A Montreal microbrewery might not be behind the indie brewers’ movement, but it’s certainly the right place to taste its effect! After all, this is where craft beer lovers, true lovers of flavor and authenticity, come together to taste beers that are one of a kind.
Each craft beer is a work of art. Independent brewers are artists looking to create a unique and flavorful beverage. Crafting the perfect beer is a matter of passion and dedication. But how did this love story start, exactly? Who was the first to introduce the concept of craft beer in Canada?
Our Montreal microbrewery craft beer experts are happy to answer those questions for you.
Craft Beer in Canada
Surprisingly, the story of craft beer starts right here in Quebec. Jesuit Brother Ambroise was the first man to introduce the concept of craft beer in New France in 1646. At this time, he was a missionary here in Quebec. But, on the side, he was Sillery’s residents' very own craft beer provider!
The story doesn’t stop at dear Brother Ambroise. In fact, 40 years later, the first Intendant of New France himself decided to try and make his own craft beer. He opened up the first commercial brewery of Quebec because he was motivated to end his colony’s dependency on imported brandy. Little did he know that his craft beer would be so successful it would become the first Canadian beer to be imported!
Nearly a hundred years later, John Molson opened the first Montreal microbrewery. It is known today as the oldest brewery in North America.
A Boom in the Microbrewery Business
With all that said, how to explain why there are so many microbreweries today? The answer to this question is not as easy as it seems. We’ll call it a combination of grueling circumstances for craft beer lovers.
First of all, to understand the microbrewery boom in the 1990s and early 2000s, we have to go all the way back to the beginning of the century. We’re talking about the prohibition. The prohibition was initiated by the Canada Temperance Act (Scott Act) and gave local governments the right to ban alcohol sales. While it wasn’t enacted or enforced until the beginning of the first war, this was a definite blow to the craft beer business.
Common sense comes back early 1920s, just in time for the Great Depression. Since sales are going down for lack of customers, indie brewers started to merge to survive. Competition becomes fierce and independent microbreweries die slowly. After the Great Depression came World War II, which pretty much gave the fatal blow to what was left of the independent brewers.
Thirty years later, there were even fewer brewers left. At the beginning of the ’80s, about 10 brewers left, and the three biggest, Molson, Labatt, and Carling, controlled about 96% of the beer market.
This was when the craft beer movement started to grow again. From this mass-produced beer monopoly, without flavor or originality, microbreweries were born. Almost 40 years later, Montreal microbreweries are a flourishing business. According to a 2019 study, there are now over 1000 microbreweries and 7000 original brands in Canada.
Montreal Microbrewery Trois Lacs: Our Story
As you can see, craft beer history is a story of passion! That same passion brought us to open the doors of Montreal microbrewery Trois Lacs. Since 2018, we offer top-quality craft beers with a unique, exceptional taste.
Whether you’re a fan of IPAs, stouts, lagers, blonds, or Reds, our Montreal brewpub is the best place to make flavorful discoveries.
If you have any questions about our beers or our Montreal microbrewery, do not hesitate to contact us. Our team member will take your call and answer all of your questions with great pleasure.