© Rob Wood
Popular craft beers & real ales reach Alpe d'Huez
Local brewery opens craft beer shop in resort
The popularity of micro-breweries and craft beers has recently been accredited with the reversal in the trend of pub closures in the UK. Craft beers and real ales really are hugely popular and that popularity has spread to Alpe d’Huez.
Bourg d’Oisans based micro-brewery The Goodwin Brewery, was formed in 2015 by ex-pats Chris, Seb and Dan, who have used their love for real ales and the local area as inspiration for their beers.
Created from the fresh, crisp mountain waters that run through Bourg d-Oisans the range of 6 beers is proving hugely popular in the region, so much so that they recently opened their first retail shop in the Les Bergers Commercial Centre here in Alpe d’Huez; a lovely alpine style shop stacked out with real ales.
The beers – Codswallop, a light refreshing pale ale – Scallywag, a traditional IPA – Red Herring, a dark ale – Last Straw, a wheat beer – Dutch Courage, a pilsner ale – and a soon to be released stout are all available in the lovely little shop near the lift pass office.
Having tried them all (solely for research purposes of course!) my favourite is the Wheat Beer – Last Straw. The beers are also being served in resort in Smithys Tavern, The Underground and L’Indiana Bar and are proving hugely popular. The beers are also widely available in neighbouring resort Les Deux Alpes and even in the Hard Rock Café in Lyon.
If real ales and craft beers are your thing then Alpe d’Huez is fast becoming the place for you. Not only do we have The Goodwin Brewery, but we also have another locally based brewery which produces the ADH21 range of beers named after the famous 21 bends of the Tour de France climb up to resort. ADH21 produce 3 beers, an amber beer, Grandes Rousses – a blonde beer, Sarenne and a white beer, PicBlanc – and again these are proving popular and are fast becoming available in more bars and shops in town.
In addition to the Goodwin Brewery beers and ADH21 - Smithys Tavern have also introduced American Brooklyn Brewery IPA and a West-Country classic real ale from the St Austell Brewery Proper Job. So why not try some Codswallop or even the 21 bends when you are here in resort and make a Proper Job of it you old Scallywag….it may just be the Last Straw….
