A fruity interview with La Brasserie des Vignes

A former chemistry teacher, Stéphane swapped his test tubes for foam-filled barrels of beer. We met him in his workshop where the master of hops revealed his production secrets.

Much more than a history of the land

After making a few beers with friends, travelling around, starting a brewery, winning a gold medal in the Concours Régional Agricole, the very busy Stéphane set up his own brewery on a winegrower's estate in Montans, then in Graulhet.

Stéphane, brewer

“I only do direct sales and beer trailers in Sweden, Belguim and on farmers' markets. I also work with a few great establishments like Michelin-starred restaurants and nice Parisian bars. And in Lille for Florent Ladeyn, one of the Top Chef finalists.”

An exchange of goodwill with Mother Nature

I am very attached to the acidity, the fruitness, the thirst-quenching side of beer. People say that they are master brewers, but I consider that beer is our mistress. That's why my first beer is called L'Amante. I'm here to support nature, to give new life to what it offers us.

The speciality of this brewery is a cooler that allows us to brew beers with the indigenous yeast strains of its environment. Thanks to a plantation of wild hops, Stéphane can offer a local and regional beer, thus helping us to experience the nature of the Tarn in a different way.

Entre2poles

Malt de le brasserie des vignes à Graulhet

Just one flavour away...

The brewer classifies flavours by colour. For him, acidity can come from the yellow of a lemon or the red of a raspberry, each colour evokes a flavour that is sometimes similar to the bitterness of the hops and goes perfectly well with them. "For me, a brewer has to play with the raw materials, the malts, the hops, to find these different sensations."

Lucie Raynal

Brasserie des Vignes

“Why not make beer in a place known for leathermaking?”

Stéphane has set up his laboratory in a former, century-old leather factory. A large building is used for storage and as a tavern in the summer, and is directly linked to the huge 150 m2 brewing room.

The estaminet is open on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6pm to 11pm and welcomes those who wish to discover the beers and spend a simple, pleasant moment. And during the day, the estaminet is transformed into a classroom for a comfortable and friendly learning experience. People often have the impression of coming into someone's home, the Brasserie des Vignes is a great place to hang out.

There is even a beer museum where you can see old tools such as a draught beer machine from 1900 and old brewing books.

Don't forget your Pass Brasseur

With the Pass Brasseur, you can enter the place where the grain is transformed into beer in the former leather factory. Stéphane will be waiting to show you his craft beer and his beer museum. One hour is enough to go through the production process, from malt and hops to tasting! At the end of the visit, you will be given two 33cl bottles.