Good Beer, Cheap Happy Hour

Prominent among the dive bar drinkeries in Paris’ rue des Cannettes is the brewpub O’Neills. On the outside, it looks like your standard European Irish Pub, but in this case looks are deceiving. Come to the inside, and rather than goofy Celtic-themed knick-knacks and the obligatory “Guinness is good for you” posters you’ll get an uncomplicated series of small dining room around a bar, decorated in little else than their copper brew-tanks (on a good day, the bar area will smell like malt). Sit down at the bar, and choose from five basic beer types brewed on site: Amber and Brown ales, Belgian Abbey Style Ale and Belgian Blonde together with a standard Lager/Pilsner. You may even have the choice of a seasonal brew, but I’ve never had the pleasure. The beer is good, and I especially appreciated the Belgian Blonde on a hot summer day. The Brown Ale leaved a little to be desired, but Amber hit the spot, and it’s hard to mess up a Pilsner brewed on site.

If you’re looking for glamorous Paris, this is not it; there is no outdoor seating, and bar stools on the inside are a little sandwiched together. O’Neill’s seems decidedly grungy, and relatively empty at the beginning of happy hour. On the other hand, an empty bar with bi-lingual bartenders and pints beginning priced at 3 euros is a very good way to do a little work on your French. The pace picks up a little at around 8pm at the beginning of the restaurant’s high volume time and service is a little harder to come by. The crowd at O’Neill’s is certainly post-university age, so if you’re looking for a more happening scene, just move two doors down the rue des Cannettes.

O'Neill's Paris

Parislytic

Went to The Frog and British Library yesterday to unwind after a long day at the library, and had a pint of their Parislytic. It's billed as a malty, hoppy English amber ale with a 5.2% alcohol content (I think they could work on their marketing a little). Frankly, I get the malty part, but the world hop shortage must still be taking its toll on craft beer producers in Europe because their "hoppiest" beer was anything but. It's one of my bi disappointments about beer in Paris, and honestly, most beer across Europe. Nobody has discovered quite the way the Americans have how sexy a strongly hopped amber or IPA can be for your palate. But then again, just as in most things, Americans have a capacity to innovate and break with tradition where Europeans still fear to treat. The tradition of craft beer in this part of the world is hundreds, even thousands of years old (although in the 18th century, the French were still throwing animal fat into their beers) so the process is by now ingrained. Regrettably in some cases.

A Quick Guide to Beer Lover's Paris

Check out this quick guide to beer hotspots in Paris! Very informative...