While studying biochemistry at Concordia University, Dan Ablenas says he wasn't always focused on the books.
“The whole time this is in the back of my head: I could use this if I get into brewing,” he explained
A few years and beers later, experimenting is part of his job: Ablenas has a laboratory dedicated specifically to testing and tasting craft beers.
“To be let off the leash a little and to have a crowd who wants something new all the time and something crazy - It's fun to try and keep up with that demand,” he said.
Labrosse Brewery has 42 varieties of beer. There are always 10 on tap, including owner Troy Olynyk's favourite.
“The New England IPA, the NorEaster - it's our flagship beer,” Olynyk said.
Some flavours, however, you might not expect.
“We like to push the envelope with a lot of different things,” Olynyk added. “Some of the most creative are cucumber saisons with actual cucumber in it.”
But they're always open to suggestions, and have used customer feedback to make new varieties.
“A lot of people in the West Island have made the trip down to Burlington Vermont, it's one of the big beer centres and it's very IPA-centric, so that's what everyone's been asking for here,” Ablenas said.
Craft and microbreweries make up about 10 percent of quebec's beer market.
The number of establishments has quadrupled since 2007.
And until Labrosse opened in 2017, West Islanders had to go elsewhere to get it.
“The West Island had a huge gap,” Olynyk said. “Everyone who wanted to have craft beers would go downtown.”
With a production facility and tasting room on site, Labrosse is making its location in an industrial sector of Pointe-Claire a hot spot.
