On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, waxy yellow grapefruit and orange rind bittering plus salted green mango tang gain light pine lacquering as hidden 9% ABV evokes brisk vodka whim of XTRM Turbo version of 9 Piedes Sous Terre. From Messorem, Montreal, Canada, specializing in Imperial India Pale Ales.
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, hazy IPA softer and less busy then brewers' 9 Piedes. Mellow yellow grapefruit bittering, vivacious navel orange tang and polite lemon zesting rise above lightly creamed flaked oats with only a hint of pine resin.
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, turbidly golden hazed NEIPA stays dry as woody Simcoe hops combine with the floral-daubed yellow fruiting of Citra-Strata hops and tartly tropical tease of Nelson Sauvin hops to lead a spectral lupulin charge. Lemony grapefruit entry glides into scurried pineapple, passionfruit, white grape and strawberry dalliance, picking up slight herbage atop sugary oats base.
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, heavily hazed golden murk glazes multi-hopped NEIPA. Juicy orange-peeled grapefruit zesting and salty guava-papaya-pineapple tang ride atop creamy oated wheat pasting.
MONTREAL, CANADA
A few blocks west of St. Lawrence River on Ontario Rue, a lonely black sign with white lettering illuminates uncompromising LE CHEVAL BLANC, a tiny, elongated lounge packed to the rim with young sophisticates this frigid April '05 eve. Its green marble walls and terrazo floors offer parlor-styled decor. Ceiling fans and a fluorescent clock adorn thinly lit café.
Thick wood-blocked sampler trays contained eye-opening lemongrass-spiced floral-hopped leather-skinned Blonde and tangy grapefruit-fronted coriander-spiced, vanilla-banana sugared, curacao orange-tinged Blanche for mild starters.
Barley-toasted dark-fruited fig-dried Ambree, polite fruit-spiced fungi-musted Saison and malt-honeyed lemon-peeled alcohol-licked India Pale Ale were fine medium-bodied fare.
Better still were buttery rum-soaked, orange-bruised, banana-mango-kiwi-centered, tangerine-peach-backed Triple, tart orange-apricot-fronted, white grape-soured, cherry-tannic Cassis Belgian Blonde and creamy black coffee-espresso-centered, wood-burnt, walnut-dabbed stout, Noire.
MONTREAL, CANADA
Fascinating midtown pub, BRUTOPIA, with its ancient ornamental exterior brackets and live nightly entertainment, boasted English-styled libations on Crescent Rue. Right next to Irish pub, Hurley’s (great draught selection: Murphy’s, Guinness, Harp, Bass, Kilkennys as well as local Canadian faves), this busy bistro served quality food and draughts to my family one brisk April '05 afternoon.
Open since 1996, Brutopia's busy brick-walled wood-floored bar features front porch and upstairs lounge (with hidden rear-situated brew tanks). Its rustic appearance afforded a dank inner city appeal and the middling hummus, sausage, and quesidillas went down fine alongside excellent handcrafted beer.
Nut-grained clover-honeyed wildflower-bloomed Honey Beer; lilting cereal-grained honey-glazed yellow-orange-fruited Maple Rousse; sour yellow-fruited rye-dried Golden Wheat; soft-watered wheat-grained grape-vinous Scotch Ale; and mild walnut-imbued cocoa-sugared Nut Brown Ale were decent preliminaries for more interesting fare.
Woody Centennial-Chinook-hopped, grapefruit rind-embittered, lemon-zesty IPA and berry-kiwi-blanched rye-pumpernickel-soured Brutopia Extra Blonde should please bitterer swiggers.
Lively raspberry-wheat-fronted, passion fruit-aided, cereal-malted honey-dried Brutopia Raspberry Blonde will appease fruit ale lovers.
www.brutopia.net 
MONTREAL, CANADA
Just off St. Laurent on Duluth, small smoke-filled 100-capacity brick-exterior brewpub, RESERVOIR, gets busy with 5 o’clock crowd. Visited April ’05, main bar area included open backside ovens offering calamari, fromage, salads, and oysters, plus table seating near front window. Brew tanks, an extra bar, and more seating are available upstairs.
