Benelux Brewpub and Café

September 13, 2008
Nice brewpub in downtown Montreal. Plenty of seating, nice crowd, vault in the back with lots of seating for larger groups (i.e., us). Decent selection of 7-8 beers on tap when we were there, including the Diplo brett beer (thanks, Dany!). The brown ale was solid, the Diplo was better than solid. Tasty and reasonably priced paninis, good beer, and a pretty chill place to hang out. Great first stop for our pub crawl.

August 24, 2008
My wife and I had an excellent experience here - it’s proximity to downtown, museums, McGill, the Underground City, and various other attractions made it an easy stop for us tourists, and what I experienced leads me to believe that this is a must stop for anyone visiting the city - ample outdoor seating, and an interior that is somehow industrial and whimsical at the same time (for example, there are ventilation ducts that bend and twist in odd, funhouse fashion) - the girl that waited on us was probably the most friendly and attentive server we had in all of Montreal (and we went to some very nice restaurants) - the Paninis we had were quite good, and all the food was reasonably priced - large and relatively cheep servings on the beer as well - ah yes, the beer - most of it was great, and what wasn’t was still quite good - a nice range of styles, with about 9 beers in all - an all-around great brewpub experience - you must go!

August 23, 2008
Located near Place des Arts, Benelux could be one of the best geographically locations and bets for financial success. The beers are definitely above average but could be greeted by some competition from L’Amere a Boire, DDC and Le Cheval Blanc for quality. A very modern and exciting place. The Euro Hotdog is somewhat tasty and the company of Goldorak and Quevillon.

June 27, 2008
We went to the Benelux on a weekday mid-afternoon and it happened to be during a Euro 08 soccer game so it was surprisingly busy. Service was very fast and friendly. I don’t think we ever got to the bottom of our glass before being offered another. Two of us started with the Yakima pale and my friend their Franconia IPA. The Yakima was good and hoppy and a hint of graininess. The Franconia was a little heavier, hoppier and slightly more smooth. I also tried their La Marge stout which was quite good but a little thin after drinking the Franconia (I guess I should sequence better). Highlight beer of the evening was their Anniversary Imperial Pale. Definitely a slow sipping beer - rich and full flavoured. We didn’t eat here so I have no comment on the food.

August 21, 2007 [ Updated August 22, 2007 ]
A newer brewpub, 17 months old. I was here till 1 a.m., which is when they will think about closing on a Monday night. Very open and airy with huge floor to ceiling windows, so you can see downtown in the comfort of a bar. I would like to come here at the end of a workday, though their usual crowd is the universioty across the street. Industrial decor and unusual tasting beers. The brewmaster homebrewed 5 years before opening, something akin to others across the province opening these days. The double IPA was good. Perfect carbonation. Geoffry the bartender was happy to talk to some people on a sparse late night. A place with potential.

August 13, 2007
Packed and not unpleasantly noisy that late on a Saturday night, this hip dark restaurant-type room had mirrors along one side, windows to the street the other, and a long bar up one end that you can’t miss. Service was very friendly and attentive as required -- I’m not sure if the sixth sample was included in the 5-tray sampler of their own, but I was quite happy to try them all regardless (blonde, American pale, brown, rousse, stout, saison), though sadly they turned out to be fairly average brews. Overall it was a nice visit and as fine a way as any to end a brewpub crawl.

May 29, 2007
A constantly improving bar with a light, but well chosen selection of their own products, often accompanied with 2-3 well chosen Quebec micros. A bit too industrial formy taste in terms of atmosphere and rather trendy and loud on the music, but it fits the neighborhood. The staff is welcoming and friendly at all times.

April 2, 2007
Un peu froid comme ambiance, décor dénudé. Peu de monde un beau dimanche après-midi (01/04/07), tranquile. Service impécable, connaissent très bien la bière. Peu de bières Bénélux (3), contrairement aux autres fois où j’y suis allé. Bières des micros aussi présentes : Alchimiste (2), 3 Mousquetaires (1), et Hopfenstark (1). Au moins, ils n’hésitent pas à offrir autre chose que leur bières. Bières de qualités, j’aime tout de même cet endroit.

January 1, 2007
I went here on a Friday evening and it wasn’t busy at all, maybe three other groups of people. The staff was attentivie and friendly. Fairly dark atmosphere but modern with stainless steel accents and kegs strewn about. They had about 5 or 6 beers available and offered them in half-pints, pints, and sample(r)s. Most of them were pretty average but they did have some more interesting styles available. I’ll come back here as they seem to show some promise. Conviently located not too far off from some of the other pubs (Amere a Boire).

November 28, 2006
A short (but uphill) walk from the Place-des-arts metro. The vault turned into a cool little tasting salon is a very nice touch. As you walk in, the black walls to the right and the large windows on the left give a stunning contrast. Black, white and stainless steel for the stools and bar, I love the sprinklers and air ducts exposed and dispersed in very bizarre patterns. It makes me feel as if I’m having a pint in some Blade Runner/post modern era pub. Sounds cold, but really it isn’t, the dim lighting make it nice and cozy. Patrons are mostly students from the nearby campuses. Music ranges from French alt rock to electronica, played softly enough not to notice on those old-style wood panel speakers. The Beer list is posted on blackboards here and there, including one at the front door that not only lists off the homemade brews, but also what’s sitting in the fermentors for the coming weeks. Great idea. 3-4 house brews are typically on with about the same amount of guest taps. No goofy names here, they stick to the style, color and %ABV. Beers I’ve sampled so far have ranged from good to very good and keep getting better. Service at the bar is never a problem, I’ve been there a few times alone and chatted with either the Benoit the brewer or the waitstaff about Beer and whatnot, all nice people.