The very first craft brewery in Quebec, Le Cheval blanc has been making its own beer for 35 years. Shaken by the pandemic like many bistro-breweries, the Montreal institution nevertheless radiates renewed energy, more relevant than ever in a brewing universe a thousand leagues from what it was in 1987.
Posted at 2:00 p.m.
“The pandemic was really difficult, we were forced to stop in December, even before the government told us to close, because everyone here caught COVID,” admits Jérôme Denys, owner of the Horse. white since he inherited the family tavern in 1983. “We reopened in February, but every time you close, customers lose the habit of coming. Honestly, I had to dip into my RRSPs…”
At 67, the owner also acknowledges having been contacted a few times by microbreweries who wanted to bring the brewery on Ontario Street to life. But Jérôme Denys does not simply want to ensure the survival of the Ch’fal; he wants to choose how and to whom he intends to pass the bridle. “That’s why I’m still in business,” he tells us, seated at a table in the bistro-brasserie with its timeless marbled green laminate walls. “Five years ago, I made the decision to double the size of the cold room to be able to make lagers, and just recently, we recovered space because we decided to start bottling again. I’ve always had small projects as well, to stay ahead of the curve. In fact, it is Jérôme who delivers the beer himself to the ten or so specialized Montreal convenience stores that sell bottles of the Cheval Blanc—other retailers also come to get their supplies directly from the brewery on Ontario Street.
It is at this time that the brewer François Croué comes to sit down in turn, a young Frenchman who arrived in Quebec three years ago – he brewed at Isle de Garde, but he exchanged places last year with Isaël Dagenais , who ultimately spent nine years at the White Horse. If Dagenais was more of a fan of generously hopped American-style beers – his Double Bonheur and Double Malheur have firmly established his reputation – Croué arrives with a European background, which is not without displeasing his boss. “We are above all a neighborhood bar, for example we have a lot of social workers who come after work, on Thursdays and Fridays, testifies Jérôme Denys. These people spend quite intense weeks in the Centre-Sud, and when they arrive here, they take a pint of happiness. And I swear it goes down fast! »
For me, it is therefore fundamental, our beers must have excellent drinkability; if I have a drink, say wow, but don’t have a second, that’s a bad sign.
Jérôme Denys, owner of the White Horse
This is why the White Horse has always displayed a slate where the first three choices read as follows: Blonde, Ambrée, Stout. We are therefore not addressing beer geeks, they find many other places in Montreal to satisfy their insatiable need for novelties. But you should know that what lies behind these generic names is well worth the detour. “The blonde currently on the menu is a Lagerbier, it is made with yeast that comes from Franconia, in the area of Bavaria, Germany, explains François Croué. It is a beer that has a very precise cell count, it is brewed at very low temperatures, it is highly worked. »
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The White Horse resumed bottling its beers during the pandemic, they are available in a dozen specialized convenience stores in Montreal. However, some retailers from elsewhere in Quebec come to buy directly from the craft brewery on Ontario Street.
It also shares the same yeast as that used in the Bière de garde, the first collaboration that François Croué made to mark the 35th anniversary of the White Horse. “It’s a beer that is really inspired by the French style as brewed at Jenlain, explains the young 29-year-old brewer. For this first collaboration, I thought it would be a good idea to do it with Jérôme, Marc Leduc and Pierre Rajotte, the very first brewers and creators of Cheval Blanc beers. In addition to very recent collaborations with La Barberie and Sutton Brouerie, François Croué also intends to work soon with the people at Dunham – a return to his roots for master brewer Éloi Deit, who worked for 14 years at Cheval Blanc, from 1998 to 2012. Other collaborations will be announced throughout the year, to which are added artist exhibitions and shows, all culminating with a big party in September where an 85-page collection edited by Baron Mag and written by author Maxime Catellier.
A great way to bring to life the legacy of Cheval blanc, which was the first to awaken the senses of many beer lovers in Quebec — including the author of these lines! But also a way to show its renewed relevance in a boiling Quebec brewing universe. “I’m happy,” says Jérôme Denys, with a shy smile. I am thinking of transferring my business to my new manager Annie, a process that will take a few years. But yes, I am quietly withdrawing. Next September’s celebration will therefore not simply be used to highlight Ch’fal’s 35th anniversary, it will also be an opportunity to celebrate a pioneer and a giant of microbreweries in Quebec.