Ninkasi - named after the Mesopotamian goddess of beer and brewing. In wine and fine dining country, Ninkasi seems to go antithesis to France's culinary culture. Hailing from Lyon, Ninkasi is a craft brewing project that saw its beginnings at the turn of the millennium, inspired by the vibrant, youthful and dynamic craft beer scene that dominated the West Coast. 

The dining area of Ninkasi (Tarare). Source: Lyon-France

We're covered in depth the story of Ninkasi - how the project started from a university graduate and a Portland native, to becoming the largest craft beer brewery in the region (that has now extended to making its own whiskies, aged in wine barrels from nearby Rhone!). In short, Ninkasi provided the city, and to some degree the whole of France, three enduring promises: good beer, good burgers, and good music. 

As enshrined in their motto: Bière, Burger & Musique. Source: PetiteFute.com 

Before I get into the beers themselves, I really want to focus into the former two: beer and burgers. With social media casting spotlight on the trendiest craft breweries and hole-in-the-wall taprooms, craft beer today enjoys the reputation and association of being the epicurean, the radical, the "in the know", the adventurous. Microbreweries that pair with hyper local cuisine? Check. Otherworldly, daring labels that go from graffiti on a can to minimalist design, compared to snooty, encrypted ones of the Old World? Check. 

I could've never tell this hailed from Lyon without prior knowledge. Source: Lyonresto

Yet, that hasn't always been the case! Or more of, through the lens of Lyon and France during Ninkasi's founding, Lyon was a city that was and still is known for its gastronomy and fine dining, home to Michelin star restaurants whilst being flanked by wine giants Beaujolais and the Rhone Valley. The early 2000s was also a time where craft beer was largely unheard of in the whole of France. Without social media, and largely relying on word-of-mouth, Ninkasi's success sounds like it shouldn't have happened. 

1% of bottle sales funds music projects, including the Ninkasi Musik Lab. Source: Ninkasi.fr

Here's where I think the genius of Ninkasi really shone. By sheer marketing prowess or soft power, the burger has become synonymous with the concept of comfort food. In hindsight, it's easy to see how a sparkling crisp beer would pair perfectly with the greasy, meaty and savoury burger now. But beneath the technicalities, I think Ninkasi really married the comforts of familiarity whilst coaxing a community estranged from beer with a gentle, easy to understand.

Everyone's had a burger. Everyone's had a cheap, fast food chain burger at the very least. They come in handy packages, containing meat, veg and sauce all in a handheld package that can be savoured or devoured. Conceptually, it's lowbrow, and yet it ticks all the right boxes for someone who's hungry. It is comforting.

If to drive the point home - the scene where Margo savours "a real cheeseburger" in The Menu probably got folks down a nostalgic road.

I was reminded of a quote from a seasoned veteran in the restaurant business. "Sometimes people just need a good burger." Everyone can argue on the done-ness of the meat patty, what meat to use and a whole thousand other sauces to choose from, but intuitively everyone understands, even if they can't put it into words, what a good cheeseburger is. Simply tasty, and perhaps with a touch of nostalgia and comfort.

Scenes from Ninkase Tarare (circa early 2024). Ninkasi also distills whisky too, sourcing wine casks from nearby Rhone Valley for special releases. 

This isn't to paint haute cusine as the bane of the restaurant scene - but I really applaud the service that Ninkasi does to its community, upholding a simple promise done well. A cheeseburger done well, paired with beer, music, and inadvertently good vibes. 

A while back, I was extremely blessed to visit Ninkasi Tarare - the place where Ninkasi grew its brewery operations and expanded into distillation. There, I visited the beer taproom, and raided the shelf for most of Ninkasi's classic beers.

With a belly satiated with the then Christmas special beef burger, a basket full of beer in tow, let's get to reviewing! 

For each of the beers, we'll be listing down some technical data and awards, as seen from their website. 

Ninkasi Blonde 4% - Review

Awards: World Beer Awards Meilleure Pilsner de France (2025, 2024, 2021); World Beer Awards 2017 France Bronze 

Malt: Pilsen, Cara

Hops: Saaz (CZ) Sladek (CZ), Chinook (USA)

Nose: Sourdough and oatmeal are the main aromas that I get from the beer. There is a saltine oatmeal cracker to the nose as well - though a bit more on the branier, grassier side.

Taste: It’s quite creamy on the texture, without being too effervescent. It’s light on flavours - mainly a drying hoppiness that is some parts green apple, some parts green grape skins and some parts green peppercorns. There is a backbone of cereal flavours, mainly oat porridge.

Finish: The finish is quite astringent and savoury at the same time. The hops show some of their character here - reminding me of loose leaf green tea and roasted oats (the flavour you get when you pan fry some rolled oats on a hot pan). The bitterness lasts quite long as well.

Rating: 6/10 

Unlike a typical pilsner, with the hop character bitier and more pronounced. While still a relatively light tasting beer, I think the hoppiness can be a bit intense and catch some folks off guard. I appreciate the novelty of using more intense hops in this style of beers - definitely a great one to go with heavier foods.  

