Thursday February 4, 2021, the Little Atlantic Brewery is selling off its stocks -

J. Urbach / 20 Minutes

  • Hundreds of customers have been parading for several days at the Little Atlantique Brewery.

  • The beer, brewed on site and which risks spoiling if kept for a long time, is sold to take away at an unbeatable price of 3 euros per liter.

"Hello, what can I get you?

The scene was still commonplace a year ago.

It is much more exceptional at the start of 2021, when restaurants and bars in France are still closed due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

However, at the Little Atlantique Brewery, in the Bas-Chantenay district of Nantes, the music has been rekindled and hundreds of customers have been parading for a few days.

Several thousand liters of blonde, white or IPA to take away, have already found takers, even if some waited nearly an hour and a half last Saturday to access the famous drinks.

It must be said that this “anti-waste” operation is a real good plan: with a price of 3 euros per liter, with no restriction on quantity, around 50% of the stock has already left.

"We had all these full tanks, with a beer which is still very good but which risks losing its taste qualities if it stays like that for too long," says Simon Hicher, the master brewer.

We don't know when we will reopen and time is running out!

The objective was therefore to benefit our customers, to reconnect with them because they who we miss a lot.

“For the microbrewery team, made up of 43 employees on short-time work, it is also an opportunity to meet colleagues and the counter, even if the glasses have been replaced by containers that are sometimes not very academic.

"We came out of nostalgia"

Because obviously, it is forbidden to consume on the spot and the beer, served under pressure from the vats, cannot be transported in any bottle.

"This weekend, it was madness, some came with jerry cans but unfortunately we can not serve in containers that risk exploding because of the pressure," reports Simon Hicher.

On the other hand, empty bottles of lemonade for example, or even champagne (capsules are provided) are accepted, to be consumed preferably within 72 hours.

“No problem for that, smile Marion and Camille, who leave with six liters.

We came out of nostalgia because we often spent our Friday evenings here.

Tomorrow, we will at least have good beer for the aperitif, even if it will be necessary to drink it quietly at home.

"

The operation, which still takes place until Saturday inclusive (from 12 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.), could be renewed next week ... if there are still stocks.

"With this approach at cost, we do not earn money but at least we do not lose any, calculates Jérôme Pallier, the boss.

You have to make your back round hoping to be able to reopen in the spring.

Otherwise, it may become very tense.

"

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  • Covid 19

  • Beer

  • Coronavirus

  • Nantes

  • Economy

  • Society

  • Brewery