Monday 8th of June 2009 03:10:51 PM

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Came in just after lunchtime into a bar void of anyone except for a couple of the employees and a bunch of kegs lying around. The bar itself was comfortable with a padded stools, and there were plenty of tables in front of big windows facing the street (Rue Jean-Mance).
I had memorized enough French to order a tasting tray, and the bartender understood this enough to provide me with one, then went into a rambling explanation of what they were that I had little, if any, comprehension of. She did speak English but, as per the apparent norm in Montreal, required some probing to do so.
The beers ended up matching up, in order, with what was on the chalkboard, but strangely missing the "Yakima," which was their "Pale Ale Amercaine."
The board said the first was a "Pale Ale Belge," (Belgian Pale Ale) which I had never heard of, but it tasted a bit like an abbey, but more like a saison. Very, very nice flavor with what I can only describe as "pretty" hints, but with a bit of a bite in the aftertaste. Really a nice way to start out the tray.
The second was some sort of lager/wheat bastardization. The board said "lager," but it looked like a wheat and tasted more like a filtered wheat. Again, though, I could have gotten it wrong because I understood about 10% of her explanation. Nice though. Very smooth, and very summer-friendly.
The third was their "West Coast IPA," called "Cupa." It made me think of the old Mario Brothers and their "King Koopa," and it may as well have been, because that thing had some hops. Seriously, it's like they just went to the West Coast to try beers and decided that the point of what all of the brewers there was to make an almost intolerably hoppy beer. It was poignant, to say the least, but had very little flavor underneath, which, I think, is the strength of those West Coast IPAs that they were trying to emulate here.
Next was what ended up being the saison, called the Ardente. At first, it tasted like something had gone horribly wrong with their keg, and I almost said something about it, but just asked (in French, although the bartender had switched to English by this point) what it was. Seriously, I thought I was going to puke after the first couple of sips. However, it could have been because of the ridiculous amount of hops that the previous beer had, which would make this just a poor choice in ordering. However, if this is considered a saison, then I don't want another. I've always enjoyed the saisons I've had in the past, so this was a big disappointment.
The star of the afternoon was saved for last: La Anniversaire, their IIPA. Why the regular IPA couldn't have been like this is beyond me. At 8%, it's a hefty one, but certainly makes up for it with its flavor. Definitely not the best imperial I've had, and it was actually a bit weak in the hops department compared to some, but it was still very good. Very nice flavor and very smooth, particularly considering the alcy content.
The service was good and the girl was nice, in spite of the apparent language barrier. They had decent music.
The atmosphere was just a bit off-putting due to the lack of anyone being there. Maybe Montrealers don't drink on Monday afternoons though. It made the whole place unwelcoming.
Prices vary per beer. A glass of the IPA was $4, while a glass of the IIPA was $5. I can understand why.
Should have looked at the food menu, but I didn't really know enough French to ask for one, and I had already eaten. They may not even have food though.

Monday 12th of May 2008 02:30:50 PM

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Benelux is an attractive brewpub located on Sherbrooke street downtown, and easily accessible if you're visiting. The beers are high-quality and wide ranging, from belgian to american styles with a little bit of everything in between. Be aware of Wednesday nights when it is crowded with college students (2-for-1 pint night)...if you're looking to chat with the brewer drop by on Tuesday night instead. A decently large terrasse is supposed to be coming this summer.