F-pop

France is a hugely underrepresented country on the beer scene. I know there's plenty going on there but their export game seems lacking. I jumped at the chance to try a set from a brewery I hadn't heard of when they arrived in local shops recently. Say hello to Brasserie Popihn from Burgundy.

We begin with a pale ale called Icauna, 4.8% ABV and a medium-hazy yellow. New England was definitely on their mind when they created this, and it has the vanilla aroma and flavour plus a certain soft fluffiness to the texture. It's well balanced, however, with a zesty citrus bittering, finishing tangy rather than sweet. It's quite simple that way, with no further complexities on offer, but equally no nasty off-flavours; no grit or garlic, which is always appreciated. This is a well-made nod to fashion but rooted in the clean and refreshing aspects of American-style pale ale. A good start.

We go even more chic next, with a "pastry sour" called Pastry Sour. Normally it's lactose and fruit that defines the style, but while this one claims raspberry (obviously there but not listed on the ingredients), the adjuncts are coconut, vanilla and cocoa. Odd. It pours a deep purple shade, fizzing busily before settling without a head. Sure enough it's raspberry and chocolate in the aroma, and that's the nuts and bolts of the flavour too. I don't know if Ruffle bars are still in production, but this is how it tastes to me. Ordinarily, beers designated as pastry sour are jammy and sweet, but this one has a substantial sour element. The candy doesn't coat the palate, and after that initial chocolate buzz there follows quite an intense lactic bite, which helps clean it up and bring out more of the raspberry.

Arriving in the next shipment was a final sour fruity one: Berliner Weisse Cassis / Framboise. I tried hard to include the head in my picture but it didn't last long enough. Take my word that there's a pleasing pink topping on the scarlet body, albeit briefly. Blackcurrant and raspberry are both fairly commonplace in fruit beers but I can't recall any that use the combination on its own. Normally I would expect raspberry to be dominant: that's usually how it goes. Here, however, the drinker is presented with blackcurrant first in the aroma, and is left with a lingering Ribena aftertaste. Only in the middle does the raspberry peep out, and quite briefly. And as with the previous one, this takes its sourness seriously, not overdone but assertive and it complements the berries well. This is a fun and tasty effort, if a little overclocked at 5.1% ABV.

Back to the hazy yellow, then. Southern Passion is an IPA of 6.6% ABV. That's a strength not to be sniffed at, but it's actually quite a light and breezy affair, lacking heat or any cloying sweetness. What you get is a gentle pineapple quality, with a sprinkling of cinnamon, tailing off to lemon juice. That's it, that's all it does, but it's lovely. The cleanness and simplicity is not something one regularly encounters from high-end hazy IPA, but it works wonderfully. Mind you, €6 is a lot to pay for something simple and decent. Simple and decent can be got for a lot less in other styles from other places.

It's a double IPA to finish: DIPA DDH Cryo Pop / HBC 472 / Ekuanot. I can't imagine what someone who isn't seriously into beer would make of an unhelpful name like that, but then they probably have other things to spend €7 on. The message is clear that this isn't for beginners. Yes it's opaque and yellow, and there's a fresh tropical aroma, bringing sweet pineapple, mandarin and a little orange pith. The flavour runs big on juice, and intensely so. I get a sort of concentrated satsuma with an edge of lemon zest. This subsides after a moment, allowing a dirty garlic and burnt plastic mix. This is enhanced by a thick texture and significant heat. It's 8% ABV but could easily pass for a point or two more. I mean, I guess it's fully to spec, and an all-in hazy DIPA fan will literally lap it up. But I know it can be done with more nuance than this. Too harsh, too boozy and, frankly, too juicy. If you're craving an ever more more intense juice experience, here's your beer.

It would be nice to see more French beer around even if, judging from the above, they make same sort of beer there as everywhere else these days.