Brasserie du Mont-Blanc

For lovers of craft beers, the products of the Brasserie du Mont-Blanc are a must. Renowned for the authenticity of its beers and its commitment to quality, this Savoyard brewery has been awarded several times. Indeed, its know-how has been recognised many times in international competitions, including the "World Beer Award" in the United States. In 2011, Rousse du Mont-Blanc was voted the "Best Amber Beer in the World".

This drink was also voted "Best Beer in the World" in 2018, at the European Beer Star competition. At the World Beer Award in London in 2019, the brewery won another award for its Cristal IPA du Mont-Blanc, which was named "Best IPA Session in the World". Blanche du Mont-Blanc was also voted "Best Beer in the World" in 2013 and 2015.

Thanks to the quality of the water and the proximity of the glaciers, the Alps have been a favourite land for breweries since the end of the 19th century. The first traces of a brewery were discovered in 1821, in Sallanches. Over the years, brewers, chocolate makers and entrepreneurs have succeeded one another at the head of the business before it took the name "Bière du Mont-Blanc" in 1911. Despite the success of the Brasserie du Mont-Blanc, the company ceased its activities in 1966.

Several years later, after discovering the boom in microbreweries in the United States, Sylvain Chicon embarked on the adventure of fermented drinks upon his return to France.

After devoting himself to the production of Eyguebelle syrups and liqueurs, he discovered the old, forgotten brand of Bière du Mont-Blanc in his native Savoie. The idea came to him to create a Trappist beer and to learn the brewing trade in a Trappist monastery in Belgium. Accompanied by his friend "Panoramix", a master distiller from Aiguebelle, he developed the first recipes for Bière du Mont-Blanc with water from the Enchapleuze spring, at an altitude of about 2,074 metres. The Brasserie du Mont-Blanc was reborn in 1999 in La Motte-Servolex, in the heart of Savoie, to produce a wide range of beers brewed with water from the Mont-Blanc glaciers.

To produce exceptional beers, Sylvain Chicon relies on quality ingredients, starting with an extraordinary  water, the water from the Enchapleuze glaciers on the slopes of Mont Blanc. This remarkably pure water is filtered in depth by the moraine sands and gravels. The brewery's master brewers also select the best ingredients (malts, hops and spices) for the production of these craft beers. They then develop exclusive recipes to create these exceptional drinks.

At the Brasserie du Mont-Blanc, the brewmasters attach particular importance to time to obtain the best of the best. The brewing process of the beers of this artisanal brewery takes place over a period of two months, including different stages. After the brewing process to obtain a spicy grain infusion, the brewmasters move on to fermentation. To develop the aromatic richness of these craft beers, top fermentation is preferred. The next step consists of refining and maturing the beer through cold storage for more than four weeks. After this period, the beer is bottled or kegged.

At the Brasserie du Mont-Blanc, craft beer lovers will find what they are looking for in a wide range of products. The brewery's collection includes the tasting beers:

• La Rousse: this drink with very aromatic floral notes reveals a full and malty first taste. It then develops caramelised and roasted almond notes. The finish is marked by fruity notes.
• La Blanche: refreshing and elegant, this light white beer initially reveals sweet wheat notes, progressing to the tart freshness of orange. The finish has spicy notes.
• La Blonde: this craft beer offers a rich and round mouthfeel with a perfectly balanced bitterness. Floral, spicy and fruity at the same time, this beer reveals malty flavours on the attack and a generous body, ending with a fine liquorice finish.
• Triple Épices: with a full, malty mouthfeel, this amber beer has delicious notes of caramel and roasted almonds, with the roundness of honey and the character of an intense spice bouquet.

The Brasserie du Mont-Blanc also offers flavoured beers in the "Les Couleurs Montagne" range:

• La Verte: this genepi flavoured beer develops herbaceous aromas and citrus notes. It offers a perfect balance between acidity, alcohol, sugar and aromatic power.
• La Violette: flavoured with violets and cranberries, this beer reveals aromas of red fruits and violets on the nose. The same notes are found on the palate, followed by vanilla notes.
• La Bleue: this blueberry flavoured beer has fruity blueberry aromas and mentholated notes. The palate is marked by the aromatic power of the fruit combined with the bitterness of a fermented alcoholic beverage.

In its collection of craft beers, the Brasserie du Mont-Blanc also offers "thirst-quenching beers":

• La Cristal: this light, thirst-quenching lager combines lightly peated malts with Saaz, a noble hop, with a mild, subtly spicy aroma.
• La Cristal IPA: refreshing and finely hopped, this IPA (India Pale Ale) reveals a nose with floral and citrus notes. The palate also reveals very floral flavours and a balanced body.
• La Cristal IPA 0.0%: full of flavour and freshness, this alcohol-free, organic and gluten-free IPA is distinguished by its delicate citrus notes and balance.