“Thirty years ago, Laura Urtnowski, co-founder of Brasseurs du Nord, nicknamed the “mother of red beer,” was asked if her vats weren’t rusty!” laughs Marie-Ève Myrand, general director of the Association des microbrasseries du Québec (AMBQ). Today, the styles are explosive and microbrewers are having fun with grain varieties and blends of herbs and fruits. The offering is abundant and the growth is unparalleled.

300 brewers with some serious nerve!

“What’s phenomenal in the industry is the sustained growth rate of microbreweries,” says Ms. Myrand. “And it’s not slowing down. Despite the slowdown in consumption in favor of wines and other spirits, specialty beer lovers aren’t about to run out! There are nearly 300 microbrewers in the province. And even in 2020, there were as many as normal who got started.”

Sales channels have become more democratic, allowing the can from the Côte-Nord microbrewery to be on the same shelf as the one from Montreal. “Supermarkets now offer small producers a place of choice,” confirms Ms. Myrand. “There are now about a hundred specialized retailers, not to mention the boutiques at the brewers’ own stores, convenience stores, bars and restaurants.” Sébastien Paradis, CEO of Brasseurs du Nord-Bière Boréale , gives us an update: “During the pandemic, what skyrocketed was mainly unit sales. This proves that Quebecers are really keen on discoveries.”

Specialty beers

From the thirst-quenching Pilsner to the herbal or floral IPA, the German-inspired Gose, the tangy sour beers, the citrusy Belgian white or the more substantial Neipa, creativity is limitless. There are even alcohol-free or gluten-free beers. “We can come out with one practically every week!” says Sébastien Paradis. There are around 4,000 to 7,000 types of specialty beers on the market today, confirms Ms. Myrand.

At Brasserie Mille-Îles in Terrebonne, brothers Maxime and Étienne Lapointe produce seasonal beers and a few random new releases. The youngest, who has been brewing in the family basement since he was 18, especially enjoys developing the classics.

“We’re all banking on the hype of limited-quantity exclusivity. However, we want to offer a solid line of traditional products, like the Irish Red, which we continue to refine. Our beers are stable, which is a challenge for any craft brewer compared to large producers who have electronically controlled equipment. We are rewarded by loyal customers. They are often the connoisseurs who follow us. They are our beer geeks !” – Maxime Lapointe, co-owner of Brasserie Mille-Îles

Collaborative brews

"In terms of beer sales in Quebec, the market share of microbreweries is about 15%, about the same as that of imported beers," notes Ms. Myrand. "The big industrial brewers still have the biggest piece of the pie, but the small ones are sticking together and partnering more and more."

Les Brasseurs du Nord, which distributes throughout the province (there are only five of them doing so), recently chose to collaborate with smaller players. “It was great to see their reaction!” smiles Sébastien Paradis. “I’m thinking of Messorem , a colleague with highly sought-after niche products who only sells in his industrial brewery in Griffintown. He was amazed that our Tourbillon Polaire was on the shelves of IGA all the way to Gaspésie or at the Val-d’Or Metro! The engagement rate was 20% on social media when we launched it. We sold out of production in 24 hours! Promoting other brands through ours is great! Leveraging their know-how gives us an extra edge .”

Brewing tourism boom

The craze is such that brewing tourism is developing at high speed in the province. “More than 70% of microbreweries have a tasting area on site or a pub to attract and retain visitors,” says Ms. Myrand. “Quebecers are rediscovering their territory and their local products,” rejoices André Morin, co-owner of the Microbrasserie St-Pancrace in Baie-Comeau.

According to Mr. Morin, the food-beer pairings are complemented by the beer-moment and beer-place pairings. “When the sun goes down and the cool of the river goes down, we put on a thriller and scan the horizon, a mug in hand. It’s certainly not the same choice we would make on a terrace on a summer evening in the middle of Montreal!” The Côte-Nord microbrewery has also partnered with Attitude Nordique for a kayaking and whale watching activity, followed by a Korean barbecue on a wood fire with local beers. “That’s what visitors want to discover: the experience, the authenticity, the identity of the region!” he says.

National winner of the 2021 OSEntreprendre Challenge for its sourcing from regional suppliers, the Microbrasserie St-Pancrace has notably forged close ties with the North Shore pickers of haskap berries, cranberries, and sea buckthorn, which are used in the composition of its beers. Its refreshment bar even offers natural wines and gins from the local distillery, small dishes of pork products from the local butcher, or fresh whelks from the local fishery.

Restaurateurs, farmers, all artisans are in the spotlight to enhance beer. Quebec microbrewers do not hesitate to give pride of place to collaborations of all kinds. Neither jealous nor possessive, they democratize their great art in seduction mode.