I often remind my french friends, I’m British and before everyone became a craft beer enthusiast, real ale ran through my viens. Google Maps ranks me as one of the top 1% of beer bar reviewers in the world and I have drank great beer on the 4 continents I have traveled too. However, when I met my Parisian wife 8 years ago, I told her I could never live in Paris because it lacks Craft Beer. She proved me wrong, together we spent many nights exploring the Paris craft beer scene at the same time as everything evolved here. This blog is a summery guide to the Paris craft beer scene introducing you to what to look out for and where to visit for the top brews in Paris.
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The Ultimate Paris Craft Beer Map
Finding craft beer in France was a challenge when I first moved here in 2001, options were really limited to the British pubs and Belgian bars. But Paris does, like many regions of France have its own relationship with beer. The first Parisian breweries were installed here hundreds (maybe thousands) of years ago, brewing in the cellers under the cobblestones which is where the famous Parisian brasseries came from.
A quick note on the word Brasserie. The term “Brasserie” originally signified a brewery, rooted in its Latin and Celtic origins, symbolizing a spot where workers could grab beer and a bite at any time. Today, however, the term is broadly applied to establishments serving draft beer and food throughout the day. In contemporary Paris, seeing “Brasserie” on a bar or restaurant doesn’t typically indicate a brewery or microbrewery, despite its traditional connotation of a brewery offering sustenance for workers.
Over the last decade and I’ve explored and fallen in love with the Parisian beer scene, gathering an ever evolving list and map of over 100 spots to share with you so you can sip and savour some of the best beers in Paris. This was completely necessary at the beginning of my time here in Paris because it was tough to find good beer in Paris, we would often travel 15/20 minutes to get to a decent beer bar. Today, as taste’s have evolved you will notice that you can often find good craft beer’s at local brasseries and restaurants. IPA’s and Stouts take center stage of the modern Paris craft beer scene but you may find some real treats where innovative brewers are mixing wine making technique with traditional brewing methods to make innovative french treats.
Need to find a good spot for a beer? Click to access and follow my list of the 100+ best places to drink, buy and even brew beer in Paris. However, I understand that this list may be a little overwhelming for some people. So I have also curated my top 3 spots to drink a beer and my fave breweries to look out for.
Top 3 Places to Drink Craft Beer in Paris
Choosing my Favourite three places for a beer in Paris had me racking my brains. As a rule of thumb my wife and I have, over the years of visiting come up with a ranking system for beer bars and breweries. Our rules for the ones that we recommend are that not only do they have to have a great beer selction as well as friendly and knowledgeable staff. They should also serve tasty food, have a good selection of wine and non alchoholic options. If they are family friendly, for our little one then that makes them even better!
In no particular order are my 3 favourite places to drink Craft Beer in Paris that I recommend you visit.
Hoppy Corner: Beardy Beer Geek Haven
This is a long slim divey beer bar with 16 taps and a well stocked bottle fridge is my beardy beer geek haven. Located in the buzzy area of Sentier in the 2nd arrondissement, surrounded by startup’s and plenty of amazing spots to eat. The hoppy corner has been a corner stone of the Parisian’s Craft Beer scene for several decades and it’s for a good reason!
Here you will find Paris locals rub shoulders with craft beer fans from around the world. The menu comprises of both local craft brews and beers flown in. The music is rocky and the vibes get louder as the brews are sunk. Late into the evening on friday’s and saturdays, it’s standing room only and several times in the past I have not been able to get in the door.
I often visited and found myself stood next to journalists and brewers discussing ever evolving craft beer scene. The Locals are lovers at the prized tables up front, the bar is propped up by beards, tattoos and piercings. The tables at the back are devoid of phone signal but don’t panic there is a free wifi if you need to stay connected.
There are no baby changing facilities here, we once had to change our daughter on the barrels in the cellers below. It’s not a kid friendly spot. The toilets are covered in graffiti and I remember for several years before covid there was never any towels, soap or even locks on the doors.
Like the area, it’s been gently upgraded over the years. Yet the thing that hasn’t changed are the superbly knowledgeble staff and owner who’s connections in the french beer scene are second to none. I’m no longer a local here but this is the sort of bar I will travel 25 minutes out of my way to go visit for several beers. Top tip, only drink halfs so you can get through the brew list and still see stand up on your way out. The imperial stouts and double’s and tripples are the favourite tipple of the parisians that frequent this spot. This is the sort of spot you bring your friends too digital detox after too much touristing for the day!
L’Atalante: Canal Side Family Friendly brews
Once you’ve made it out of the like hunters that crowd the more instagrammable reaches of the Canal St Martin, you hit to the street art laden walls and bridges where young Parisian couples roam with their prams. Nearly hidden under one of these bridges you will stumble upon L’Atalante, your luck will If there is a perfect spot to spend a warm summers evening tasting the best brews in Paris, this is it.2
Smart Parisian Parents will ware their kids out at the epic play park at La Villete and then rock up here armed with fully charged iPads and headphones so they can spend a fun evening enjoying a sunny evening tasting the best brews and tasty grub l’Atalante has to offer.