Ninkasi Blanche 4.8% - Review

Awards: World Beer Awards Winner (France, 2025), Medaille D’Argent Paris 2022 (Silver)

Malt: Pilsen, Ble

Hops: Amarillo (USA), Citra (USA)

Nose: Quite juicy and powerful - a rush of grapefruit. Digging deeper into the aromas, I get some strawberry and raspberry jam. There is a hint of leafiness in the beer as well - something I would describe as freshly sliced zucchini. As it sits for a bit, an oatiness starts to express itself, more of the oat porridge sort.

Taste: A mild effervescence as well. Big juicy flavours here, reflected from the aromas. It’s a whole basket of sweet citrus fruits: think tangerines, oranges and grapefruits, as well as some sweet pink pomelo.

Finish: A drying sensation that is just a tinge of bitterness. It’s just the right amount of dryingness - the sweetness goes quickly after swallowing the beer. The flavours left on the palate were slightly peppery and prickly - like gnawing on raw mustard greens. In general, you’ll be left with a mild drying bitterness.;

Rating: 7.2/10 

A great thirst quencher. I really like how this beer is refreshingly sweet and juicy, with the flavours making a timely exit at the finish. I find myself taking swig after swig of this beer, with the interplay of sweet citrus flavours and the dry finishing leaving me wanting more.

Ninkasi Pale Ale 4.5% - Review

Note: During the publication of this article, the Ninkasi Pale Ale (American Style) is no longer produced by the brewery. 

Awards: Medaille D’Argent Paris 2022 (Silver). World Beer Awards2022  Meilleure Pale Ale De France 

Hops: Willamette (USA), Mosaic (USA)

Malts: Pilsen, Cara, Munich

Nose: Raspberry is the first note that I get. There is a bit of white chocolate ganache aromas floating to the top as well, after the raspberry and rose aromas fade out a bit. As it sits, it starts to become a mix of confectionery smells - raspberry filling and compound chocolate in general. There is a bit of pina colada premix as well.

Taste: A little bit sweet at first, reminding me of grenadine. The sweetness quickly fades away, revealing more hoppy flavours. I get grapefruit pith and pine needles on the palate, with a bit of a spritz of grapefruit juice.

Finish: The bitterness fades off quite quickly, leaving a drying sensation on the palate. It’s a little bit peachy as well - the flesh of the peach lingering on the palate.

Rating: 6.7/10 

I really like the aroma for this beer. The bitterness can get a bit overwhelming at times, but overall, it isn’t too overbearing. The aroma maintains its sweetness for quite a long time. On subsequent sips, you’ll get used to the hoppiness, and there’s where the more citrus flavours start to show.  

Ninkasi Smoky Ale 6% - Review

Note: During the publication of this article, the Ninkasi Pale Ale (American Style) is no longer produced by the brewery. 

Awards: World Beer Awards 2018 Meilleure Bière Fumes De France 

Hops: Bramling (UK), Chinook (USA)

Malts: Pilsen, Munich, Cara, Whisky

Nose: A BBQ pit and a campfire mixed into one. There’s a bit of a wet smoke aroma to it - like burning logs that still have a bit of moisture left in them. As it sits for a while, you get more charred vegetables, like BBQ corn and mushrooms. A hint of mezcal smoke is present as well - a smokiness with a savoury kick.

Taste: Roasted tomatoes and paprika at first, with some charring on the skins. There is some sweetness to the beer as well, reminding me of sarsaparilla and honeyed bacon. Peeling off some of the initial sweet and BBQ flavours, there is a soy sauce like umaminess to the beer.

Finish: There’s a bit of liquid smoke and huitlacoche (corn smut) funkiness at the finish. The smokiness lingers long on your palate, alongside a mushroomy savouriness. Interestingly, there isn’t much bitterness or char taste on the palate as you might expect.

Rating: 6.9/10

Quite a novelty beer. I appreciate how the beer really stuck to the theme, and the smokiness did not disappoint. The beer is quite complex and takes many twists and turns on flavour profile, which could be interesting for some. Just be cautioned that the intensity of the beer can get a bit cloying.  

Ninkasi Imperial Kriek 7% - Review

Awards: World Beer Awards 2022 France Bronze

Hops: Chinook (USA)

Malt: Pilsen, Ble

Nose: A sharp, acidic berry aroma jumps at you at first. It’s half raspberry and half lime, with some sourdough starter in it. The fruitier aromas quickly fade off, making way to a more yoghurt, sourdough baguette aroma.

Taste: Imagine raspberry without the sweetness - fuzzy with a berry zap to it. I think of raspberry flavoured dry kombucha, mixed in with some dry apple cider. On the apple cider notes, I think of the lees from champagne and French style cider.

Finish: The finish tends towards more cider-like. The fleshier taste of apple and pears are more pronounced here. The sourdough, yeasty flavours aren’t as strong here, leaving fruitier flavours in general. A moderate finish.

Rating: 8/10 

My favourite of the lot. Granted, I adore sour beers, and this one really takes the (raspberry) cake for me. I appreciate the mix between a fruit sour and a yeasty, lactic sour - it gives an appetising, complex flavour without it being face scrunching sour. Delicious!  

@vernoncelli