As you know, I have a section on this blog devoted to Loburg, one of my favourite European beers.
When talking to a few people recently and recounting some of the many stories related to my search for this elusive beer, it was suggested that I write a specific post on here about my search; I can also add in the reports I have received from several readers of the blog who have come across this beer in their travels.
So, this is the start of the Looking for Loburg post. I hope to be able to add to it as time goes on.
A quick recap: much of this is a rehash of the information on this Loburg post on this blog. I will summarise some of it for a quick refresher:
It’s been stated that the brewery is owned by Stella Artois, but this is a myth; both breweries are owned by the giant company Anheuser-Busch Ibev (AB InBev) which seems to own a million breweries these days. I have never been able to find the exact location of the brewery: part of the difficulty is that it is not sold in cans or bottles, which is usually the way to obtain details of where the brewery is located. Several people have undertaken to find out the location of the brewery, and all have failed, so it’s not just me.
There are probably three broad types of scenarios that I have encountered:
The first is bar that has the sign out the front but no longer sells it: this has happened to me on quite a few occasions, far too many and it is extremely annoying; not only that they no longer sell it, but by the attitude of the bar staff to the effect that Why would you think we sell Loburg? When confronted by the fact that they have a bloody great sign out the front of their establishment, their response is generally along the lines of Oh, that old sign! It’s been there for years!
There are two sub-categories of this scenario, this is one example: I once encountered a bar (La Renaissance in Bagnoles de l’Orne, in France) that actually had it on their hand-written slate out the front of the bar - you know, the one that is generally updated every day - (see photo in the first post - you can see my reflection gleefully photographing the sign in anticipation of having one or three later on). I go inside to inspect their beer taps and can’t see a Loburg tap. So I ask the barman, who tells me that they used to sell it but don’t anymore. I say, it’s on your bloody slate board out the front; he just gives me the Gallic Shrug, if you know what that is: it’s the non-verbal equivalent of What can I say? He also doesn’t see the need to tell me that the bar across the road, that can be seen in the background in the same photo, does sell it. His loss, I had several there…
There is a second sub-category: the bar that used to sell it and where you’ve had it before, and now it’s not that they don’t sell it anymore, but the bar has closed down. This happened to me with a bar in a town called Alencon, near where I live. It not only had it on tap but it was one of those beautiful old ceramic ones. Great shame all round.
2. The second is the bar that has the sign out the front and DOES sell it. Having been burned too many times by scenario #1, I always venture inside and ask (if it’s not already obvious from their taps). On more than one occasion when I have asked, they look at me like I’m an imbecile and say Bah oui, of course we sell it, didn’t you see the sign out the front?? Ya can’t win.
The third scenario and probably the most heart-breaking, is the bar that used to sell it and where you had it on a number of occasions, and you return to the town or city in great anticipation only to find that they have, for whatever reason, totally revamped their beer offerings, and Loburg has disappeared. This is what happened to me quite recently in Montmartre, Paris: the bar Au RDV de Montmartre used to sell it - I had it there in Christmas 2023, a mate had it there in February 2024, but when I returned in July 2024 it had been replaced, and by some of the worst beers imaginable. Should be illegal. See photos.
Anyhow, some of this will be obvious from the posts below; as I say, the search is a never-ending one, and I will post any new reports on here from time to time, either from my own experiences, or from reports from other people.
I have to say that these days I just look at what people are drinking as I pass by (much easier of course in warmer weather when drinkers are outside). The Loburg glasses are quite distinctive, so that’s what I look for.
Bars with the sign but no Loburg
So, this is the scenario where the bar used to sell Loburg, but now no longer does. This is probably the most frustrating scenario. I have encountered this situation on many occasions, too many to recount here. Quite recently I was in a town called Langeais on the Loire; saw a Loburg sign in the distance overlooking a bar. Of course it was a blind; this was one of those examples where the barman looks at you oddly when you ask if they sell Loburg, despite the sign out the front. I could recount many more examples of this scenario.
As noted in the intro, sometimes the bar is still there but no longer sells it: in the case below, the whole bar has closed down.
