Is “good gluten-free beer” an oxymoron? Once, when I was ten I called “good television” an oxymoron and impressed my aunt. But that was back before the days of The Good Wife and Sherlock.
My point? As with television, I believe there’s hope for beer. At the moment, on the Quebec market there are only two companies selling it: La Messagère and Glutenburg. And that’s where I hoped this week’s annual Montreal Mondial de la Bière would come in, because while La Messagère has one acceptable beer in its original blonde, none of either company’s offerings set my foodie heart aflutter or my tongue a-salivating.
But Quebec has been holding out on us, fellow gluten free-ers! A hop, skip and a jump across the border in Ontario there’s a whole slew of gluten-free beers for sale, to which we have no access here in La Belle Province. Sadly, checking the listings of the Mondial here in Montreal next week, none of those are available. But the full line La Messagère will be there, including the Seasonal Belgian, the Imperial, the Imperial Sotolon, and the Buchweizen—the top of the line. These I’ve only seen at a few Montreal beers stores including La Grange du Marché in Jean-Talon Market, and are sold in large, corked glass bottles only. They have an accordingly large price tag, making them an investment with a possible small return.
That’s why this Wednesday to Sunday is the chance to explore these beers we lowly gluten-free-ers can actually drink. Where? At the enormous beer fest at Montreal’s Palais de Congrès. Admission is free and tasting coupons are $1 each. You need 2-6 coupons for each 3-4 oz sample of beer, so it’ll be $2-$6 for a quarter pint. But come on…it’s beer. Have you ever met a stingy beer pourer? Expect some free pours and certainly some generous ones, especially if you’re interested in hearing more about the hops, fermentation, and other geeky beer facts that make the festival so fun.
But wait! What about ciders? Yes, those are gluten-free, too. And, yes, we make a ton of ciders in Quebec. But anyone who’s ever praised a Black IPA will agree that fermented apple juice is not a true beer substitute. It’s neither bitter and complicated nor light and nuanced. Even after sampling almost every Quebec cider on the market at different tasting events, my favourite dry-ish ciders from CID are too sweet to risk drinking more than a pint.
So gluten-free or not, join me in the hunt this weekend for better beers. And if you’re not gluten-free, well, lucky you. But at least I won’t be stumbling home from all the amazing beers I just tried. Solace? Sadly, nope.
When: Wed-Sat 11am-10pm; Sun 11am-8pm
Food?: Yes. Snack for purchase from various Montreal restaurants. Think sausages and meat-heavy options.
Where: Palais de Congrès, 201 Viger Street West, Metro Place d’ Armes
How much: Entry is free, but start with $20 for tasting coupons.
Fun facts: You can bring your own glass! But it has to be 12 ounces or less. No over-sized beer steins, goblets or tankards. Oh! And there’s an outdoor terrasse connected to the site, but you can only go out there with plastic sampling glasses. So if you BYO-glass, no sun for you.
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