This Saturday, from the opening, things were a bit jammed at the entrance to Saint-Sauveur station: it’s the only cork taste that we’re likely to find during this Grand Final despite its wine fair feel! With his 70 craft breweries present on the stands, this weekend closes the week of the Beer in Lille (BAL) festival.
Among the visitors, we come across quite a few regulars, delighted to find the Saint-Sauveur station converted into a temple of craft beer. After three years of gigantism at Lille Grand Palais (120 brewers, 10,000 visitors), which is presented by the organizers as “a return to the sources» seems successful. “We are more in the taproom spirit (tasting counter) as if we were in the breweries directly», confides Olivier, festival faithful.
We are more in the taproom spirit as if we were in the breweries directly
Revising the gauge downward does not prevent the BAL from being polyglot. Apostles of the short circuit, the brewers present come from all over the world. We meet specialists from Savoie or the South of France, Belgians and English who came as neighbors. Coming from further afield, Americans who have a heavy hand on hops and Italians (Cantina Errante) came to complete a mockery of Tuscan wines by brewing the beer from the Lille festival! Which does not prevent visitors from lingering among the big names in the region and discovering the latest products (Fives-Cail, Element Brewings in Roubaix, etc.).
