Zélig, a chameleon in the university jungle2 reading minutes

Microbrewery Fridays - Arthur Schneiter

This week, we're not talking about one local brewery... but several. Or rather, a place with several of them. For the people of Neuchâtel, the address may not seem obvious, but it's in Lausanne, Zelig is an institution. Founded almost thirty years ago by a number of UNIL students, the association, which defines itself as a «meeting place» rather than a bar per se, brings together a multitude of activities under its umbrella.

There are association evenings, concerts, jams, debates, conferences, table soccer and chibre tournaments, and screenings, and more. You can enjoy a coffee in the morning, a sandwich at lunchtime or a beer after class, get your bike repaired, revise, relax on the famous sofas, devour a comic book, and even practice your backhand at ping-pong when the weather's nice.

A veritable Swiss Army knife in one of UNIL's last buildings, the Géopolis (Zelig used to be housed in a wing of the Anthropole, now a day-care center), the place acts as a bubble of fresh air in a mostly mineral, ultra-modern and aseptic space. Squatted by students, teaching assistants and professors alike, it's a place for informal encounters and a welcome exchange of ideas in an academic world that can sometimes be too compartmentalized. And when I said that Zelig's bar function was almost anecdotal...

But it's Friday, and we're here to talk beers. So let's talk beers, because the vast majority of students outside Zelig's circle of regulars still come mainly to have a drink. binch, and music (every Thursday evening). The bar offers a varied, cutting-edge selection of beers from all over the world, to satisfy dilettantes with a taste for the world's best beer. lager These include local vintages.

As I write these lines, you'll find the succulent Hold Hop of the Nebula (my current favorite, but watch out for the ABV!), the sunny Californication from West Coast, the aptly named Freshness with basil Three Ladies, the white one Salamander of the BFM, the tangy one Harvest Sour from Dr. Gab's, as well as the two beers of the moment, the Vermeille from Lance-Pierre and the Lemonworld, a collab’ between Whitefrontier and Nébuleuse - don't wait long for them! Ask about our bottled wines, too, as they often contain little nuggets.

If you're hungry for more, there's another Lausanne hotspot to quench your thirst on the EPFL campus. This is Satellite, Zelig's polytechnic counterpart, just as famous in the student community, with a menu that would make the region's best beer bars pale into insignificance. Have a good weekend, and cheers!

Write to the author: arthur.schneiter@leregardlibre.com

Photo credits: © Zelig