July 14, or quatorze juillet is France's national celebreation Fete Nationale. It' Bastille Day, yippie!
On July 14, 1789, the Bastille was stormed, and that was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern French nation.
The Bastille was a prison that held political prisoners. The French in their brilliant ways, freed a total of 7 inmates from the Bastille on Bastille day! The French think of it more as a symbolic act, than as something that actually accomplished anything.
I'm reminded of the joke about why the French make such great antique rifles: Never fired; only dropped once.
As for the beer, it's brewed in Schiltigheim, Alsace, France. It's described as:
A slightly roasted malt gives it a light amber color. The rich flavor dominates the malt/hops balance and is very popular among most beer drinkers.The beer normally comes in the swing top bottles (think Grolsch); dark brown; thick bottle. I've had it before but not when I was keeping track of my beers. I don't remember anything about it, but I haven't had it twice; so that may tell you my opinion.
So, grab yourself a Fischer Amber, say "uh-hunh hunh hunh" and commemorate the storming of the Bastille. (Hey, their independence was only 13 years after ours; and you though U.S.A was a young nation).
