A Beer in the Loire: One Family's Quest to Brew British Beer in French Wine Country

Braslou Biere Chronicles #1

by Tommy Barnes

Frustrated by a dead end job, fed up with renting in London and the loathsome daily commute and, to cap it all, failing to make it as a stand-up comedian, Tommy Barnes was at breaking point. But he didn’t break - instead he made himself redundant and took off to France with girlfriend Rose to pursue his dream of brewing beer

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Beer, Memoir, Biography, France, Audiobook

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 6, 2018

About the author

Barnes grew up in Hertfordshire. He worked as a graphic designer in London for 15 years and performed as a stand up comedian in his spare time. Happily made redundant, he set off to France with girlfriend Rose. There they started a microbrewery, Braslou Biere

Reviews

[Benjo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having spent three weeks this summer in Provence escaping the Aussie winter, I was all over this; reminiscing in the back garden, book in hand, pale ale in t’other. Sydney spring sunshine beating down on me, kids and dog playing on the lawn. I devoured this book at a cracking pace, keen to relive the markets and quirky French characters.

So much of Tommy Barnes’ small, yet perfectly formed, book struck a chord with me. Large chucks were like staring into a mirror. For example, the almost suffocating desire to escape London and its ever speeding rat race was something I had regularly experienced while living in the big smoke, and now, even on the other side of the world in the beautiful city of Sydney, I can still feel the relentless tightening of the daily grind around my neck.

The author’s realisation that he is unlikely to set the world on fire while scurrying around London doing average work for big faceless organisations reminded me of someone rather close to home. The beauty of France and the dream of producing something, of creating something you can be proud of, something of value. The feelings of inadequacy when this city dweller comes face to face with locals that are handy with their tools, while he struggles with the most basic of DIY tasks, made me wince with recognition. The book is a brave journey of self discovery.

To do what Tommy Barnes did takes a big pair of chestnuts. risking the family’s livelihood for a life they wanted to live rather than the life he, and so many others, are told to love.

The book is about beer. What’s not to like? As a man who enjoys the finer aspects of getting bat-faced, this book ticks several boxes. I found myself stopping at the end of chapters to google my nearest home-brew store. I can do this, I thought. I can grow the requisite chestnuts and make a huge change in my life. Give up on the corporate world for good and take the plunge. Choose life, as it were.

And how happy it would make me to escape those Other miserable sods that I have been forced to spend 60-70 hours a week for the past few years of my life. Hours and years that I will never get back. I felt inspired.

Sure, it will not be easy to emulate Tommy Barnes, but it is about persevering, it is about wanting to get out of the rat race and living the life you want to live. You have to make it happen and who cares if there are hurdles to overcome and times when you trip and fall flat on your face into a steaming pile. Those are exactly the things that make it worth the effort in the first place.

This is a cracking read about being brave and making a change in your life that I think anyone who has or does work in an office, all around the world, will relate to on some level. Now excuse me, I have some bullshit call to jump on.

[Bosorka · Rating 4 out of 5]

On už ten nápad... odstěhovat se do Francie s úmyslem vařit pivo, aniž s tím mám jakékoli zkušenosti. To prostě je námět na sebeironický román a já se u toho velmi bavila. Tommy Barnes oplývá typicky britským humorem, je fakt velmi vtipný a umí to i podat literárně. Navíc, když vám chutná pivo a vzpomínáte na to, jak jste kdysi v hospodě bez dutání poslouchali kamaráda, který věděl, jak ho vařit a byl ochoten vám to vyprávět, rádi si počtete i o technologii. Možná se občas i škodolibě zachechtáte, jak se Tommymu zas něco nevyvedlo, chvilkami mu to i přejete, protože je to prostě tvrdohlavec, co občas neposlouchá dobré rady, ale vlastně mu velmi fandíte a těšíte se, že už mu to jednou vyjde. A hlavně si pomyslíte, že je fajn, že tuhle knížku mu už nějaké nakladatelství přijalo.

[Michal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely funny! And that is so rare.

[Patra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir about a couple who intentionally get themselves made redundant so they can run away to the French countryside and start a microbrewery. Which, to be honest, is something I kind of feel like doing at the moment. Light read, super funny and lots of fun. Loved the descriptions of the French landscape and especially loved the descriptions of the French food and wine.

[Glenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed this book. Entertaining, found myself laughing out loud whilst reading by myself, wanting to share moments from it with my family. I have cycled in the Loire Valley whilst travelling from overseas, so that is the one part of the title that attracted me to pick up the book from the library shelf. The cycling tourist company was also made up of a couple that had exited UK to France because of their love of cycling and wine. Quite different from Tommy's adventure. I have been a receiver of the Gallic Shrug, a term I didn't know existed or knew about even Gallic, from a train ticket inspector when my adult son was trying to swap a ticket. The back story, or really the central theme was Tommy's relationship with Burt, his pet dog. I have now taken the sentence of "Don't take the good guys for granted, because if you do, eventually they will shit in your bedroom" into my vernacular.

[Peppi Moate · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the surface nothing about this book really appealed to me other than that my husband is a brewer and I thought this might offer a bit of insight into his craft in a light-hearted way. I could not put it down. Relatable, informative (for me as a total brewing novice), well written and just...genuinely hilarious. Brilliant.

[Misha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good if your expectations aren’t too high. Fun holiday read.

[Matthew Ogborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun way to start my 2024 reading, nothing too dramatic or weighty just an enjoyable peek into someone’s life as they strike out on a new adventure but with all the character foibles and weaknesses still present that led them to that point. Barnes has an amusing turn of phrase, the ongoing battle with his dog Burt and inability to take local wisdom on board, the standout moments. Inspirational tale underscored with a moving and emotional twist to end.

[Chris Bookley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pissed.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a complete breath of fresh air!

This book is so different to anything I've read before and is most certainly not something I'd have picked up off the shelf normally (even if I had read the blurb)

So, I came upon this one just because I'm really trying to read different genres to spice things up a bit. And I am so glad I did! I absolutely loved this one!

Set in France for the main part, which really helps you sink right in and escape the real world briefly, the author describes his journey into the unknown when he and his wife take redundancy and try to carve out a new life away from the rat-race of London (and the GB!)

This book is written by a man for men! (Or that's what I initially thought!) Tommy is trying to forge a career brewing beer and describes in detail the processes and the ups and downs of each of his brews. Not so exciting so far? He accounts his new friendships with his neighbours which involves a lot of male bonding over alcohol (and croissants!) - still not grabbing you?

Well honestly, I have to say I wasn't convinced at first.....but the injections of humour absolutely had me in stitches. The author is so down-to-earth and holds no bars when describing some of the sticky situations he gets himself into. I particularly loved the Brexit debates and the bee episode....not to mention Bert (the dog).

Seriously, if you are in the mod for a giggle and fancy something different, then definitely grab a copy of this one! Enjoy!

[Hazel Edwards · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the French setting, the narrator came across as stupid and badly prepared, not at all funny. Imagine starting as a beer producer and knowing nothing. Poor long suffering wife and extremely helpful French neighbours.

[sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. I am in the Loire valley for a few months and mostly drinking wine and not beer but I still had hopes that it might reveal something about the hipster farming culture that I kept running into at the local marchés and buvettes. Imagine 20-80 year old remote Hudson Valley types who speak a bizarre French that is remotely Parisian but heavily coated with tongue thickening tannins. All of the other signatures are mostly present: unmanaged everywhere hair, imbecilic tattoos, malevolent village dentist, limbs colonized by yeastdirtfungi and thru-hiker BO, particularly strong from the younger woman. Generally, I didn't learn too much about that group but there were a few spot on observations about the French which I won't recount as I am still fragile cargo here among them.

