Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
The Saint-Martin-de-Belleville Beer Festival: a festive and fun celebration of local skills
27-07-2023 in HeritageIn the heart of the Alps, known for its stunning landscapes and ski resorts, the Vallée des Belleville is also full of traditions and events that enliven the region throughout the season. Among these festivities, the Beer Festival (la Fête de la Bière) in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville is an unmissable event.
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
Meeting local brewers
Many visitors came together in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th July for the 8th edition of the Beer Festival. 8 local producers formed the core of the festival: L'Antidote, la Brasserie Faye, Brava Vêla, Les Mousses du Dahu, les Funambules, la Brasserie du Merle, les Névés (Savoie) and la Brasserie du Baigneur (Annecy). These microbreweries, connected through their passion, came to share their knowledge and products on the village square.
Brewers' knowledge in the spotlight
During this event, the knowledge of the brewers and the art of beer tasting were in the spotlight thanks to the different workshops on offer. The festivities began on Saturday morning with a visit to the new local microbrewery Brava Vêla, recently installed in an old goat farm in Le Châtelard.
Brava Vêla was also offering brewing demonstrations in the village centre. These were great opportunities to learn about the different stages involved in creating a beer, enhanced by the contribution of Malt'in Pott, a local malt producer who revealed the secrets of the ingredients, their origins and the context in which they are produced.
To round off this series of workshops, beer expert and journalist Emmanuel Gillard explained the essential keys to tasting a beer in the proper way for a very attentive audience.
First edition of the competition "Une mousse au sommet"
This year, to encourage the brewers to test their beers and to celebrate their work, the competition "Une mousse au sommet" (Foam on top) took place on Sunday, giving all the participating brewers the opportunity for their beers to be voted as best beer at the 2023 Saint-Martin-de-Belleville Beer Festival.
The jury, led by Emmanuel Gillard, awarded the gold medal to Les Funambules for their "Lager Forestière", a reference to the Alpine forests of the region. Brasserie Faye came second with its "New England IPA", a blond ale with an intense fruity aroma. Third place went to La Baigneur's white beer, which features a very fresh, lemon-flavoured nose.
The public could also vote and the people's choice went to local brewery Brava Vêla for the beer "La Belleville". "La Belleville" is their blond ale, a light, golden beer made from a combination of four Savoyard malts and the beautiful water of our mountains. Among the many people who voted, one lucky winner was chosen at random to go home with a beautiful hamper filled with the various beers presented at the event.
A happy atmosphere in the village
As well as the workshops and demonstrations, the Beer Festival is also an event known for its warm atmosphere and its concerts, where you can enjoy a dance. DJ Benti and Al Jones took over the village square for a lively first part of the evening, before giving way to DJ Vincent Diego, who got visitors on their feet with a lively DJ set.
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
Now in its 8th year, the Beer Festival in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville was indeed a lively celebration of Savoyard culture and conviviality. Visitors had the opportunity to discover unique flavours, interact with passionate local producers and immerse themselves in an incredible festive atmosphere. See you next year for this not-to-be-missed, flagship summer event!
