has a very famous jazz festival, one of the ten best in the world. I find that the «Festival jazz à Vienne» is more family-oriented and jazz-oriented than Montreux, which is very open to all genres. Personally, it's not my style of music, and crowds aren't my forte either. On the other hand, I really like Switzerland, and in particular the Lake Geneva region. Montreux has a village atmosphere!

Write to the author : jonas.follonier@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © Brasserie J5