7 minute read
MICROBRASSERIE DE CHARLEVOIX THE BURNING PASSION
And following 25 years in business, nobody can accuse Microbrasserie de Charlevoix of not doing that. It’s a brewery founded on a love of classic Belgian styles, beers that have given them stability, but one that continues to innovate and invent with numerous styles, ABVs and flavours.
When Frederick Tremblay and Caroline Bandulet returned from the fast-pace of life in Montreal to settle back in the region of Baie-Saint-Paul and open a brewery, some people called them “crazy”. But fans of great beer are grateful they made that move and here, Tremblay explains how and why they did it.
Doing Things They Way And Going Against The Grain
“Like many brewers, we started because of a passion for great beer and the region we live in. When we started in 1998, we were maybe the 20th brewery to open. And most of the breweries were all in Montreal, or close to Montreal, because it’s the largest city in Quebec. But many of the small brewers that tried to start in small towns and regions would unfortunately close. Why? Because their business model was based on brewing beer in a region but trying to fight and sell it in the big market. So if you were in a little town then you be trying to sell everything in Montreal.
“So at the time, they were starting out with ambitious, big facilities. What we did was to start with the size of a brewpub but with a commercial industrial licence. This allowed us to sell on the premises but also selling outside, too. Charlevoix is also a popular tourist area and we were one of the first to have a very good “foodie” restaurant. Usually brew pubs would serve hotdogs and stuff like that but you know, we really went the whole way with a gastropub offering and it worked.
“And it was, it was not often that you would see that in 1997 or 1998 when we started. Usually you were a brewpub or an industrial brewery selling to other pubs and bars. But our business model was trying to do a bit of everything.
“So this is really what helped us to start trading in a tourist area, a small town of 7000 people, and to succeed. And our model was eventually copied after and that’s totally perfect. As I always said, I think there’s room for breweries in every little village, but you also have to build your facility in a way where you can survive from the business in your neighbourhood. Don’t expect other business will come your way.
“And that’s what we’re still seeing. There are some brewers that start with too high expectations, and they start in small villages, with a plan to sell outside. But if your basis is not strong enough, and if you don’t have that big base, then you will struggle and unfortunately, many of them are closing.
“So the first thing for us was to find a model that was that was viable 12 months a year and to start slowly, and then slowly expand to other areas like Montreal, and since its a tourist town here, the people coming to our pub, and drinking our beers, were happy to find it elsewhere in Montreal. We never tried to put too much pressure on having to make money. It was always, you know, expanding with the money that we have.”
A Love Of Belgian Brewing And The Secret To Longevity
“Caroline and I really love Belgian beers, and we had the chance to travel to Belgium in 1997. And one of the things we did was to visit small breweries and small towns so to get enthused from what was successful in Belgium, and what was successful in Europe. The American scene was markedly different in both the type of breweries and number per capita, so that journey really inspired us. It’s why we started brewing beers like our Flacatoune IPA and Blanche de Charlevoix from early on.
“We would go on to add a Dubel, a Tripel and an Amber. At the time in Quebec many other breweries were brewing Pale Ales. Not the DIPAs, TIPAs and NEIPAs but English Pale Ales. Those beers are easier to brew, and everyone was dealing with a simple step mash, and largely using the same yeast coming over from England. These were delicious beers, very good beers. But for us, our focus was on Belgian styles and very few other breweries were doing that.
“What drove us was creating a stable, solid product. Recipes we would work on for months to refine, which is somewhat different to what happens today. Now people are launching new beers all the time, it’s just a different philosophy.
“And I like to think that’s why we are still here, 25 years after we started. It’s because we really put stable products out into the market. Something like Flacatoune IPA, which is inspired by Duvel, has really complex flavours but also one that we can say we’ve been selling for 20 years. If you speak to shop owners in Quebec, it remains one of the top five beers sold there when it comes to the market for single beers sold (and not cases).
“While there is more choice than ever, consumers still have an appetite for beers they can trust, beers like Flacatoune IPA. The reputation of that beer has given us stability, and given us the freedom fo brew other beers, too. But even now, more than 50% of our sales are from the products we launched back in 2000.”
