What is Picon?

In Alsace, there's a drink closely related to beer. This drink is called Picon , or bitter to some people. It's common in the region, but this orange-based drink isn't from Alsace. It's everywhere, in almost every home or restaurant, country festival, or tavern. What if we took a closer look at this aperitif ?

The history of Picon

Algeria: land of Picon

Algiers, Algeria

The Picon River takes us back to the colonial era of French history, when Algeria was incorporated into the national territory and soldiers were dying from contaminated water and dysentery. In the Sahara Desert, thirst is a constant source of stress. And these waters are generally unsanitary and kill people by carrying numerous diseases. Gaétan Picon was sent to Algeria in the early 1830s and discovered the fever and malaria that afflicted many soldiers.

He also contracted this disease and then tried infusing himself with plants to cure it. He was born in Genoa in 1809, during the reign of Napoleon I, and moved to Marseille when the empire fell in 1815. He trained as a distiller and worked in Aix and Marseille before moving to Algeria. Then, he remembered that some of his grandmother's anti-malaria recipes included infusions of quinine and oranges. He tried his own experiment by infusing fresh and dried oranges and quinine in alcohol. The result was decisive, as he was cured.

The news spread so widely in French circles that he was asked to mass-produce this digestive drink. Gaétan Picon did so, creating this new drink that mixes with water. The 21% alcohol content can kill bacteria, aid digestion, and quench thirst. Since 1837, Picon has marketed his digestif under the name " African bitter ." A brand was born and spread beyond Algeria.

The beginnings of popularity: the 1862 London World's Fair

The London World's Fair of 1862, where Picon was a great success.

The brand achieved great success in 1862. A world's fair was held in London, where numerous foods were tested and awarded prizes. French producers and manufacturers were encouraged by the imperial government to exhibit their products.

Despite the request of Deputy Governor Philipville, Picon refused to enter his bitter (or "bitter" in Shakespeare's language) into the competition. Faced with this rejection, the deputy examining magistrate decided to send a case of Picon to the exhibition without informing its creator. The drink won the bronze medal, which significantly increased its sales and fame.

Picon expanded its factories in Algeria and mainland France. His drink was no longer drunk with water, but was instead used to make numerous cocktails. In fact, during his rise to fame, it was featured in several films, further boosting his popularity.

Picon in the movies

In Marius , Picon is the protagonist of the four quarters of the famous scene: Picon Lemon Curaçao of the house. The recipe consists of one-third of each of the following elements: lemon, Picon, water, and Curaçao.

In A Singer in Winter , Jean-Paul Belmondo gets drunk on a Picon beer at the Tigreville bar and then relives his memories of Spain. Picon beer is now the main use for this digestive juice. It adds a bitter, orange flavor when mixed with brown or golden beer. It can be seen at 0:34 .

In Le Père Noël est une ordure , Zezette is played by Marie-Anne Chazell, while her lover, played by Gérard Jugnot, is a great lover of Picon beer.

To make the combination with white wine more optimal, Picon Club was launched in 1995.

Picon from South to North

This digestif is now the most consumed in northern France because it accompanies beer, which is very popular in the region. Born in the Mediterranean and initially used in Algeria, Picon eventually became popular in bars throughout northern France. It just goes to show that food always manages to root itself in the region and transcend borders.

Picon-Beer.

How is Picon made?

Picon is made from gentian root, cinchona bark and, above all , dried orange peel , all soaked in an alcohol solution to which caramel and syrup are added.

How can you drink Picon?

Picon is usually associated with beer (some would say it is used to mask the bad taste of some of them), hence the name Picon-bière : count 3cl of Picon for 25cl of beer . It can also be served with other types of alcohol, such as cocktails or white wine (in this case, it is recommended to use the Picon Club variant).

For 25 cl of beer, you need 3 cl of Picon.

Where is Picon made?

Originally of Algerian origin, Picon has been produced in Marseille since 1815 and continues to be so today.

The Picon building in Marseille

Does Picon expire?

Like pasta, alcohol can still be consumed after its expiration date , but the quality may be lower. After this date, the nutritional and sensory values ​​(odor and taste) are no longer guaranteed. So be careful.

What beer with picon?

Picon beer is traditionally paired with a light lager like Plisner , but it can also be paired with brown ale . In both cases, you can add lemon syrup . If you enjoy Guinness , it's best to make an Irish Picon, which is a blend of this Irish beer and grenadine syrup. If you're more into the caramel flavor of Maximator, Picon will pair perfectly with it!

Irish Picon: Guinness and Picon make an excellent pairing .

Picon, with or without?

When someone offers you a Picon and asks "with or without," if you answer "with," your drink will be topped with a little lemon syrup.

A Picon “with” will be served to you with lemon syrup.

What is a Picon-beer?

A Picon-beer is simply beer mixed with Picon . The ideal dose is 3cl of Picon for 25cl of beer.

Picon advertisements

If Picon is famous for its taste qualities, it is also popular for its... decorative qualities! Indeed, old Picon advertising visuals are particularly appreciated as wall decorations thanks to their vintage style which embellishes any type of room. At Planète Vintage, we have superb reproductions of these advertisements in the form of plaques and posters ! In addition, when you order two plaques/posters, the third is free . That's something to celebrate, right? Why not with a Picon, precisely? 🥂