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Author Topic: Montreal, Quebec  (Read 2026 times)

Offline ethinson

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Montreal, Quebec
« on: February 15, 2018, 06:03:59 am »
I finally got official confirmation that I will be going to Montreal, QBC for the Siebel Brewing Microbiology Short Course in April.  I knew they wanted to send me, so I've done some pre-reasearch but I didn't know yet if I was actually getting to go or not, but now I am. 

Looking around on google maps it looks like there are a ton of little microbreweries.  I'll be staying on the SW side of town (Google calls it The Triangle), near the airport.  There's a subway station a couple blocks from my hotel so I'll be using mass transit, but I won't have a car (which is fine by me). 

I was hoping to make it out to Unibroue in Chambly which isn't as far as I thought (about an hour with train/bus combo) but of course they are closed Saturday and Sunday, which will be my two days off between the weeks of the class.  The only other thing in town that I've had their beer before is Dieu De Ciel.  Anything else I shouldn't miss? Especially if it's in the main downtown area or convenient to the subway.

I'll be in town for two weeks, classes will run most of the day (9-5ish) and I'll have evenings and the middle weekend to explore.
SE Portland - AKA Beervana
Captain and Chief Deck Swabber - River Pirate Brewing Co.
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2015 Oregon Brew Crew Member of the Year

Offline riceral

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Re: Montreal, Quebec
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2018, 07:17:51 am »
Les Trois Mousquetaires is across the river from Montreal in Brossard. LTM has some fantastic beers and would be well worth the trip. Their Baltic Porter and Doppelbock are well worth seeking out.

http://www.lestroismousquetaires.ca/en/

Ralph R.

Offline ethinson

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Re: Montreal, Quebec
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2018, 06:26:56 pm »
Les Trois Mousquetaires is across the river from Montreal in Brossard. LTM has some fantastic beers and would be well worth the trip. Their Baltic Porter and Doppelbock are well worth seeking out.

http://www.lestroismousquetaires.ca/en/

Oddly enough, just like Unibroue they are closed on Saturday and Sunday.  I will have some time in the evenings, but that weekend would be the best time for an hour long bus ride.  I'll seek out the bottles though if I see them.  There's a couple grocery stores around my hotel that I'll look to see what they carry. 

The Grand Cuvee series looks pretty impressive.  Thanks for the tip!
SE Portland - AKA Beervana
Captain and Chief Deck Swabber - River Pirate Brewing Co.
Certified BJCP Beer Judge
2015 Oregon Brew Crew Member of the Year

Offline BarleySandwich

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Re: Montreal, Quebec
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2018, 09:23:48 pm »
I would not even think about going to Unibroue.  It is only the brewery.  No tasting room.  Les Trois Mousquetaires is the same actually.  They sent me to Le Balthazar which has lots of different Quebec beer on tap.  There is one in Brossard and one in Laval.  Unfortunately neither one would be easy for you.  I like to go to actual brewpubs but I have been to several others that are like the above 2 as well.  Nothing on site and no tours.  You also have to watch out because Brasserie is French for Brewery but it also commonly means a place that sells beer and food- like a pub and could be just Molson products.
I live south of Montreal and have gone to a few places but I get my wife to drive so I don't know about using the transit system.
There is one thing that I have wanted to try for a while though.  http://montrealcraftbeertours.com/beer-tours/montreal-brewpub-experience-beer-tour/
Also  http://mabrasserie.com is a co-op.  Different breweries use the facilities but each has their own fermenters.  It is another place I would like to try.

Offline ethinson

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Re: Montreal, Quebec
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2018, 06:06:55 am »
I would not even think about going to Unibroue.  It is only the brewery.  No tasting room.  Les Trois Mousquetaires is the same actually.  They sent me to Le Balthazar which has lots of different Quebec beer on tap.  There is one in Brossard and one in Laval.  Unfortunately neither one would be easy for you.  I like to go to actual brewpubs but I have been to several others that are like the above 2 as well.  Nothing on site and no tours.  You also have to watch out because Brasserie is French for Brewery but it also commonly means a place that sells beer and food- like a pub and could be just Molson products.
I live south of Montreal and have gone to a few places but I get my wife to drive so I don't know about using the transit system.
There is one thing that I have wanted to try for a while though.  http://montrealcraftbeertours.com/beer-tours/montreal-brewpub-experience-beer-tour/
Also  http://mabrasserie.com is a co-op.  Different breweries use the facilities but each has their own fermenters.  It is another place I would like to try.