On tap were three easy plowing beers and four more exquisite choices. Soft-fizzed lemon-candied grapefruit-soured Blonde, delicately buttered floral-perfumed lemon-orange-faded hefeweizen-styled Ambree De Ble and soapy light-spiced stone-fruited lemongrass-hinted Blanche suited light-bodied drinkers.
More engaging fare included terrific Belgian-styled raisin-prune-soured cherry-sweet banana-bruised fig-juiced Triple, piney malt-smoked hop-charred Bitter and lactic coffee-roasted hazelnut-toasted soft-tongued stout-styled Noire.
Mild hop-spiced, lemony grapefruit-embittered, peach-pitted Pale Ale was both light-bodied and distinguished.
www.brasseriereservoir.ca 
MONTREAL, CANADA
On St. Laurent, the former 'new' location for SERGENT RECRUTEUR, brick-walled left side dining area and a cozy back bar with stainless steel brew tanks infiltrated this soon-to-be highbrow pub.
Unfortunately, as of April ’05, a brewpub license hadn’t been granted. Yet the selection of tapped brews took pride offering fine Canadian line of Le Cheval Blanc, Mc Auslan’s St. Ambroise Rousse and Griffon Blonde, plus Belgian staple Liefman Framboise and Denmark’s Tuborg Blonde. By 2007, the brewpub had closed.
MONTREAL, CANADA
Since 2002, St. Denis corner pub, LES 3 BRASSEURS, has served brewer Louis Philippe’s likable assortment. The busily crowded cement-floored joint with cordial right side bar, upstairs terrace, and interior balcony served sandwiches, wraps, and pizza plus cappuccino and espresso drinks on April ’05 stopover.
Though Wheat and Brown Ales were out, sampled laid-back lemony grapefruit-fronted, perfume-spiced, wheat-husked Blonde, honey-malted hop-toasted pepper-snipped L’Ambree and sinewy lemon-hopped, banana-dried, orange rind-embittered, coriander-spiced La Blanche (the most expressive choice this rainy springtime day).
www.les3brasseurs.ca 
MONTREAL, CANADA
I’m convinced the best place to buy Canadian brews as of February ’04 is tiny grocery store, De Panneur Laurier, at 1420 Laurier off Papineau Boulevard. Bought Belle Gueule, Bieropholie, Boreale, Breughel, Du Lievre, La Barberie, Les Brasseurs RJ, Le Cheval Blanc, Nouvelle, Schoune, Saint Antoine Abbe, and Saint Arnould brews at marvelous oasis. Walked to nearby Rahman’s to get more previously unfound brews.
On April ’05 brewpub excursion, stayed at midtown hotel near respected Mc Gill University for three nights. I managed to quaff two local independent brews on tap at refined first floor bar: mild lemony-whiffed prickly-hopped grapefruit-soured wheat-dried Old Montreal Blonde and barley roasted sweet tea-like Old Montreal Red Ale.
L’AMERE A BOIRE, in arty St. Denis section, offered burgers and quesadillas alongside brewer Greg Rossel’s fine beers. High ceilings, a small back loft, oak stools and tables, sundry hanging plants, and rear brew tanks inundate the interior with six seats consuming the small right side bar.
Wheat-soft banana-bubblegummy coriander-cloved Blanche, mild lemon rind-softened spice-nipped Danoise, peppery-hopped honey-lagered Munich-styled Montreal Hell, lemony white-peppered currant-embittered Cerna Hora and floral citric pale ale Amere A Boire proved light and effervescent.
Malt-sugared orange-bruised grapefruit-surged Fin De Siecle (Red Ale), chocolate-malted cherry-ripened Cognac-warmed Boucanier Porter, raisin-greened cherry-tart dessert-like Maibock, mocha-chalked cappuccino-milked Kozak Dark Lager and mellow vanilla-chocolate-centered, crème de cocoa-like Stout Imperial suited connoisseurs.
www.amereaboire.com