The Importance Of Consistency In Our Brewing And Branding Identity
“Evolution is very important for us and some five years ago we made the decision to flip our branding 180 degrees. When you go back to 1998 there was some 20 or 25 breweries, and we there brewing beers such as the Dominus Vobiscum Triple and Dominus Vobiscum Double.
Microbrasserie De Charlevoix Beersa Snapshot
Blanche de Charlevoix - 5%
Blnx Premium Lager - 5%
P’tite Tranquille - 2.5%
Vache Folle ESB - 5.5%
Cold IPA - 6%
C’est Toujours l’Été Quelque Part - 5.4%
Flacatoune Ipa - 7%
Dominus Vobiscum Double - 8%
Dominus Vobiscum Triple - 9%
Imperial Milk Stout - 9%
“But over time we would brew other beers, too. In doing so, we made these look distinctly different from the branding of those earlier releases. To the public, these beers were being produced by two different breweries. Over time, we would realise that making it more difficult than it should for people to find beers from breweries they love is not the right approach. We would rethink our branding and our marketing. The consumer respected the name of Microbrasserie de Charlevoix on their can or bottle, so why shouldn’t we leverage that reputation?”
Exercise Your Imagination At Microbrasserie De Charlevoix
“As brewers, we are beer lovers and always want to enjoy new flavours. And that’s one of the basis of our business model when we started out as a brewpub. We could brew batches of 150 litres, and then have people tell us if they liked it or not. We still do that, of course, it’s just now in batches of 1000 litres and not 150 litres, that’s all.
“But at some point in our production facility, Flacatoune IPA would account for approximately 35% of our sales while Blanche de Charlevoix was probably 30%. This was great but it also meant we were always brewing the same beers because of their popularity. It was a problem, because our team there were getting bored and we did not want that.
“New breweries were coming to market and with that, regular new beer releases too. We knew our brewers needed to have the scope for that creative output so we bought a little pilot brewery that is open to all. It doesn’t matter if you are in sales, marketing or production, it’s your canvas to work on. If a beer produced on that kit does well, we can do move it to the 1000l kit at the brewpub. And if that works, then we will try to find space for it on the commercial schedule. And that’s how recent beers such as the 6% Cold IPA ended up in our family of releases. The production run at the main brewery sold out in two weeks, which is great to see, so we’ve brewed it again.
“Innovation and exploration is in our DNA. I think sometimes our beers are the victim of their own success. As a result, people tell us that they respect our beers but we never launch new products. Except I tell them ‘no, no, no!’ As only last year we launched five new beers. When you list them, they realise that they remember each and every one.
“New beers are so important as it allows everyone to express their ideas and to demonstrate their creativity. Everyone brings something different to the table here at Microbrasserie de Charlevoix.”
My Passion For Brewing Is Stronger Than Ever Before
“My doctor says I’m too excited, and I should be less so! It’s so integral to remain energised and enthused, and that’s why after 25 years we are planning an expansion rather than slowing down. For us, stability is key. Not just in the beers we make but in the team we have. In 2008 there was just the three of us. Nicolas Marrant, Caroline and I. He is still part of our team, and we call him our artist brewer because he doesn’t like the term master brewer. Nicolas is the big brother of our newer brewers and is invaluable to us. We are fortunate to have such a great team.”
Expansion And Improving The Customer Experience
“Caroline and I have always loved the idea of building a production facility on land where we could also grow ingredients. We tried this before but the land we wanted was rated as agricultural by Quebec so we had to opt for the industrial facility instead.
“But now, many years on, we have a new piece of land and that will be our last big project because after that we should probably retire! The new destination will elevate the customer experience and also that of our team. We will be investing in the best equipment, which will improve our processes. It will be amazing.”
“This new project is not based on the premises of making more money. We could have easily just expanded in the current location. That would have been simpler and more profitable. This is about so much more than that.”
BEER IS NOT JUST A LIQUID, IT IS PART OF PEOPLE’S LIVES
“We talk about our passion for beer. And that’s exactly what it is. It’s a passion and not just a liquid. It is part of people’s lives. We are grateful that people have bought their beers to get married, or to take on vacation, or to enjoy on vacation in this region! It helps create great memories.
“And our new brewery is located opposite a golf course. My aim is that those playing a round of gold will swap out a Bud Light for one of our beers instead - that’s my hope!”
