A craft brewery based in Poitiers since 2017, La Manuf' rents out a beer tapping machine for your wedding. Quality, flavor and emotion guaranteed.
Champagne ? Wine? Cocktail ? Hard liquor? When it comes to weddings, it's not always easy to agree which drinks should be served to guests. And when the heat is on, some alcohols simply won't do. A good homemade binouze is the perfect compromise. The other advantage is that at lunchtime, as an aperitif, in the evening or between two dances on the dancefloor, beer can be enjoyed at any time during the event.
In April 2023, to celebrate my 40th birthday, I rented a beer tapping machine from the Manufacture de bières . The brewer, whose suds are the delight of Poitevin strongholds such as the Cluricaume, the Zinc and the Palais de la Bière, provided me not only with equipment in perfect working order (that's important, especially on a wedding day when you've got other things to worry about than fiddling with the filler) but also with beers of excellent quality, tasty, refreshing and relatively affordable. The day before, Pierre, one of the three partners in this craft brewery, had briefed me well: plug in and tap the two kegs, screw the spout onto the carboy, open the gas, tap the first beer and check the flow. In the end, it turned out to be child's play.
"Aromatic beers
For this first try, I didn't take too many risks, opting for the brewery's two Pale Ale beers, Déméter and Amalthée.
These are the brewery's two flagship beers, easy to drink because they're relatively light (5.4° and 4.5° respectively)," explains Pierre. Déméter is quite cereal-like, with red fruit notes from the hops. Amalthée, on the other hand, tends more towards an IPA. Slightly bitter with its American hops and fruity notes, it's very refreshing.
The amber Iphigénie (4.5°) and the triple Péléide (9°) complete the range of "regular" beers available all year round in 20 or 30-liter kegs for big events like weddings.
We also regularly offer a wide range of ephemeral beers," adds Pierre. We try to bring out something new or something we've really enjoyed, especially in summer. We're very much into aromatic beers, where something happens on the nose. The important thing is to have beers that taste good but aren't sickening. There's always a balance to be struck.
Recipes
Created in 2017, La Manufacture de bières is the realization of a big dream of four high school buddies who used to brew together. And they still do it with passion, even if, of the gang, only Pierre is the manager. A role he shares with his partners Shari and Bruce.
"That's the most interesting part of the job. Beer is a bit like cooking, since we have a wide variety of raw materials," explains Pierre. We use fruits, spices, aromatics, barrel aging, oak chips... The pairings that work together can be inspired by a beer, but also by a dish. Last night, for example, we tried a cocktail with a secret ingredient: caramelized onion. It was really good, and since last night I've been thinking about how I'm going to make a beer with this new ingredient."
We don't close any doors, because anything is possible," adds Bruce. Brewing is all about enjoying yourself by blending ingredients. There's this basic rule: water, malt, yeast, hops, but beyond that, there's nothing to stop you from using whatever else you want. It's an infinite playground.
Florent Bouteiller, photographer/videographer Les Noces de Florent
How much for my wedding?
"It all depends on whether the beer will accompany the entire event, or if it's just after the meal or for the cocktail. Or if there are other alcohols too. Generally speaking, we count on one pint per person," says Pierre. If we're going for a very festive atmosphere with an ambitious dancefloor, we can go up to a liter, or even a little more if we extend the event the following day. For a 100-person wedding, we could go for 3 x 30-liter kegs to make sure we don't run out. And don't worry, at La Manufacture de Bières, we'll take back any kegs that haven't been knocked over! Between Nantes and Bordeaux, Poitiers and La Rochelle, the area covered by La Manufacture de Bières is vast. Even so, you'll need to come to the Poitiers site to pick up your filler and kegs. Don't forget to bring an empty trunk.
What's the budget?
At La Manufacture de bières, the cost of a 30-liter keg ranges from €130 to €162. To this must be added €24 for the rental of the filler for an evening or a weekend. A deposit cheque is required for the rental of the filler. As explained above, non-percussion kegs are taken back and therefore not invoiced.
Well-maintained shooters
"Of course, you can never be sure of a breakdown or a broken part. At La Manufacture de bières, we take great care with our fountains. We try to renew the equipment regularly, and we disinfect all the components every time we use them. If we don't do this, it changes the taste of the beer, and that's a shame, because we love our products and we make sure they're as good as possible," explains Pierre.
The Manuf' motto?
"Let's flatter our taste buds, tease our senses, let's pop the capsule... All to the Manuf'!"
La Manufacture de bières
Practical info
La Manufacture de bières
146, avenue du 8 mai 1945
86000 Poitiers
09 83 34 75 94
La Manufacture de bières regularly organizes events (concerts, entertainment, DJ sets) and tours of the brewery, which it advertises on its website and social networks.
Between Poitiers and La Rochelle, a photographer for your wedding
Photographer and videographer based in Poitiers, Les Noces de Florent travels all over France (but mainly in the former Poitou-Charentes region) to immortalize your wedding. From the preparations to the evening, trust me to accompany you on the most beautiful adventure of your life. As a journalist for 15 years in Parisian editorial offices, I like to work in reportage mode, making myself as unobtrusive as possible to capture unexpected, spontaneous moments.
See my photos of Camille and Nathan's wedding
See my Camille and Nathan's wedding video
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