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Andicus wrote:Any hotel recommendations for the festival?
Good or bad previous experiences?
Not looking for a fleabag inn. But also not $300/night. Preferably something close with reasonable parking, too, since we'll be driving up.
Who else is certain that they're going?
Also, are there any good store recommendations? We'll hit an SAQ, but what else is there? Deppaneur?
I stayed at the HI Hostel - it was something like $28/night and it's stumbling distance to the Metro and Gare Windsor. But hostells may not be your style
Definitely go to Metro Joanette - it's accessible by Metro and fairly easily by car. Check out the places section on RB otherwise.
I'm still not sure if I'm going to go. It'll be a last minute decision.
One of the days we're there we'll be going to the Metro Joanette. Hopefully this time we'll have better luck in it actually having beer on the shelves this time. We went there by car last time ahead of getting into downtown Montreal. Be aware that there are a number of one way streets and you're limited to street parking which wasn't in abundance.
We'll be hitting up on at least two others, one outside of Montreal and the other near Dieu de Ciel. The names are written down somewhere at home... There may be a couple more depending on what we get. I have to ask the Schoune guys at Mondial where I can get a couple case of their maple beer. Stupid wimpy UC Maple and Niagara beers...
lister wrote:I have to ask the Schoune guys at Mondial where I can get a couple case of their maple beer. Stupid wimpy UC Maple and Niagara beers...
Best bet for buying that much Schoune beer would probably be at the brewery itself. They're pretty easy to find, about 10 minutes off the highway just past the Ontario/Quebec border. Best to contact them in advance, though, to make sure someone will be around when you want to stop by - it's quite literaraly a farmhouse brewery (or at least it was when I visited a few years ago). Check http://www.schoune.com for details.
In case you missed it in the Sleeman/UC thread, UC Maple is being retired along with a bunch of other UC beers. Moosehead has killed off some of the Niagara line-up as well, but the Maple should be safe since it's officially a Honey Brown Maple Wheat, and honey beers are still hot.
Have you tried the Heritage Maple Bush yet? I suspect you'll like that one. And you may like the new J.R. Brickman Honey Red - it's still gimmicky, but it's quite an improvement over the Brick Honey Red.
lister wrote:One of the days we're there we'll be going to the Metro Joanette. Hopefully this time we'll have better luck in it actually having beer on the shelves this time. We went there by car last time ahead of getting into downtown Montreal. Be aware that there are a number of one way streets and you're limited to street parking which wasn't in abundance.
We'll be hitting up on at least two others, one outside of Montreal and the other near Dieu de Ciel. The names are written down somewhere at home... There may be a couple more depending on what we get. I have to ask the Schoune guys at Mondial where I can get a couple case of their maple beer. Stupid wimpy UC Maple and Niagara beers...
Yeah, watch out for those one way streets - I got a bit lost the first time and was so excited to find the street Joanette was on I almost went the wrong way. It is only street parking, but I had no trouble the two times I was there. I guess it would depend on time of day though. And during Mondial is probably not the best time to be there as it's one of the places those in the know will head for to stock up after the festival. The shelves were a bit depleted by the time I got there during Mondial a couple years ago.
The Depanneur near Dieu de Ciel is called Rahman. Less than a block away if I recall correctly.
GregClow wrote:Best bet for buying that much Schoune beer would probably be at the brewery itself. They're pretty easy to find, about 10 minutes off the highway just past the Ontario/Quebec border. Best to contact them in advance, though, to make sure someone will be around when you want to stop by - it's quite literaraly a farmhouse brewery (or at least it was when I visited a few years ago). Check http://www.schoune.com for details.
Actually I have contacted them, twice actually. The first time by email with no response and the second through my girlfriend's cousin who speaks French. My original plan was to stop by on Sunday during the drive back. However the place is closed on Sundays. DOH! So Schoune suggested either meeting them outside the festival to buy a few cases or visit two particular stores that stock it.
In case you missed it in the Sleeman/UC thread, UC Maple is being retired along with a bunch of other UC beers. Moosehead has killed off some of the Niagara line-up as well, but the Maple should be safe since it's officially a Honey Brown Maple Wheat, and honey beers are still hot.
Yup read that. No tears shed here.
Have you tried the Heritage Maple Bush yet? I suspect you'll like that one. And you may like the new J.R. Brickman Honey Red - it's still gimmicky, but it's quite an improvement over the Brick Honey Red.
No I haven't tried it yet. Next Tuesday at C'est What will be the first time. Given what I've read, it should be an improvement over the current maple beers but nothing like the Schoune one. Nothing wrong with some middle ground...
I didn't mind the original Honey Red. It wasn't a favourite but it was alright to have if the rest of the tap lineup sucked. I was kind of hoping that there would be shades of Algonquin Honey Brown in there but alas poor lister.
Last edited by lister on Wed May 17, 2006 11:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Bobbyok wrote:Yeah, watch out for those one way streets - I got a bit lost the first time and was so excited to find the street Joanette was on I almost went the wrong way.
I almost turned into oncoming traffic on the first one way street I encountered! The map I was using didn't show the one ways.
And during Mondial is probably not the best time to be there as it's one of the places those in the know will head for to stock up after the festival. The shelves were a bit depleted by the time I got there during Mondial a couple years ago.
That's good to know.
The Depanneur near Dieu de Ciel is called Rahman. Less than a block away if I recall correctly.
Yeah that's the name. It's about a block away but walking there felt longer.
If any towlers want to hook up at Mondial, I'll be there Thurs. Friday, Sat. I intend to spnd most of my time at Le Petit Pub....some great US micros on tap.
pootz wrote:If any towlers want to hook up at Mondial, I'll be there Thurs. Friday, Sat. I intend to spnd most of my time at Le Petit Pub....some great US micros on tap.
If I am recalling correctly, most of those US beers will be in bottles, and you have to be careful. At least a couple of the beers were not in great shape. Probably in part due to shipping them to the festival well in advance. Not to discourage you, just be wary.
pootz wrote:If any towlers want to hook up at Mondial, I'll be there Thurs. Friday, Sat. I intend to spnd most of my time at Le Petit Pub....some great US micros on tap.
If I am recalling correctly, most of those US beers will be in bottles, and you have to be careful. At least a couple of the beers were not in great shape. Probably in part due to shipping them to the festival well in advance. Not to discourage you, just be wary.
Two years ago I don't remember any of the Petit Pub beers being on tap. All bottles. So be careful you're not getting a pour from a bottle that's been sitting open for a while, another reason some may not have been in great shape.
Yes I have both before and after the takeover of the brewery. Of the maple beers we have available in Ontario I do like that one the best though it's by no means awesome. I usually get a 6/12 pack a couple of times a year.
I've only had the small sample of Heritage's Maple Bush at C'est What on Tuesday so I'm hesitant to say yea or nay to it until I have a full pint. What I did find though is that I liked the finish but there was something sharp up front which put me off. The sweetness is still very slight compared to Schoune and I found Schoune to be a lot smoother to drink. Maybe I'll have that pint at Volo this weekend if it's still on tap.
We went there by car last time ahead of getting into downtown Montreal. Be aware that there are a number of one way streets and you're limited to street parking which wasn't in abundance.
Stupid wimpy UC Maple and Niagara beers...