I will say that I do think that French seem to be the last to know that the rest of the world's food, beer and coffee scenes have lapped them in many areas in recent times and Mr Barnes mentions this in one passage, and it's why he's here, to make them a 'real beer'. Many of the French are sharp and enterprising and my hope is that the young will help modernize the French menu from the bottom up as happened in the US, PDX etc. The alternate protein scenes in the UK and Israel come to mind and I don't have a hard time imagining them revolutionizing the US and UK cheese scene way before this happens in France. I'm only aware of one vegan cheese producer in Paris at the moment. Even de Gaulle would have to agree that the French should lead in this effort no matter how alien or improbable it might seem to him. All that said the French, in Paris, anyway have developed a taste for expensive craft beer cans and some are not bad. These cans are mostly drank on the street, not in cafes where blondes and bruns still reign, and none that I've tasted is as good as say a simple Kane sneakbox whose flavors would be like liquid citrus Chernobyl to the French palate. The coffee in France is still mostly shit with the Australians providing the best roasted beans and preparations. I swear I had a freshly thawed noisette at a cafe in Nantes yesterday. How is this done? Oh and below my current apartment is a line around the block for a restaurant that serves just one dish, the infamously boring L'Entrecôte for lunch and dinner.

The book, surprisingly laugh out loud funny in several spots, which is absolutely never the case for these new immigrant tales. Mr Barnes appears to be legitimately funny and probably unendorsed by his family which contravenes most of the writers in this genre.

I leave you with this recent scandalous article: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/w...

[Koen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2016 Tommy Barnes and his wife rose Rose left their London, frustrated with corporate life and the city, to start anew in the Loire valley. A microbrewery, the beer loving Tommy thought, was what the region lacked and brewing beer was what his new career would be.

Not that Barnes had any experience or knowledge about brewing beer. But, “You see, with big life decisions such as this, I always say it’s best not to think about things too much, because you’ll probably talk yourself out of it. I have lived my life by that philosophy and on the whole it’s delivered below-par results. But I find it’s best not to think about this too much.”

What follows is a genuinely funny account of a young family’s attempt at starting a new life, a new family ánd a new business in a new country. All made even more challenging by a bitter feud between Tommy and an overweight dog called Burt, intend at killing it's owner.

I snickered a lot reading the book, even read some passages to my girlfriend asking what was so funny. Barnes has a very easy to read writing style and a typical, self-deprecating, British sense of humour. The fact that he doesn’t really seem to think things through makes for great anecdotes.
Mixed in are some lovely descriptions of the Loire region and a colourful cast of characters that cross Barnes’ path.

This is definitely not your ‘how to start a brewery’ book (“Now the chemist among you may have spotted in this last paragraph that I don’t really have a clue what I am talking about, and that much of what I said is scientifically incorrect.”), but I do recommend it if you’re interested in beer and like a well told humorous story.

[Pheadra · Rating 5 out of 5]

If perchance you’re someone who thinks that heading for a world-renowned wine producing area of France, to brew and sell your own beer is a good idea, you might enjoy this book. However, if you’re looking for tips about how to do this, you’ll be disappointed in this story. I am not a beer lover but I would still urge you to read this book if you’re planning to start any creation in France (even if not in the exquisite Loire valley), as this is in many ways an excellent guide of what not to do. It is also a laugh a minute.
Unfulfilled by a dull job in London Tommy Barnes took off for France with girlfriend Rose to pursue his dream of brewing beer. This book chronicles their experiences of everything French in such an amusing way, that not a paragraph was read without me laughing heartily.
Despite dismally failing at most things from building a wall, to gardening and even buying a vehicle, one has to be in awe of Tommy’s resolute and upbeat attitude to see big life decisions as things best not to think about too much.
Reminiscent of ‘Toujours Provence’ and ‘Encore Provence’ this diary of Tommy, Rose, their son Albert and a menagerie of animals, not to mention marvellous characters, is screamingly funny and an easy read. This book might just be the antidote to stress and I believe when I next have a beer shandy (I still don’t like standalone beer), this story will come to mind and I daresay I’ll laugh out loud!

[Dustin · Rating 2 out of 5]

An exceptionally funny book, particularly the interactions with his dog.

But, throughout the book, he consistently cuts corners. He makes shitty beer. Knows it's shitty. Still bottles it, transports it to market, sells it. He describes one beer, tainted by bacteria or some other contagion, as tasting like meaty, sweaty nutsacks (not an exaggeration - get a PDF of the book and Ctrl+F for "nutsack" and you'll see more results than you'd care to). Another has the aftertaste of an overfull bag of garbage. He sells that beer to neighbors and well-wishers, who don't hold it against him. I can not get behind that.

