Bière brut

Bière brut, also known as bière de Champagne, is a somewhat new beer style that was first introduced in Belgium in the early 2000s. The beers are top-fermented and then allowed to mature in the bottle with Champagne yeast cultures.

These beers are dry, clean, bubbly, light-bodied, and refreshing. They can range from very pale gold to pale amber. Their alcohol content is higher than in most beers, typically around 8% ABV. They are usually bottled in 750-milliliter champagne-style bottles that are corked and caged.

Bière brut style is mainly defined by its production technique. The beer is bottle-conditioned to create a secondary fermentation within the bottle. After aging, the beer is riddled and disgorged (remuage and dégorgement). These are traditional Champagne methods in which the bottles are turned to move the sediment to the cork, and the yeasty sediment is then removed after the second fermentation.

Bière brut is not your everyday beer style. Because of the time-consuming production process, it is rare and usually expensive. Because of its light character, this beer would pair well with shellfish, salads, and citrus flavors. It can also be enjoyed as an aperitif.