Rocca Nostra, the young beer made in the Rhone Gard, born in a century-old wine cooperative

This year, the Roquemaure winegrowers’ cooperative cellar, Rocca Maura, celebrates its hundredth anniversary. And the first year of his craft beer Rocca Nostra, “the first brew in a cooperative!” smiles its director Olivier Mantovani. “It’s not the same job, but wine or beer, it’s still fermentation“.

And already, this beer made in Rhone Gard has found its fans. On February 5, she won two medals, bronze for her pale-ale, gold for her blonde, at the Avignon beer competition (1). “At the very beginning of last year, we also had two medals… We are going to participate in other competitions “promises the brewer.

“Craft beer is a gourmet beer”

For the cooperative winery, getting into beer production is “a turning point“, a century after its creation.”We are moving towards diversification because the wine market is experiencing vagaries, wine consumption is falling in France and countries are competing with us”. By noting that the winegrowers of the cellar who are in polyculture “cope better with the vagaries of agriculture” than others, the idea of ​​product diversification has gained ground. Especially since there are more and more lovers of good quality blond, amber or brown hair. “Craft beer is gourmet beer“which also attracts young people, more than wine.

And consumer enthusiasm is reflected in the numbers. “We exceeded our sales forecast“even if the beer is for the moment only a niche for the cellar.”We produced 185 hectoliters for 20,000 of wine… We hope to increase the volume soon“Bottles that take the same paths as those of wine.”We have our network, professionals buy pallets of wine from us and now also of beer. It reduces transport costs“.

“The production of our beers cannot be relocated”

If consuming craft beer is in the air, the brewers of Rocca Maura, “we are three to have been trained (2)“, are also in a short circuit approach. For the moment, they are doing like many others: “we buy our barley. But we are working to grow our own cereals because in the face of competition from other brewers, producing our own barley will allow us to differentiate ourselves. We have already done a trial and five farmers in the area are ready to follow us“. Already, Rocca Nostra is playing the local card, with labels, where the Pont du Gard or the Pont d’Avignon stand out. “It represents our geographical positioning, between Occitanie and Provence. The production of our beers cannot be relocated“.

Olivier Mantovani likes to dream of the last century, when in the 1920s, “there were 3,600 breweries in France… We went there to drink beer brewed on site. Today, brew pubs are developing, there are many in Montpellier” he rejoices. Given the number of young people and people in retraining who are getting into brewing, the foam is not about to fall. And especially not at Rocca Maura, where another product is already being prepared. “We are also going to launch our sparkling wine after the next harvest.“ announces the director.