The main character of the book makes me laugh regularly. But he's not the protagonist. The average French person, taking the stance of "why do I keep hitting my head against this wall? Because it feels so good when I stop" is the protagonist of this book. It's a "fish out of water" story, and the water is the hero. I've read several books about people who have moved to rural parts of France, and the French always seem the heroes - data suggests that that, on balance, the country might just be awesome.

All that said, I have made home-brew before. He mentioned that he puts a single marble in a sack with all of his hops so that it sinks and makes more contact with the water when brewing, making it more consistent than if the hops were simply spread atop the water. So I'll take that factoid and run with it.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Очень забавная книга о том, что даже у рукожопа может что-то получиться, если у него есть сильное желание, немного упорства и хорошие люди вокруг.

Главный герой, кажется, наступил на все грабли, на которые только можно было наступить, причем половину из них он подложил себе сам. Но при этом он не останавливался и продолжал пробовать и пытаться что-то сделать, чтобы воплотить свою мечту в реальность.

И все это описано с отличным юмором и самоиронией, благодаря которой ты фейспалмишь, хочешь стукнуть автора по голове, но при этом сопереживаешь ему и надеешься, что ему все же удастся сварить нормальное пиво.

Также в сюжет отлично вписалось описание жизни британцев во Франции и различия в культурах (очень напомнило "Год в Провансе" Питера Мейла).

В общем, это самая мотивирующая книга, которую я когда-либо читала. Именно такие вещи лично меня и вдохновляют — такие, которые не ставят своей целью вдохновить, мотивировать, переделать тебя и заставить/помочь "изменить свою жизнь", а просто легко и смешно рассказывают о факапах, успехах и обычной, совсем не идеальной жизни даже после хэппи энда.

[Jacca · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging book detailing an almost totally inept Englishman trying to start a brewery and a new life in rural France. I enjoyed it so much partially due to being an almost totally inept Englishman who would like to move to rural France and is always taken in by the same observations as Tommy often makes in his books; they’re basically like us except more confident and somehow competent too.
This is part humorous biography and part a recounting of learning to brew. It’s really great learning brewing facts through the lens of Tommy’s Layman’s journey which makes the beer facts more ingestible.
I look forward to brewing my own beers especially having learnt a lot I can use in this book. And I look forward to moving to rural France and being embraced by the beautiful hospitality of the French despite their incessant eye rolls at the attitude and ability of the average Englishman, which Tommy recounts so relatably .

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly humorous book, even if you're not that much into beer. At times you really have to think, did this really happen? because there are times when you wonder how Barnes continued in the face of so much adversity, albeit mostly of his own making. The ongoing turmoil with Burt felt a little over exaggerated and I was surprised by the photo in the back of the book, as I was expecting a fat barrel of a dog, given what we're told about him, Burt just doesn't look like that sort of dog.

"Numbers take the fun out of everything. Have you ever done a jigsaw with an accountant? Me neither. Sounds dull as fuck though, doesn’t it? Beer making should be about smelling, tasting, experimenting. Not sitting on a carousel, shitting numbers all over a giant Excel spreadsheet."

If there's one thing I've learned from this book it's that beer making appears far too complicated for me to try, and that people who run brewery tours make it look a bit too easy. Too many numbers and cleaning, I'll stick to just drinking and appreciating.

But anyway, highly recommended ~ Barnes has a way with bringing the people of Braslou and beyond to life, that almost makes me want to move. But not quite.

[S Beal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really entertaining, warm and funny story. Planning to give it to lots of friends for Christmas!

Tommy and Rose are fed up with their boring jobs and the daily grind of London life. So when Tom gets made redundant they take off to France but things do not go according to plan, in fact they don't have a plan and then Rose finds she is pregnant. What follows is a hilarious tale of trying to make ends meet whilst living in a large but dilapidated house with no heating and a baby on the way.
Everything that can goes wrong does, and then Tommy decides that beer will save him because it always has in the past. So he starts a microbrewery. Unfortunately the beer does not go down well with the French so he tries again, and again....A great read, endearing and laugh out loud funny.

