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Dieu du Ciel! 29 Laurier Ouest Montréal H2T 2N2 Tel.: (514) 490-9555 Web: www.dieuduciel.com Open everyday from 3pm		Bus Terminal: 505 de Maisonneuve Est From the terminal to the pub: 3.2km Local Transporter: www.stm.info Getting there from the terminal: métro Laurier, Bus Route #51

Source: www.intraplanar.net

The front door of Dieu du Ciel! invites us to "beer paradise" and it is exactly the feeling I have each time I visit. I've never met a brewer so gifted and intelligent as Jean-François Gravel. His studies in microbiology have surely helped him in the handling of the 6 yeast strains that he uses, allowing him to create beers of English (Pale Ale, Mild Ale, Extra Special Bitter, India Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, Scotch Ale, Imperial Pale Ale, Imperial Stout, Barley Wine), Belgian (Blanche, Saison, Belgian Blonde, Double, Triple, ABT), and German inspiration (Weizen, Rauchbier, Alt) for a total of about fifty varieties.

Jean-François Gravel, Luc Boivin and Stéphane Ostiguy
Source: www.dieuduciel.com

As some of these beers have a good ageing potential, owners Jean-François Gravel, Stéphane Ostiguy, and Luc Boivin always keep some barrels in reserve for a special occasion. Some even make their way into bottles for consumption on the premises. Open since September 11th 1998, Dieu du Ciel! is also one of only three Québec brewpubs, with Sergent Recruteur and L'amère à boire, to offer cask beers. These cask beers are called "real ale" in England because they are neither filtered, nor pasteurized, nor pushed by carbon dioxide during the service. This "non-intervention" makes it such that these beers preserve all of their flavours and gives them a mouthfeel so smooth that you will have the feeling of drinking a cloud. You can recognize these beers by the "beer engine", a long vertical lever that the barman must pump to get the invaluable liquid.

The menu generally offers one beer on cask and eight on tap,

	The Best Picks Voyageur des Brumes on cask Route des épices Grand' Messe Déesse Nocturne Équinoxe du Printemps Chaman Rigor Mortis ABT Solstice d'Hiver The Anniversary Party

including two regulars (Païenne and Fumisterie) which are rather mainstream (accounting for 40% of the sales nevertheless). But it is in the other ones that Jean-François' talent is best expressed. The brewery also offers small tasting glasses to sample any or all of the beers which are served by a very knowledgeable staff.

In addition to the excellent housebrews Dieu du Ciel! also offers a good selection of alcohols from Quebec's best artisanal producers. You'll find ciders (Mystic on tap, Côteau St-Jacques), meads (Vieux Moulin, Cuvée du diable, Cuvée Blé Noir), a white wine (L'Orpailleur), a maple liquor (Charles-Aime Robert), and a fortified wine (L'Archer).

As for the kitchen it proposes nachos, sandwiches on pain au levain, pizzas on pita bread, and a plate of Québécois cheeses which includes the excellent Brie Triple-Crème Chevalier, Saint-Damase, Saint-Paulin, Tomme du Haut-Richelieu, and the delicious Bénédictin from the Saint-Benoît-du-Lac Abbey.

Dieu du Ciel!'s Anniversary Party

Bièro(t)rotteurs' most awaited annual event in Québec is without a doubt Dieu du Ciel!'s Anniversary Party which always takes place on the second or third Saturday of September. It is completely demented! To give you an idea how demented it is let me tell you that at the most recent Anniversary Party of 2006 we had to choose among a 3-year old Solstice d'Hiver on cask and 16 tap favorites including Blanche de Septembre, Voyageur des Brumes, Route des épices, Aphrodisiaque, Déesse Nocturne, Dernière Volonté, Péché Mortel, Rigor Mortis ABT, Solstice d'Hiver, a 7-month old Blanche Neige, a 1-year old Solstice d'Été aux cerises, a 1-year old Chaman, a 1-year old Péché Mortel, a 1-year old Rigor Mortis ABT, an 18-month old Grande Noirceur, and a 3.75-year old Quintessence! In addition to these gems, the Holy Trinity surprised us with several bottled vintages of Cornemuse, Équinoxe du Printemps, Péché Mortel, Rigor Mortis Triple, Rigor Mortis ABT and Solstice d'Hiver that went like hot cakes. HOT, REAL HOT!

