The entente cordiale, or rather refreshment, is alive and well, and one French brewer is hoping to inspire enough profile to be carried in Scottish pubs.
Eric Esnault of Parisis Brewery has brought a number of his beers from a Paris suburb to the inaugural Revolution Craft Beer event which ends on Saturday.
Among them is the deliciously refreshing India Pale Ale which is packed with exotic fruit flavour. Another is Blonde with a hint of citron.
Both were being snapped up by festivalgoers at Assembly Roxy in Drummond Street.
Organiser Richard Servrancx, who has French connections, encouraged Eric, who studied beer making at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University, to come for the event which showcases around 70 micro-brewed beers from 14 companies.
London-based Howling Hops have brought four of their portfolio north from Hackney Wick, once a desert for real beer and now a hub.
Panda Frog Project from Newcastle also jostles with attention along with products from Edinburgh-based breweries Pilot, Top Out and Brewgooder plus Alchemy from Livingston.
Glasgow-based Up Front and Fierce Beer from Aberdeen, which uses natural products including oats, raspberries and peanuts, plus a gin, wine and cider corner are also available.
Belgian-born Richard, who now lives in Leith, said: “As this is our first beer festival and it is all about experiencing new tastes and we’re sure everyone will leave having discovered new beers.”
A Craft Revolution beer, a slightly spicy double red rye IPA brewed in collaboration with Edinburgh-based micro-brewery Ushers – that’s a name from the past in the brewing industry – is available along with street food.
A live jazz band plus Masterclasses and pub quizzes were among the entertainment provided for guests who packed the three areas in the former church.
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