[Wim Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this among the books at a chateau in Monts on the Loire, part of which we had a week's holiday in. An actual castle, on a massive plot of land with the Indre running through it. As Tommy Barnes said about his house in Braslou: we felt like millionaires for a week. And unsurprisingly, it felt pretty decent.

Anyway. I started reading the autographed copy because a little voice in my head said - shouted! - that I should - I SHOULD! I loved it from the first pages. Barnes' story is so good and his self-depracating humour, descriptions of the country, the French and British in general and the people around him in particular is so brilliantly observed, it had me laughing out loud from the first pages.

So when we returned home to our dreary non-castle existence, I had to buy it. I just finished it and I have to say I haven't loved a book as genuinely and warmly as this in a while. I want to move to the Loire (it doesn't even have to be a chateau) and brew beer. And meet Barnes. And Burt.

Love it. Thank you, Tommy Barnes.

[Rich Saskal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still nothing quite as good for discovery as browsing at a well-stocked bookstore, which is how I came upon this English import (with a lot of French terroir) in the U.S.

A pleasing romp of a memoir about an English type who moves to the French countryside and decides the thing to do is start a nanobrewery.

The book is carried by a strong comedic voice and many straight up hilarious joke setups.

Though I hope that it's not entirely true to life, and that the author was exaggerating his early incompetence to set up a satisfying character arc, because he is pretty successful at portraying it.

[Andrew Tattersall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the travails of moving to France and trying to set up a brewery. I've experienced moving to France and, in my case with no French. I'm surprised there was no culture shock and would have like to read more about the differences experienced moving to a Mediterranean culture from an Anglo-Saxon one. The few cultural differences, e.g. the problems with EDF bureaucracy and the power of the Mayor were a very good example. Humourously told and with the great use of a dog as an evil villain it reminded me of many of my experiences living in France.

[Shelbycat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hilarious! I knew nothing about beer before reading this and I do not drink it but I found this book to be unputdownable none the less. The things Tommy does during this book are so funny, I especially loved the conversations about his beer with the locals. I would highly recommend this book to someone looking for a light and entertaining read.

[Budd Margolis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delicious short novel which transports one to a somewhat haphazard and frustrating but funny and fun journey through beer making, French characters, the English view of the French and life in the Loire. At times it is laugh out loud funny and at other moments one wonders why? Good fun, light read and worth it!

[KarenDowney · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a legend!!

I loved this book so much that I missed the count down to the New Year!
It's witty, emotional and informative even though I don't drink beer. But what is great about it is that it isn't written by some smug arse who just wants to brag about their cool life in France (although, now I have seen the photos in the back i am a smidge jealous).

[Carol Rode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

I love this book. It was honest, funny and teaching us about brewing your own beer. The author has a great sense of humor which makes the book very enjoyable to read. I wish I could find more books like this to read. Teaches you to stick it out and in the end everything will be fine.

[Tareth Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely stunning read - had me hooked from start to finish. Tommy Barnes has done what most of us dream of doing on a daily basis and leaving the rat race behind. He’s written a thoughtful, informative and damn right hilarious book. My apologies to the lady sat opposite me on the train who had to endure my uncontrollable laughter and tears!

[Hallien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toto je presne typ knihy ktorý vám pomôže preklenúť prázdne miesto medzi dvoma ťažkými titulmi. Je to nádych čerstvého vzduchu, chvíľa oddychu a očistenie chuťových pohárikov. Stupídne skvelý britský humor občas trafí do čierneho a občas aj prestrelí, ale je to v poriadku. Z knihy dokonca možno získate aj nejakú motiváciu, ale nič svetoborné nečakajte. Zabudnuteľná, ale príjemná jednohubka.

[Andy Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the chap's humour is not entirely my cup of tea. It seemed to try a bit hard and to repeat jokes and anecdotes that weren't really that strong in the first place. But I quite like stories of people getting out of their comfort zone and trying something new - here setting up a small brewery in the Loire. He also shows his learning curve in a self-deprecating fashion.

[Richard Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just buy it, close the curtains and start reading.

I am not quite sure how I stumbled across this book but I am so glad I did. Finished it in a couple of days. Can't wait for the sequel.