Beer of the month...........April
A bit of a departure this month, with a lager
featured for the first time*!
I brought some of this back from a holiday in France
a few years ago, although it wasn't called "Bière d'Or" then. It was called
"Bière de Saint-Omer" after the place where it was brewed. We actually spent a
night in Saint-Omer, which lies about 10 miles from Calais, after a long drive back there
from the south. We made better time than we anticipated and ended up having a day to kill
before we caught the ferry back home. Nice place, with canals running through it. Anyway,
back to the beer......
Why pick this as Beer of the month? Two reasons,
actually.
First of all, it's a very good beer. It has a a lot
more character than our home-produced lagers. A certain almost earthy quality to the taste
gives it an interesting effect on the palate, followed by a satisfying bitterness. A
smooth-drinking, although not bland, lager which has a respectable 4% ABV, Bière d'Or is
the ideal spring and summer "barbecue beer". It's also an attractive brew, with
a white, cohesive head and a rich, golden colour. Just be sure to chill it well before
drinking. Like all other lagers, it never tastes its best when a bit on the warm side.
The second reason for choosing this is its price.
Available in Tesco's at the moment for a miserly £5.99 for 30 25cl bottles, this works
out at about 50p a pint, which is a real bargain for beer of such quality and strength.
Although I realize that not all of you visiting this page may be able to get hold of it,
for those who can, it's worth doing. You may be able to find it under a different
name elsewhere - check out the small print on the label and look out for the words
"Brasserie de Saint-Omer". What may be really difficult is finding it at the
current low price - a steal if there ever was one.
Stock up and get a few cases for those hot, summer
evenings when a cold lager or two slips down so easily!
*OK - I know that I selected a lager for one of the "Strange Brew" beers, but Bière d'Or is the
first lager chosen for Beer of the month.