A Province-Wide Quebec Beer Week Wants You To Tap Into Local Brew Culture

A new Quebec beer week is giving ale and lager lovers the chance to sip on the latest brews and learn about the industry. The event spans over 100 activities, including tastings, product launches, and tours that celebrate beer culture and introduce the public to local microbreweries.

Launched by the Association des microbrasseries du Québec (AMBQ), the week is intended to get consumers interacting directly with beer makers.

“It's an opportunity to celebrate local beers and our beer makers' know-how," said AMBQ General Manager Marie-Ève Myrand.

"While there are more craft beers than ever available in depanneurs and grocery stores, the industry is facing challenges when it comes to distribution, whether at public markets or delivering directly to consumers,” she said.

While the beer industry is booming in the province, with around 300 microbreweries, laws restrict how brewed products can be marketed to consumers. Unlike winemakers, microbreweries can't sell online or deliver by post.

That's why the AMBQ wants consumers to connect with beer makers in person.

Among the beer week's line-up are Montreal brewery trips led by City Brew Tours. Participants will be picked up by bus and taken on a guided tour to see firsthand how beer is made and sip on a selection of tasting flights.

Tastings are also being offered in local taprooms, including McAuslan/St-Ambroise with a new coffee stout made in collaboration with St-Henri on tap, Brasserie Silo with a Czech-style mlíko beer foam selection, and 3 Brasseurs with a fresh tropical/citrus "Jazz" IPA intended to welcome spring.

Other craft breweries are pairing beer and food, like Boswell on Mont-Royal which has a three-course beer and meal event, or offering the chance to win a $25 gift card, like Dieu du Ciel in the Mile End.