It looks like the Orange line train actually gets pretty close to the one in Laval (stops at Montmorency College) but I don't know if I would ride it that far out. 

I had noticed that about the word Brassarie.  I've found a few places that I believe brew on site (as best I can tell).  Brassarie Harricana looks like they make their own (bottles and cans with labels). That's right off the blue line train. Isle de Garde looks interesting as well. Now that I look at MABrassarie, Isle de Garde appears to be one of the ones that uses that facility. Dieu Du Ciel beers I've actually found here in the States. 

I also found out the last day of the class they take us around on a tour. I don't know where we'll go, but they'll know which places brew on site to show us around I'm sure.

Thanks for the tips!
SE Portland - AKA Beervana
Captain and Chief Deck Swabber - River Pirate Brewing Co.
Certified BJCP Beer Judge
2015 Oregon Brew Crew Member of the Year

Offline BarleySandwich

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Re: Montreal, Quebec
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2018, 08:20:24 pm »
Here is some interesting stuff I found today.
https://www.mtlblog.com/best-of-mtl/montreals-first-ever-official-metro-bar-map
Here is a list of breweries too that you can cross reference.
https://www.ratebeer.com/breweries/quebec/61/39/
I think I might try and put together an orange line tour for myself next month  ;D

Offline ethinson

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Re: Montreal, Quebec
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2018, 05:55:24 am »
Here is some interesting stuff I found today.
https://www.mtlblog.com/best-of-mtl/montreals-first-ever-official-metro-bar-map
Here is a list of breweries too that you can cross reference.
https://www.ratebeer.com/breweries/quebec/61/39/
I think I might try and put together an orange line tour for myself next month  ;D

I'll have to spend some time studying both of those lists.  My hotel is right in that crook where the Orange line meets the blue line.  About a block from Namur station and it doesn't look too far to walk, but I'm about two stops down from Snowden.  Snowden has a lot of stuff around it. 

Brassarie Harricana is right off the blue line.  The places I've found I've been looking at what's close to Metro stops.

The two "craft" options in the hotel bar are both AB-Inbev portfolio, Archibald Chipie and Mill Street Cooblestone, but I'll still try them.  I plan on hitting up the grocery store around the corner for some food for the room so I'll check out what's available in bottles as well.
SE Portland - AKA Beervana
Captain and Chief Deck Swabber - River Pirate Brewing Co.
Certified BJCP Beer Judge
2015 Oregon Brew Crew Member of the Year

Offline ethinson

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Re: Montreal, Quebec
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2018, 05:05:11 am »
Les Trois Mousquetaires is across the river from Montreal in Brossard. LTM has some fantastic beers and would be well worth the trip. Their Baltic Porter and Doppelbock are well worth seeking out.

http://www.lestroismousquetaires.ca/en/

I found some LTM at a local grocery store.  I ended up picking up a small bottle of the Sticke Alt and it was pretty good.  I guess I'm not too surprised but stuff here is expensive.  They had several large 750ml cork and cage bottles, including the Doppelbock (which now I may have to go back for) but they were quite spendy. If I'm remembering around $25-27CA.  Not that it's not worth it, I just wasn't ready to drop that much in the moment. 

All the beer I've had so far has been good.  It's very expensive compared to Portland standards.  Pints are 8-9$ (but also usually 20oz), smaller glasses range from 4-11$ depending on what it is.
SE Portland - AKA Beervana
Captain and Chief Deck Swabber - River Pirate Brewing Co.
Certified BJCP Beer Judge
2015 Oregon Brew Crew Member of the Year