Northmæn (Brasserie la Chapelle)
Microbrewery in La Chapelle-Saint-Ouen, Normandie, France 🇫🇷
Established in 1997
Contact
Description
It was in the spring of 1997 that Dominique Camus, a chemical technician better known by the nickname Léo, moved with his family to La Chapelle Saint-Ouen. A few months later, Northmæn craft beer was born!
During the first years, the production is done in two, in an old barn of 200 m², with milk tanks, where 700 liters of beer came out every day. In the meantime, the young brewer buys up to 30 hectares of land to grow his own barley, and effectively becomes a farmer. Likewise, the brewery becomes a farm-brewery. The first Norman whiskey, named Thor Boyo, was released Christmas 2002.
Subsequently, to meet the exponential demand for beer (and soon for whiskey), a new 1500 m² building was built in summer 2004. This brewery is constantly evolving, with a current area of nearly 2,000 m², from which 4,000 liters of beer (4,500 hectoliters per year) come out daily.
A new cellar is being built to increase the production of whiskey, and a distillery is in the pipeline to free the brewery and thus allow the production of beer to be doubled, as well as to offer a 100% organic range in the short term.
During the first years, the production is done in two, in an old barn of 200 m², with milk tanks, where 700 liters of beer came out every day. In the meantime, the young brewer buys up to 30 hectares of land to grow his own barley, and effectively becomes a farmer. Likewise, the brewery becomes a farm-brewery. The first Norman whiskey, named Thor Boyo, was released Christmas 2002.
Subsequently, to meet the exponential demand for beer (and soon for whiskey), a new 1500 m² building was built in summer 2004. This brewery is constantly evolving, with a current area of nearly 2,000 m², from which 4,000 liters of beer (4,500 hectoliters per year) come out daily.
A new cellar is being built to increase the production of whiskey, and a distillery is in the pipeline to free the brewery and thus allow the production of beer to be doubled, as well as to offer a 100% organic range in the short term.
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
33cl bottle (as part of box of 6 different bottles for 11,90 €) from Carrefour supermarket in Côte de Nacre in Caen. F: medium, white, average retention. C: gold, almost clear. A: malty, bit grainy, bready. T: malty, grainy, bit metallic, bready touch, decent bitterness, medium body and carbonation, ok drinkable without big flaws yet very boring beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 May 2019
at 17:28
6.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
33cl bottle (as part of box of 6 different bottles for 11,90 €) from Carrefour supermarket in Côte de Nacre in Caen. F: bit, tan, average retention. C: deep amber to almost coppery, clear. A: malty, bit herbal, mellow fruity, caramel, bit spicy. T: malty, vaguely fruity, bit herbal, long dry finish, bit caramel, medium body and carbonation, nothing very special,
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 May 2019
at 18:39
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
33cl bottle (as part of box of 6 different bottles for 11,90 €) from Carrefour supermarket in Côte de Nacre in Caen. F: medium, white, average retention. C: gold, bit hazy. A: sweet malty, sweet herbal, bit vaguely fruity, bit spicy. T: sweet malty, herbal, spicy, bit fruity, dry finish, medium body and lower carbonation, I am not considering this as a “normal” beer because there are no hops in yet interesting experiment.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 May 2019
at 18:05
5.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6
33cl bottle (as part of box of 6 different bottles for 11,90 €) from Carrefour supermarket in Côte de Nacre in Caen. F: white, big, good retention. C: gold, clear! A: malty, bit wheat, banana, bit orange peels, fruity, floral. T: malty, bit spicy, fruity, decent bitterness, bit banana, medium body and carbonation, this is not for the style at all yet still not bad beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 May 2019
at 17:46
5.2/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5
Tried
on 14 Jul 2018
at 10:52
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
330ml bottle from La Case, Caen. Pours a dark brown, off-white head. Aroma of deep caramel, spice, honey. Taste is bitter orange barley wine territory, some spice, fairly sweet, some figs. Decent.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Oct 2017
at 16:16
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Pression @ outdoor market, Caen as 'Thor Ambree'. I assume it's this one. Pours a generally clear amber, small off-white head. Aroma has pleasant caramel malt, light spice. Follows through on the palate with a bright sweetness. Seemed to slot right into the 'ambree' box, rather than an IPA. Not bad after a 20k cycle ride into town.
Tried
on 03 Oct 2017
at 08:30
6/10
Tried
on 20 Aug 2017
at 12:37
6.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Hard to find all that is described on the label, namely liquorice, coriander, honey and bitter orange. Nevertheless a nicely balanced and tasty beer. Don’t be afraid of the ABV, you really do not feel it.
Tried
on 18 Aug 2017
at 13:42
6/10
Tried
on 16 Aug 2017
at 13:19