Azimut Avoine and Sorachi Azimut Brewery, Bordeaux, from BOART, Nice
Welcoming sign at Pub 27 in Pompeii
Date: Sept. 22 , 2018
The Story— There are a few other places like BOART in Europe, but this was the first of its kind we have seen. Boart is a small shop buried on a side street not far from the iconic and unmissable Negresco Hotel. The essence of the place is a sophisticated draft-to-go system on a wall that can pour up to 20 different craft beers. It’s different from growler shops and brewpubs because he doesn’t charge for the bottles – like a bottled beer you’d buy off the shelf, the price of the beer includes the bottle you take with you. Prices are, for France, close to bargains. He has two sizes: .33 liters and .75 liters – one for you and the other to—maybe—share. An good find anywhere, Boart is a treasure in Nice.
The Beer— Oats and Sorachi Ace seemed like an odd mix, but Azimut pulls it off and ends with an interesting thin mint chocolate. Rich dark malt with a softer chocolate is the foundation for the big Sorachi Ace: menthol, flowers, mint, herbs all follow with more bakers chocolate late.
Value — Very good, especially for France.
COMING UP NEXT– We’ll take a break from our European tour to highlight some of the best of the many beers that were waiting for us on our return in August. By the end of the month we’ll return to HIGHLIGHTS OF EUROPE 2018– Surprisingly good beer in “bad beer cities.” Prizes and surprises that we’ve found in researching our next book – a guide to great beer in European tourist cities, which plan on publishing in 2019.
About these posts: We taste and evaluate over a thousand beers every year. The beers posted here rank in the top quarter of those tastings. Values: “fair” is a good beer at an above market price, “good” is worth the money, “very good” is a bargain, and “excellent” is a steal.
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