La Voie Maltée

La Voie MaltéeLa Voie Maltée
La Voie MaltéeLa Voie Maltée
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

2509 Saint-Dominique
Saguenay (Jonquière), Quebec, G7X 6K1
Canada

(418) 542-4373 | map
lavoiemaltee.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.71
Beers:
30
Ratings:
206
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.04
Reviews:
2
Ratings:
6
pDev:
8.66%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by fireqc:
Photo of fireqc
Reviewed by fireqc from Canada (QC)

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Yes, yes and yes! La Voie Maltée rules in Saguenay! The beers are good espacially the seasonal beers. Last week-end we went there me and my wife, and enjoy almost all of the beer on tap.

The atmosphere is ok and the sampler not very pretty (just small glasses with a small board to explain), but the taste very interesting. Each time I go there I'm not disapointed. I try the food just one time, but the choices is good and the taste also.

Only one cons, the IPA not very hoppy this time, maybe it's because the problem to obtain hop cause usually the IPA is good.

Conclusion, I recommend this place easily.

FIRE...
Jul 15, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by e_beaulieu from Canada (QC)

Sep 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by edugasmtl from Canada (QC)

Jul 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Sambuick from Canada (ON)

Jul 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Socialiste from Canada (QC)

May 19, 2014
Photo of Goldorak
Reviewed by Goldorak from Canada (QC)

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
Chances are, not too many people on this website will have the opportunity to visit this brewpub. It's far out north, in a region of Québec called Saguenay, named after the fjord that crosses the region from the Lac St-Jean to the St-Laurence river. It's about a 5-6 hour car ride from Montreal, and about 2 hours due north of Québec city, moreso when the driving conditions through the national park are less than optimal, which is more often than not in the winter. We were lucky driving up this year (dec2004), the sun was shining down on us over a clear sky, but it was about -20°F. Luckily, even though this place is on the main street, there is always plenty of parking behind the buildings on either side so we swiftly made our way inside.

The place sort of looks like an old sports bar that got converted halfway into a brewpub. Breweriana here and there, but a few TVs. For this region, I'd say the atmosphere is well above average.

11 Beers on tap were posted on the blackboards, 7 regulars and 4 seasonals. The beer styles are explained in a way not to scare off the abecedarians, with styles described only as colors and countries from which their inspiration comes from. I was lucky enough to have stumbled in at this time of year, the 4 seasonals were their "best of 2004", they had a Black British at 9%, Brown Belgian at 6.5%, a Brown British at 11% and an Orange Belgian at 7.5%, that I deduced as being an Imperial Stout, Strong Belgian ale, Barleywine and their interpretation of an Orval, respectively. I went for the latter at first, and I must say I was impressed. As good of a clone as I've ever tasted outside of Belgium. Blindfolded, you could have fooled me. I asked my waitress if I could meet the brewmaster and she pointed him out at the bar. He was a real nice guy, showed us around his brewery and explained the process. His co-owner, the one that seems to handle the more business side of things, seemed a lot more cocky and condescending in a "whatever you city folks can do, we can do better" kind of way, showing us reviews from magasines and a bunch of local rewards. I would have gladly shot him down if his Beers were sub-par, but I was surprised to see that evey single one I sampled were very good. I don’t mind attitude if you can back it up, and he did so good for him. A lot of people have compared this place quality-wise with Dieu du Ciel, and I believe it’s a pretty fair assumption.

Since this is a pretty rural area and businesses are scarce, they had no trouble at all twisting the arm of the local authorities in order to get the proper zoning permits to split the brewery and pub, and so growlers to go are offered. They didn’t want to fill me one with the Barleywine, or any other of the seasonals. Bummer!

Service was a bit lackluster and slow, the waitress took forever to take our order, even though the place was virtually deserted, and even then, she got my order wrong. I ordered the Polissonne (the Barleywine) and I got the Gigonne (the regular Stout). I suppose my big city accent must have thrown her off.

We ordered ourselves a little snack, a brie with some sort of pesto wraped in phylo pastry dough and baked. Great stuff, next time I visit I’ll stay for a full dinner.

As I said, not too many people on this website will have the opportunity to visit this brewpub, and it’s a shame, because it just may be Québec’s best kept secret.

***Edit 04JUL2005***

Came back for a visit, and unfortunately had to knock down quality a little bit, one of the brews I sampled tasted a little oxydized, probably from an old keg or lines that haven't been cleaned recently. Still a great place to visit.
Jan 04, 2005
La Voie Maltée in Saguenay (Jonquière), QC, Canada
Brewery rating: 3.71 out of 5 with 206 ratings