Beer Styles

Lorraine's signature beer is a pale lager, the style the great breweries of France established in the 20th century. It's bottom-fermented, pale yellow, clear and light. Internationally, the style is known as pale lager and carries no protected status.

What does a pale lager taste like? You'll notice fresh bread, a touch of honey, and a light hint of hops. The bitterness stays restrained, and the finish is short and clean. This beer is made for quenching thirst, not for contemplation.

How does it differ from Pilsner? Pilsner is noticeably more heavily hopped, more bitter, and drier in the finish. An international pale lager has less bitterness and comes across softer.

The robust Bières de Garde belong to northern France and can be top- or bottom-fermented—an entirely different world. In Lorraine, by contrast, the lager style takes center stage, just as Pasteur and the brewers of Tantonville once studied it.

Modern craft breweries in the region also brew ales, wheat beers and IPAs alongside this. The craft is thriving, yet there is no single, defined style that could be called distinctly Lorrainian.

How strong is a pale lager? It usually falls between 4.5 and 6 percent alcohol, an everyday beer strength. Order a beer in Champigneulles or Nancy, and chances are you'll get exactly this type in your glass, clear and well chilled, with no surprises. That's its strength, and it's also why it pairs so well with food. The color ranges from straw to gold, the foam settles after a while, and the glass stays clean throughout.