This is a smart big airy bar, with a huge terrrace besides the canal. On a warm summers evening you will have as much fun watching the people pass by as you will choosing and tasting your way through the beer list.
There are 24 taps on regular rotation which make this a beer drinkers perfect spot to sit in the sun and enjoy the life on the canal. It’s become more popular over the last few years so you may want to book ahead but I couldn’t recommend a better family friendly spot to spend the evening.
LA Binouze: Parisian Beer Bottle Heaven
What started as a bottle shop with two beer pumps is now a beer drinkers heaven. With over 600 beers, a superb wine list and friendly staff. This spot is handly located near Pigalle so that having braved the crowds of Montmarte you can chill with the Parisians and enjoy some tasty brews.
Every time we have visited the delights of a beer fridge stocked with the best brews in europe pair well with a crowd that are friendly and fun. It seems to get busy most nights a little later as the shows and concerts turf their crowds into the street. At one point they were serving amazing sandwiches but the last time we visited we were contented with hot cheese and chips.
If you are looking for rare brews, or inspiration on the shelves lined with beer from all over the world this is the place to come. I have spent many an evening getting a high score on untapped in this delicious spot. Remember to enjoy moderately.
This is a tiny snap shot of the scene, I feel that this list is incomplete if I don’t also recommend you try “La Fine Mousse” “IBU” “La Brasserie de Paname” “BBP Pigalle” or the many more that I have included on my long list of great Paris Craft Beer spots. If you hit the link and add the map to your favourites you will be tripping over great craft beer spots where-ever you are in Paris.
Top 3 Parisian Breweries to Look Out For
As you can tell by now dear beer lover, this blog post should make it easier for you to explore Parisian brews like you are an old hand. But if you don’t make it to one of my top 3 craft beer bars in Paris then you may want to know some of the breweries to keep your eyes peeled for. The difficulty here in Europe is that everyone from Brewdog to Heineken are now dressing their beers up to appeal to the IPA loving masses that have appeared over the last few years.
So, the list that follows are three of my favourite Parisian breweries with their labels so you can spot them on a brasserie menu or in a supermarket. If there is one thing the french do well, even the supermarkets, is celebrate the small, local expert producers which means you should come across these all over Paris. All have beers I drink regularly and are brewed in or close as you could imagine to Paris and (as far as I know) are independantly owned.
Demory: This breweries history goes back to 1827 and used to be one of Paris’s largest brewers, after the second war it was sold and eventually closed. To be revived in 2009 with a brew-pub in the 1st arrondisement. Today it’s still a classic Parisian brewery and easily found across the town.
BapBap: A favourite of mine since I visited their brewery in the first year it opened. My local supermarket stocks their Pale Ale which is a banger and some of their collabs are superb. Always one I enjoy sipping as the temperature warms up. Worth visiting their brewery too if your a real beer geek in Paris.
O’Clock Brewing: time and time again this team of brewers are top of the beer geek charts. There Jet Lag IPA is a favourite but every time I have one of their beers I really enjoy it. Less common that the other two, their beers are a real treat if you can get your hands on it.
Craft Beer In Paris; Drink Wine Not Brews
Call me a beer snob. To be brutally honest with you, if it is your first or your forty fifth visit to Paris and you are a beer snob like me. Unless you are going to chance apon one of the spots I have mentioned above, most of the time you should avoid yourself the disappointment of terrible brews and drink wine. Paris and the rest of France have so much cheap and amazing wine that even the average beer drinker who prefers to leave the wine to others will not be disappointed.
It’s taken me years to get used to drinking wine. A glass of wine in a bar will cost you 4 or 5 euro’s compared to the 8 to 16 euro’s that a pint of beer will cost. With a little bit of help from a friendly waiter and far less damage to your wallet, I promise you several glasses of Rose or Cote de Rhone will lead you to start drinking like a real Frenchie.
But, that does not mean there is no good beer to be had here. Over the last few years, I’ve come to a flavourful conclusion. Despite France’s renowned wine heritage—boasting a whopping 25.2 million hectoliters of wine consumption annually compared to beer’s 22.2 million— the Paris craft beer movement bubbling under the cobblestones is worth a sip. If you know where to go!
Lucky you found this blog! I will continue to be your local guide through this hoppy landscape, revealing that while wine may reign supreme, the heart of Paris beats strongly with the pulse of craft beer. If you enjoyed this post then hold on to your horses as I have plenty more to say about Craft Beer in Paris. Drop me a comment or send me an email to tours@eatlikethefrench.com with your feedback or check out the link below, it should populate with more Paris Craft Beer articles soon!