Michel Roux Jr searches for London brewers to produce “Roux brew”

Michel Roux Jr, Albert Roux and Head Sommelier at Le Gavroche David Galetti are opening a competition to find a beer good enough to carry the name “Roux brew”.

16 top London breweries will be entering to create the beverage, a special ‘house’ beer to be paired with seasonal summertime food for the two-Michelin starred Le Gavroche, as well as for Roux at Parliament Square and Roux at the Landau restaurants.

The listing will be guaranteed from April through to September with another competition planned for a winter menu brew later in the year.

Michel said: “I am fascinated by flavour and, though I love tradition, I am eager that brewers should really push the boat out with their choice of ingredients.

“I intend to take an active interest in the beers, the brewing and the breweries in the competition and we will be judging the beers blind.”

Le Gavroche was among the first quality restaurants to establish a beer list with 17 choices available. Michel is keen to expand that choice and to promote the matching of beer and food in his restaurants.

The beer will be bottled and pasteurised with a strength anywhere between 4.5% to 7.5%.

The first stage of judging is on 26 February at Le Gavroche where a shortlist of five beers will be whittled down to a final winner on 7 March at Roux at Parliament Square.

Breweries entering the competition are as follows –

•             Four Pure

•             Partizan

•             Hackney

•             Head in a Hat

•             By the Horns

•             ELB

•             Crate

•             Brew by Numbers

•             Moncada

•             Redemption

•             Fullers

•             Bright Brew

•             London Beer Lab

•             Signature Brew

•             W&E

•             London Brewing Co