Léo Arvieu, brewer at Alaryk, in Béziers, winner of the Rabelais for young talents in gastronomy

Après plus d'une année de formation chez Alaryk, Léo Arvieu fait désormais partie intégrante de l'équipe de Béziers. ANTONIA JIMENEZ – Midi Libre

The general confederation of retail food (CGAD) organizes each year the Rabelais des Jeunes Talents to promote apprenticeship and food professions.

The young Léo Arvieu, 21 years old, trained at the Alaryk brewery in Béziers, displays a broad smile, the broad shoulders of a rugby player at the Vendres Lespignan Sauvian agreement, and a large " pride" to be a professional brewer today. Particularly since the start of the school year, when the general confederation of retail food (CGAD) named him among the three winners of the Rabelais competition for young talents in gastronomy, in the brewer category, of course. .

Rugby and beer

The awards ceremony took place in September, and this Friday, January 5, the 36 winners were invited to the Élysée to share a galette des rois.  "Unfortunately, I was unable to go there. But know that I was very honored.

It must be said that Léo Arvien is still quite "astonished" of this distinction, his journey in the brewery having really begun at the end of his second year of study at the IUT of Narbonne, in chemical engineering and processes. "My studies were more focused on production. I liked beer, I knew Alaryk, I applied to do the necessary internship at the end of my second year, and I was accepted.

His training continued in  Alipack pro license, this time at the IUT of Montpellier. It was last year. "I was on a work-study basis, still at Alaryk. It was my tutor Jean-Olivier who pushed me to participate in the CGAD competition."

We know the rest. The profession of brewer then became obvious to Léo.

Soon whiskey and Alaryk liqueur

The Biterroise brewery Alaryk, which stands out for its production of artisanal, organic beers, without additives and certified Origin France Guaranteed and South of France, "is still growing", assures its founder Sébastien Alary, who now manages a team of 26 employees, including 11 in production. Latest project: the construction of its future distillery. She started. Located on the same site (rue des Poiriers, in Béziers), it will be operational in the spring, after the installation of the still. Objective: " Produce a whiskey made from Occitan malt and a lemon liqueur with local fruits."