I had the opportunity last month to visit the first bottle release of a new brewery, Ma Brasserie in Montreal, Quebec. The release was for their first brewed batch of Tribale Pale Ale and was the first bottle release I attended, with hopefully many more to come. Although I did not stay long due to other commitments, it was amazing to see the starting of what is bound to be an amazing brewery and tap house and I look forward to seeing its completion. For the time being whilst their brewpub and tap house is being constructed they are brewing their beers and selling them through their retail store in the same location. Craft brewers are part of an amazing community and Ma Brasserie is a great testament to the comradery that is associated with craft brewing. Along with their own beers they offer a variety of other beers available in growlers, for example an amazing Saison I bought from Noire et Blanche brewery and La Succursale Brasserie’s Angus IPA.

Ma Brasserie is by no means a new brewery, although new in its conception and name, it is the new child of the Brewer / Director from Brouhaha, Marc Bèlanger. Ma Brasserie is a cooperative this the reason for the availability of other beers in their retail store. Ma Brasserie is a fresh take of an amazing brewery / center for craft beer and so is their beer. After two to three years of extensive, hard and dedicated work, finally on November 12th customers had the opportunity to purchase and taste Ma Brasserie’s Tribale Pale Ale. Following thereafter with the release of their Tribale IPA and Tribale DIPA. Apart from the great things the brewery is doing, their location is great as well. With easy parking available right in front and in a very quiet neighbourhood it will be a great spot to get away from the city to have some great beer and hang back.

Having come from California it is refreshing to see a new take on Quebec IPAs. It’s no surprise that Quebec doesn’t produce the best IPAs. In my opinion Quebec is still very young in the brewing of IPAs and they have much to learn. But they most certainly are learning and Ma Brasserie is just one example of a brewery in Quebec learning the art of IPAs and Pale Ales. There are many more that are producing some fine IPAs in Quebec. Although some great IPAs from Quebec do exist, only few have rivaled the hop intensity of USA or West Coast IPAs. It has been a difficult search thus far, but for me it’s safe to say Ma Brasserie has hit the nail in the coffin. Although the search will never just end with one, Ma Brasserie’s offerings are the first to make me giggle inside with their intense hop aromas and hop forward taste. It seems to me that Ma Brasserie is part of the new wave of breweries in Quebec producing amazing hop forward IPAs and as a Hop Head these were just the beers I’ve been waiting for. So far in my Canadian beer trials, the most hop forward beers have come out of Nova Scotia and Ontario with offerings from Unfiltered Brewing, Nickel Brook Brewery, Collective Arts Brewing and Great Lakes Brewery. I have yet to venture into British Columbia craft breweries but hope to soon. Ma Brasserie will continue to see me walk through their doors and I am anxiously waiting for the opening of their tap house and what adventures they embark on next. And now here is the their range of triple hop explosions.

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Tribale Pale Ale

ABV 5.2%

Has that amazing hop aroma! Upon first sip it has an amazing hop hit, it’s a hop bomb but with a very smooth finish very minimal bitterness. A very refreshing take of a Pale Ale out of Quebec. Signs of an amazing revolution of Hoppy Pale Ales from Quebec, I see great things moving forward. Tribale Pale Ale is like your everyday Pale Ale, but not your ordinary Pale Ale. It’s a beer you can enjoy any day and you don’t need to be in the mood for a beer to drink a can of this! So essentially it can be enjoyed any day and every day!

5/5

Tribale IPA

ABV 6.7%

Amazing hop aroma just like the Pale Ale, it seems to be a following trend with their beers to have that amazing hop aroma. As far as my search for hop forward Ipas, I’ve found it! Another great brewery pushing the limits of hop forward beers is La Voie Maltee. Their Pale Ale and DIPA are absolutely stellar! The flavor is really smooth and hoppy, very flavorful and fruity. Always have fresh! I found drinking out of the can was the way to go.

4.5/5

Tribale DIPA

ABV 9%

Yet again very hoppy aroma. A very nice hop start, full of flavor with a super bitter finish. It dances around in your mouth and then slowly turns bitter. But not a bitterness which I hate, one that I like, a nice subtle yet strong bitterness that doesn’t linger. For me the bitterness is bearable so long as it doesn’t longer on the palate for too long.

4.5 / 5

Written by HopCitizen, Photography by HopCitizen