The Sponge Awards

This section aims at honouring the beers which have received my perfect score of 4 sponges at least once during my last 4 visits at that brewery. However the score also takes into account all of the tastings of these same beers during these last 4 visits.

Déesse Nocturne   

The Nocturnal Goddess is a very smokey stout with a light bitterness. Available semi-regularly.

Voyageur des Brumes      

The cask version of the Traveller of the Fogs is one of Québec's best beers. It is the texture of this Extra Special Bitter which makes this beer so "comfortable". Velvety, we can note the presence of citrus fruits (apricot/grapefruit), but flavours quickly become secondary since the bewitching texture takes all the place. Great comfort... as if passion could turn into liquid! Available semi-regularly.

Grand' Messe   

Of great complexity, this Altbier presents hints of hazelnut which quietly, very quietly, makes place to a creamy bitterness which accompanies marvelously well the caramel finale. The High Mass is a masterpiece which deserves to be tasted by the pint to perceive all of its subtleties. It is then that you'll discover exALTation! Available semi-regularly.

Solstice d'Hiver   

The Winter Solstice is also one of Québec's best beers. Very complex, this barleywine, aged 6 months, presents hints of grapes, chocolate, and cherries, on a very beautiful bitterness. Available yearly from December 20th. A 12 months version is available each year from June 20th, and another 18 months version is available from December 20th of the following year.

However, my favorite version is the bottled one which is only available for consumption on the premises. It is an incredible swirl of flavours. The grapes and the hops are always present, with sometimes hints of chocolate and hazelnut, sometimes of caramel, creating an ensemble of radiant harmony. An astounding beer! It is generally available during the Dieu du Ciel!'s Anniversary Party!

Corne du Diable   

What a shock! The Devil's Horn is an explosion of Centennial hops with hints of citrus fruits, cantaloup, and a very beautiful bitterness. This American Pale Ale is available semi-regularly.

Solstice d'Hiver      

Very rarely served on cask, this 3-year old version, served during the 2006 Anniversary Party, was very overwhelming with its grapes and chocolate flavours on a very comfortable texture!

Rigor Mortis ABT   

A copy of the celebrated St Bernardus ABT 12 with its grapes and chocolate flavours and its beautiful bitterness. Only its amber color betrays it.

Équinoxe du Printemps      

The January of 2005 bottled version of the Spring Equinox tasted during the 2006 Anniversary Party had beautiful caramel and maple flavours which quietly made place to wine-like notes. Very close to a "maple" barleywine. A beautiful success!

Chaman   

Corne du Diable's nearest relative, this Imperial Pale Ale offers citrus fruits flavours and a beautiful alcoholic warmth.

Quintessence   

Smokey flavours as well as what could be Belgian yeast (?) in this beer which is part Scotch Ale and part Barleywine.

Équinoxe du Printemps   

Bewitching flavours of alcohol, vanilla, caramel, butter and maple on wine-like notes. A spring seasonal available from March 20 th.

Aphrodisiaque   

Beautiful flavours of vanilla and cocoa powder in this specialty stout.

Rigor Mortis Triple   

Beautiful flavours of roasted bread and bubblegum. A beautiful example of the style!

Saison St-Louis   

A nice acidity with banana flavours and very light buckwheat notes.

Route des épices   

Although spicy beers are generally not taken seriously by the "experts", this pepper beer is exceptional, perfect, well balanced, and should seduce lovers of thai cuisine. The April 2005 version of the Spice Route also presented smokey notes and caramel flavours.

Updated on March 22, 2007