Bar in Alencon, France. Photo taken in 2019; the bar is now closed. Look at those beautiful porcelain taps. What a shame.
Bar in Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, France. Sign out the front says they sell Loburg but they no longer do. But the bar in the background does, so all was not lost. Photo taken in 2022
Bar Au RDV de Montmartre in Paris; happiness with a 50cl Loburg in Jun 2022. By Jul 2024 they no longer sell it, nor anything else worth drinking-see photo below.
This is the current offering of beers on tap at the same bar; a more motley collection is hard to imagine. One has to ask: “what were they thinking?”
Typical of the scenario where there is a sign out the front but when you go in, you find they don’t really sell it at all. This was in Arras, France, 2019. Luckily, like what happened in Bagnoles de l’Orne, I found another bar in the same square that did sell it. And like the bar in Bagnoles, they didn’t have a big sign out the front like this one, but it was on the list of beers available-see photo below.
Places where I have found Loburg (and have to believe they still sell it)
So, despite the heartbreak as described in the previous post, I have discovered Loburg in quite a few places over the years. Let me share them with you….
The earliest photographic record of Loburg - at Amboise, France, in September 2016. Unfortunately, I didn’t note the name of the bar. I had found Loburg before this time, but I have no record of where or exactly when.
A rather odd place to find Loburg - Epernay, France, in the heart of Champagne country. Photo taken in May 2017; my mate enjoys a Loburg as much as I do. No record of the bar, unfortunately.
The joy of finding a Loburg, in Arras, France, August 2019. Unfortunately, I didn’t make a note of the bar. This was after the disappointment of the bar with the sign but no Loburg referred to in the earlier post.
Despite the lack of a marked glass (very poor form for a French bar), located this one at a bar called La Belle Epoque in Angers, France, in 2019. In fact, a mate found the bar and told me about it. Not sure if they still sell it, but as you can see from the photo in the next post, it was still selling it in 2023.
Loburg in Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, France, May 2022, Bar Le Rollon. Across the road from the bar that used to sell Loburg but no longer does
Loburg in their new glasses (much prefer the old ones) at Bar O’Belu in Amiens, France, October 2022.
The last time I had Loburg at Bar Au RDV de Montmartre, Paris, December 2023. By the time I returned in June the next year, it was no longer available - as described in Post One.
A mate who visited the same bar in February 2024 was able to enjoy a Loburg; sometime between then and June that year, it disappeared. A bloody tragedy…..
Other sightings of Loburg
A couple of friends, and several readers of this blog, have encountered Loburg in their travels, sometimes in unlikely places. All have been duly noted for possible visits in the future.
The following photos relate to some of those discoveries.
In addition to these photos, I received an email from two people who found Loburg in a town called Samoens, France at a bar called La Repossette. Unfortunately they didn’t include a photo.
My partner in crime who has shared a Loburg or three with me over the years, has also discovered some bars on his own. This at a bar (name unknown) in Martigne sur Mayenne , France, in 2019.
Same intrepid searcher, this time at restaurant La Corniche in Saint Palais-sur-Mer, France, 2023. This was a major coup as the bar that used to sell it no longer did, but he stumbled on this restaurant which did. Life is good sometimes…
Same partner in crime: this at the same bar in which I was photographed in Post One, Bar La Belle Epoque, Angers, France. Photo taken in July 2023 so more recently and gives hope that this bar still sells it.
Different mate, different place, same beer. Loburg at Bar La Voile in a town called Dahouet in Brittany, France in 2024. Pity about the little glass, I didn’t know they sold it in such small glasses….
A reader of this blog sent me this photo, at a bar called La Marine in Dieppe, France, in September 2023. It’s on my list to visit.
Another blog reader sent me this photo from a bar called Le Georges in Biarritz, France, in September 2023. Looks good too.
Different reader but same bar, July 2024.
Another reader, another place but same beer. Bar called Le Syana in a town called Les Eyzies, France, October 2022. The old style glass and the new.
To Be Continued
I am leaving this one blank to include new sightings of Loburg, either by myself, or readers of this blog.
Hopefully there will be many more to be able to post here