Mondial de la Biere is going on in Montreal

Le Mondial de la Biere opened June 6^th and runs until June 10, 2012. Featuring national and international breweries, the fest is showcasing beers from Argentina and Brazil as well as the state of Michigan, in the United States.

The fest is being held at Place Bonaventure, right across from the VIA Rail station in  downtown Montreal.  Admission is free, and beer samplers may be  purchased with one to five tickets.

For an overview of what you’ll find, consider the following:

• 724 available products (beers, honey wines, ciders and malt‐based beverages)
• 637 beers from 191 breweries, of which 31are handcraft breweries originating from Quebec
• 295 new beers, never offered at the Mondial de la bière in 18 years!

In addition to the beer, you need to eat. The fest won’t disappoint that regard either. Look for the following tasty morsels at one or more of these 15 food kiosks:

• The famous European style sausage sandwich
• Giant grilled shrimps
• Lobster  sandwiches
• Boar and buffalo on a stick
• Homemade salmon gravlax salad and kangaroo meat
• Belgian ‘‘croque‐monsieur’’, pretzels
• Sweet and salty beer pancake

La Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec will also be there with its Fromages d’ici stand where many cheese masters will be invited and will offer visitors a cheese tasting experience.

Check the slide show for some interesting brews this writer tried.

My newest, favorite discovery is a wild, brew from the New Belgium Brewing Company in Collins, Colorado, US called La Folie  Sour Brown Ale. The  bottle warns you that it is “seriously sour.”  This Flanders style, reddish-brown ale is fermented 1 to 3 years in French oak barrels until it is “mouth-puckering perfect.”

I read the warning, but I wasn’t  ready for the first taste. It went down so nice though, that I really enjoyed the entire sample. I’ll be looking for it at my local retailer.

For more information on this annual event, check their website at: Festivalmondialbiere.q.c.ca/en/.