Vanessa Chiasson
Last Updated on October 1, 2024 by Pamela MacNaughtan
If you were to ask around about the most famous liquid in Quebec City, you’d probably hear a lot about maple syrup or maybe poutine gravy. But in the cool neighbourhood of Saint-Roch, it’s the beer that reigns supreme, and Broue-Tours is spreading the beer love as much as they can.
In pub windows, at festivals, and on plenty of T-shirts, you’ll see the same phrase repeated again and again. “Je Bois Local” – I drink local. It’s not just the neighbourhood’s many microbreweries that are driving a passion for Quebec beer. The entire community is behind the breweries and the Je Bois Local movement.
For visitors like myself, neighbourhood beer tours such as those offered by Broue-Tours are the perfect way to discover the flavours, sights, sounds, and character of a community. I couldn’t wait to discover Saint-Roch’s best beers but there was just one tiny problem.
I didn’t really like beer.
It’s not that I actively disliked beer, per se. I just didn’t love it and I told my Broue-Tours guide as much. With three microbrewery visits and nine-plus beer samples, I didn’t want anyone to be offended if I didn’t drain my glasses. I needn’t have worried. I was assured that I’d find my perfect beer before the afternoon was out!
It was time for the first stop.
noctem artisans brasseurs
Since October 2015, new kid on the block Noctem Artisans Brasseurs has been seducing beer lovers and cat lovers alike. This isn’t a “cat brewery” in the style of the popular cat cafes which are popping up everywhere. Rather, the cats here are artistic only, a combination of slinky and sassy.
You’ll see them on the chalkboard menu, in the name of the WiFi network, in the graphic art decals adorning the walls, and especially in the names of many of Noctem’s 25 different beers. Suricat, Catnip, and Catkenny are just a few of the feline-themed tribute beers.
I loved that Noctem takes the trendiness of a cat-themed business and makes it entirely their own. “Noctem” means “night”, as in “carpe noctem” or “seize the night”. I can’t think of a better place that embraces the pleasures of the night – and the afternoon too, come to think of it.
There were scores of people socializing with their friends during our visit, clearly ready to seize the night and all it had to offer.
While at Noctem, I tried La Calac as my first beer, a salty and sour German-inspired beer which evokes the flavours of a lemon confit. It was… intriguing. I couldn’t make up my mind as I sipped and pondered the flavour combination
The next beer, Herbosophie, was equally interesting with notes of thyme, sage, and rosemary. It was like autumn in a glass and tasted like the perfect beer to sip on while getting Thanksgiving dinner ready! It was definitely a taste I could get behind.
However, neither could compare (at least in my eyes!) to our third beer called Belzebuth. A hearty stout with notes of grapefruit and spicy bird pepper, it was rich, heady, and loaded with luscious aromas; the fresh citrus and the bracing peppers packing a powerful punch.
I snacked on savory kale chips, popcorn, caramelized nuts, pork jerky, and crispy shoestring potato chips as I pondered Noctem’s amazing and unusual beer flavors. Everyone in my tour group loved them. But were any of them *my* beer?
My search and the Broue-Tours Quebec City beer tour continued.
korrigane brasserie artisanale
While it’s difficult to say which Quebec City brewery best embodies the spirit and taste of a true Quebec brew, Korrigane Brasserie Artisanale (women-owned) surely must be in the running.
Since 2010, Korrigane has been crafting beer using traditional artisanal methods, promoting Quebec-based micro-enterprises, and using local ingredients for its beer and food menus. Master brewer Catherine Foster, together with her father, started brewing at home before perfecting a wide range of diverse beers and flavours. And their passion really shows in the final result.
While munching on some smoked almond and crunchy chickpeas, I sipped on Korrigane’s most summery beer, their popular Mielrose. Crafted using urban honey from Quebec City rooftops as well as extracts from wild roses, Mielrose is sweet, reminds you of sunshine, and is a great example of Korrigane’s commitment to incorporating local ingredients.
However, Korrigane’s dedication to all things local doesn’t stop there. Their Fue Follet beer, a deep amber cream ale, really goes the distance. It’s made with 100% Quebecois grain and yeast and is truly amazing.
Our tasting experience was rounded out by a sample of Malgven. This smokey old English style ale is intense and powerful and weighs in at 8.5%. Passionate beer lovers are sure to appreciate it though lightweights like me may find it powerful.
Everyone in my Broue-Tours group was raving about the diverse brews we had tried but for me, the quest for my own perfect beer continued!
la barberie
One of the oldest microbreweries in Quebec City, La Barberie radiates community spirit. Founded on the principle of a cooperative, there is no CEO here ordering brewery workers around, just a passionate team working together to make delicious beer.
Over a snack of crunchy pretzels and mustard dip, perched on furniture upcycled from an old church, I had the chance to sample four of La Barberie’s beer. It may sound like a lot for one visit, but it is really just a drop in the bucket when you consider that they’ve made over 200 varieties since forming in 1997!
The first I tried, Pilsner Bohemienne, is made in the purest tradition of Czech or Bohemia beer and was brewed to commemorate La Barberie’s 20th anniversary. Having been to the Czech Republic and sampled my fair share of beer in the name of ‘research’, I have to say that they got it right on the mark!
The second was a New England IPA nicknamed “Mathiew”. Our tour guide quipped that the brewery likes to name each New England IPA they craft, just like a hurricane! If Mathiew was indeed inspired by a hurricane, it was a perfect storm of flavour. The aroma was overwhelmingly inviting, with beautiful scents of juicy pineapple and just a hint of hops.
The third, Moustache, was a milkshake style IPA. This style of beer, a sub-style of New England IPAs, has only been around since 2015 and can be a bit divisive. People either love it or hate it. I have to admit, it wasn’t for me. Maybe the name is to blame. Once I heard “milkshake style”, a creamy ice cream drink was all I could think about!
My quest for beer-topia continued.
For my final sample, I was presented with a beer which, on the basis of the name and description alone, didn’t sound like my thing at all. Sûre Mûres et Framboise – sour blackberry and raspberry – is a sour beer. I confess, the idea of making beer and making it sour didn’t sound appealing at all. The name alone, well, I guess you could say it put a sour taste in my mouth.
To my utter astonishment, I LOVED sour beer! It was like lemonade and cider all mixed into one, with the sweetness and acidity of the berries balancing out the alcohol perfectly.
It felt like a summer’s day and a cozy winter’s night all in one glass. It took an afternoon of ales, IPAs, stouts, and more but I had finally found MY beer. And now I too can tell everyone in Saint-Roch that I “Je Bois Local” as well!
tips for saint-roch beer tour with broue-tours
- Broue-Tours operates its Saint-Roch beer tour year-round and includes 15 ounces of beer per establishment, spread out over three hours and three stops.
- Tickets cost $69+tax per person.
- If you’d prefer a drink other than beer, alternatives can be arranged. As can a special ticket price if you prefer to abstain from alcohol and stick with soft drinks.
- Looking to take some Quebec craft beer home as a souvenir or back to your hostel or hotel? Pop by La Place (699, rue Saint-Joseph Est) in Saint-Roch, an incredible food shop with an extensive selection of Quebec craft beers, as well as gourmet Quebec terroir.
Pamela MacNaughtan
