A new brasserie has opened its doors in the premises of a former restaurant in Mas-d’Azil, in Ariège. Two enthusiasts offer a hopped drink to be enjoyed fresh and in moderation.
The former restaurant “Le Relais de Seignas” in Mas-d’Azil, in Ariège, may have changed owners and activities, but it continues its vocation of conviviality. If restoration is no longer relevant, that of quenching thirst certainly is. The establishment has indeed become a small brewery which is launching and offering its first beers.
Elise and Jeff, the Paloufettes brewers, are enthusiastic about the progress made since their first amateur brews a few years ago. “It’s very satisfying to make beer. Choosing your ingredients, your equipment, your processes, developing your recipe, presenting your product, it’s a space of freedom and creativity that is well worth the effort invested and in which you always learn and improve,” says Jeff. Two years after their arrival in “Bas-Seignas”, they are rewarded: the brewery is operational and allows them to produce up to 40 hectoliters per year of different styles of beer. Even if the rate is still far from this level.
“We create our little universe in our image”
Indeed, the two brewers are not working full time on the project for the moment. She, a sparkling chemist by training, works in logistics at Lorp-Sentaraille. He, a computer scientist, works for a well-known seed company in Mas-d’Azil.
“The status of employee in an SME has many advantages, but the complementary craft activity brings us a better balance of life. The microbrewing community has a very refreshing mindset,” says Elise.
“In my company, the activity is rich and structured, but I don’t control the ins and outs. I help make it work, but I don’t define the rules of the game. At Les Paloufettes, we create our little universe in our image, only the yeasts do what they want”. concluded Elise.
For sale locally
A small universe that is beginning to take shape: Les Paloufettes beers are available at the Mas-d’Azil on the terrace or to take away from the brewery, but also at the tourist office, at the Proxi, at the cave house, at the petit Pyrénéen, and in many other outlets. They are also offered for direct sale on their website, with a free delivery service in the town. “A good opportunity to establish friendly neighborly relations,” says Jeff.
The Paloufettes have other projects in their pocket, in particular the creation of a gîte, and the organization of cultural and festive events in Seignas. Perhaps we will end up discovering the origin of their name which intrigues so much?
