Local drinks

In addition to its gastronomy, the fame of which is well established, many local Ariège drinks accompany the culinary flavors and invite themselves around a table or around a bar. Aperitifs, wines, spirits, lemonades, sodas ... a very wide choice of local drinks, with or without alcohol, which will seduce with their authentic aromas extracted from nature in Ariège.

Local aperitifs

• Le Sambuc
  Produced in Ariège, sambuc is an aperitif wine made from elderflower, banana and raisins. It is served chilled as an aperitif, as an accompaniment to cheese or foie gras or to enhance champagne. 
  Distributed for almost 20 years, it benefits from an Organic Ecocert certification and the Ariège Natural Regional Park brand.
  https://www.facebook.com/sambuc09/

• The Hypocras
  Faithful to the authentic medieval recipe, the Séguela family of Tarascon-sur-Ariège has brought this drink up to date, which was once on the royal tables of the finest gourmets. A fashionable aperitif in the Middle Ages, it can be enjoyed chilled as an aperitif or as a dessert wine. Composed of delicate ingredients such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, or even rose petals and ginger, hypocras accompanies cheeses and foie gras in drink or jelly.
  hypocras.com

Craft beers

For several years, we have witnessed the proliferation of craft breweries throughout France. Ariège is not to be outdone: a dozen breweries have appeared throughout the territory.
Beers brewed by craftsmen, with raw materials from organic farming, without sterilization or pasteurization, most often with Ecocert “organic” certification and Ariege spring water.

Amber, blonde, white, brown beer, IPA, flavored with saffron ... A multitude of aromas that will seduce more than one!  

Discover the artisanal breweries of Ariège-Pyrénées: 

• The great bison at Lavelanet: legrandbison.fr
• The artisanal brewery of Ariège Pyrénées, La brouche in Saint-Girons: beer-ariege.com
• The Galemys brewery in Saint-Jean-du-Falga: galemys.fr
• The compass in Taurignan-Vieux: brasserie-laboussole.fr/fr/
• Mad barley in Rimont: facebook.com/crazybarley
• SOS Bière in Auzat: www.sos-biere.com/
• The daughter of Barley at Carla Bayle: https://bit.ly/3pAAm6P
• The Fourche brewpub in Foix: www.facebook.com/BrewPubFoix/
• La Destral in Tarascon-sur-Ariège: www.facebook.com/DestralAriege/
• Co-Hop in Pailhès: www.facebook.com/Brasserie-Co-Hop
• Little Siberia in Bonac Irazein: www.lapetitesiberie.com/
• The International Beer of Massat (BIM): https://bim-brasserie.fr/
• Entropy in Alzen: www.microbrasero.com/

To find all the breweries in Ariège, get closer to each Tourist Office.

Mineral water, lemonades & sodas

• Montcalm, a natural mineral water
  Rich in its mountains and unspoiled nature, the Vicdessos valley is also rich thanks to its spring water which comes from underground water deposits benefiting from natural geological protection. Pure and light, this natural water is one of the weakest mineralized waters in Europe. It is at an altitude of 1100 meters in the Regional Natural Park of the Pyrenees Ariégeoises that the natural mineral water "Montcalm" is collected to be bottled in an ecological and sustainable approach. More information on montcalm.fr.

• Lemonades, sodas and iced tea
  Whether on the side of Auzat-Vicdessos with Pyrene drink or on the side of Belesta and its intermittent fountain, Ariège is renowned for the quality of its water. With soft drinks, 100% natural, with or without bubbles, artisanal lemonades, iced tea or cola are made in the heart of the Ariège Pyrenees with ingredients from organic farming. 

Find Ariège sodas on lemonade-de-fontestorbes.com and at local points of sale for Pyrene Boissons.

Spirits

• Brandies, an ancestral tradition 
  From mobile distiller to creator of his own eaux-de-vie, Alain Servat rigorously selects the fruits from producers, favoring local origin. Developed thanks to the know-how passed down for several generations, in a red copper still, heated by wood, the eaux-de-vie of the A.Servat distillery perpetuates the traditions to the great pleasure of its most fervent amateurs. Plum, pear, cherry, apricot, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, there is something for everyone.
  distillery-servat.com

• A blackberry and blueberry gin
  The Southern Distillery produces spirits with wild plants from the surrounding countryside which perfume the gin and vodka. Artisanal production and limited quantity products awarded at the London Spirits Competition in 2020.
  ladistilleriedusud.com
  
• Homemade fruit liqueurs
  It is very close to Saint Lizier that these liqueurs are produced, made from Ariège herbs and chestnuts and fruits picked directly in Corsica. Mixed with a good dose of know-how and love of the territory, this gives quality liqueurs! To be tested in your favorite cocktails.
  www.mefizot.com