The Bar Towel

As I mentioned in another thread, a friend and I will be driving from Toronto to Montreal for a visit next weekend, and we're both fans of good microbrews, so we'd like some tips on what we should look for while we're there.

We're quite familiar with McAuslan and Unibroue, but other than that, we're pretty unfamilar with Quebec's micro scene. Are there any micros or Montreal brewpubs that we should absolutely check out while we're there? Any breweries in or around Montreal that offer tours or tastings on weekends?

In addition, depending on when we leave Toronto on Friday, we may have some time to make a stop along the way for lunch or a mid-afternoon snack. So if there are any pubs or restaurants with an interesting beer selection on the road between Toronto and Montreal - or perhaps even a brewery that welcomes visitors for a quick tour and/or taste? - advice on that would be welcome as well.


thanks,
Greg

Here's a long one greg...

QC is full of impressing places similar to what you have in TO. However, a lot of it is more of Belgian inspiration.

In Kingston, there is the Kingston Brewing Company, famous for Dragon Breath on Cask...you may want to stop in the local LCBO to get some Glenora springs Beer ( 3 types)from Picton.

Then, passed the QC the border on the 20, about 15 min. from the highway, there is the Schoune brewery who offers tours.

Brasserie schoune
2075 Ste-Catherine
St-Polycarpe (Québec)
J0P 1X0

tél:(877) 599-5599

Along the 20, in Vaudreuil, there is the gobelet dépanneur, who have there own brew (2 beers)78 Rue Valois Vaudreuil-Dorion, Qc J7V 1T1, (450)-455-1667 .

In Montreal, you may want to check this web site: http://english.montrealplus.ca/feature/8197/7.html

I strongly suggest l'amere a boire, Dieu du Ciel and Cheval blanc (the original brewpub).You will notice another brewpub on St-Denis called les 3 brasseurs...so-so. The Brutopia is more Brit in style

Another site in French, is http://www.bieranet.qc.ca/

You will see there good brewpubs/Breweries in Joliette, Trois Rivieres, Bedford, Quebec City, Baie St-Paul,and Kamouraska.

Howevwer, your one stop shopping is Johannette In Verdun, 349 Rue de L'Église, Verdun...however, Church is in shambles and you cannot drive on it, so park on Galt, near the subway, and cross the courtyard of the primary school on your left.

On the way back there is the Vessels and Barrels (so-so) 6321 Trans Canada W, Pointe Claire.

If you want to pass by the natl capital, where yours truly live now, then check the Clocktower, on Bank/Pretoria. Then check the arrow and loon, on Bank/Fifth Ave in the Glebe. You can try the Scotch Irish fare there (Bonjour Perry) and Heritage lagers.
There is always the Masters BP on Queen if you are a completist.

Bon Voyage Greg.

Lubiere

Thanks for all the excellent tips, Lubiere. Brasserie Schoune sounds especially interesting, and I think my friend will want to check it out as well, so we'll hopefully be able to hit the road early enough on Friday to stop there on the way.

Also, I've done a bit of web-searching to find breweries in Montreal that offer tours & tastings on Saturdays, and I found a site for RJ Brewers (http://www.brasseursrj.com) which says that they do tours on Saturdays. Any thoughts on their brews? I'm a little concerned by the mention that the brewery came about due to "the merger of three Quebec microbreweries", as it gives me a bit of a Sleeman/Upper Canada vibe - but at least some of their brews have interesting descriptions, so I'm thinking that it might be worth a visit.


Greg

RJ came about from the fusion on GMT (Belle Gueule) , Cheval Blanc, and Brasseurs de l'Anse, ...the Cheval Blanc series is the most interesting of there product, even though there seems to be some Q.C. problems in the last while.

Check out le Chaudron in the same area.

Lub

If you end up in Ottawa, must-see's include Vineyards in the Byward Market and Pub Italia on Preston St. in Little Italy...both of which have the best selection of bottled imports in Eastern Ontario.