Hi, I'll be headed to Montreal in a little over a week. I'm looking for advice two things. The first is stuff that I should be on the lookout for. I'm from NY, and we get plenty of Unibroue here. I like it a lot, but seeing as it's readily available here, it's not something I need to hunt around for. Any breweries that distribute in the area and that I need to try? I'll say that I generally prefer Belgian styles, but as of late I've started to appreciate other styles as well. If anyone can just let me know what some of the good Canadian stuff is then I can search for them on here and see what types of beer they make. Also, any good brewpubs to try. I went to Brutopia (sp?) years ago, but I wasn't that knowledgeable about beer and I'm sure my tastes have changed. Secondly, what are some good bottle shops to try? I want some good Canadian beers, but I'd also love to get my hands on some Cantillon or Drie Fonteinen which is near impossible to find in stores in NYC. If there are any stores in Montreal where it's often available, I'd love to try it there!
You won't find any Cantillon in Montreal, not familiar with Drie Fonteinen but I'd say it's probably the same. Imports are only sold at SAQ stores and selection is very limited. As for Quebec belgian style brews, you cannot go wrong with Charlevoix. Buy any of the Dominus Vobiscum beers and you will be very happy; DDC makes a few good ones too. You won't find much of anything from outside Quebec due to stupid liquor laws. Most of your questions get asked on a bi-weekly basis, but I'll throw down some of the staple brew pubs: Dieu Du Ciel, Cheval Blanc, Amere a Boire, St. Bock (last resort for that one; tap selection varies in quality and the service at times just plain stinks...though the food is pretty good). Hope that helps!
Went to Brouhaha yesterday and they have some sours for on-site consumption but expect to pay through the nose for them. You're better off getting them in NYC. Boquebiere & A la fut make a sour or two but nothing at the level of Cantillon or Fonteinen (which are yummy). Like Rico mentioned, all the Dominus series from Charlevoix are worth trying and make sure to grab some Hopfenstark, particularly the Boson de Higgs and Saison Station 7. My two favorite bottle shops are Depanneur Peluso & Epicere Veux-tu une biere. Let me know if you need more info!
Can anyone tell me what to expect if I visit Hopfenstark brewery? Do they have anything that can not be found in bottle shops or on tap? Is it worth a visit to leave the city and head over there is my question here?
It has been a while since I was in Montreal, but I remember liking my stop at Benelux Brewpub. Of course hit Dieu Du Ciel, but beware because it is TINY. Make sure you have Peche Mortel while you are there. I'm still kicking myself for not bring back more bottles while I was in Montreal, since they range about $5-6 a bottle here in Michigan.
Hopfenstark sell some beers in bottles only at the brewery. They also have special offerings on tap sometimes like barrel aged ans cask. Like others already mentioned, Benelux, DDC, l'amère à boire and Cheval blanc are solid brewpubs!
Check there Facebook page, they semi-update it but gives a good idea as to what they have available for take out.
