The hostess of our Bed & Breakfast cautioned us, about a week ahead, to make a reservation and we didn't heed that advice.
It was one of those towns where, if you blinked, you would miss it. We were there on a Sunday evening, after the Labour Day weekend and when kids were back in school. Why would we need to make a reservation?
Apparently, Le Baldaquin Resto-Pub, in Neuville, Québec, is the most-popular dining venues in the area, about a half an hour west of Québec City. At 6:30, the place was packed.
The person who greeted us at the door had a sad look on her face as we told her that no, we didn't make a reservation. We spotted a couple, who were also checking in at our B&B at the same time, and they had mentioned that they had reserved their table.
They had taken our hostess' advice.
We were told that there could be a table free in another half an hour, and we left our name. Because Neuville is so small and we didn't want to move our car—we managed to snare the last parking spot on the premises, while other patrons parked on a dirt road across the street—we only wandered from the pub, on Rue des Erables, to the main highway that runs through the town, and back. There wasn't much to see but we killed about 20 minutes.
The restaurant did have a patio but because it had been raining fiercely and it had somewhat cooled outside, there were no patrons at the tables. We waited on the patio and watched the sun set.
Before the 30 minutes was up, a man who we had seen behind the bar stepped out and told us that if we were willing to sit at the bar, he would serve us. A couple had left the restaurant just as we had been returning to it.
There was a constant murmur of patrons but because it was a fairly tight space, it wasn't too loud. The resto-pub was also home to a craft brewery so when the bartender offered us something to drink, there were plenty of lagers and ales to choose from.
I chose a style of ale that I haven't had in quite a while.
L'Esprit de Clocher Microbrasserie
Neuville QC
Appearance: pours a muddy brown with copper highlights. A creamy beige head leaves a solid cap and clings to the side of the glass.
Nose: burnt toffee and prunes, encapsulated in a fine smoke.
Palate: the smoky flavour coats the tongue and there's almost a meatiness to it, like a bratwurst sausage. The finish is somewhat charred but of medium body, and when all is said and done there's a bit of a bitter cocoa powdered sensation that remains.
Overall impression: I have to admit that my tasting notes are based on the cans that I brought home with me. The smokiness of this ale is more pronounced than I remember from the draft version of L'Arbre de Vie (Tree of Life). When I sat at the bar, sipping this beer and enjoying a crispy chicken sandwich, I distinctly tasted more caramel and toasted biscuit. Perhaps the homemade barbecue sauce on the sandwich influenced my memory but I was well into that pint before my supper came.
I let the ale sit in my glass, at home, for quite a while, letting the air affect it and allowing the beer to come up in temperature (my mini fridge keeps cans quite cold). And while the strength of the smokiness settled, there was still the charred-wood finish that I don't remember sensing before.
Mind you, this is not a criticism and the finish adds more complexity to the ale. I still like this ale.
Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺
Our evening in Neuville marked the end to our Laurentian vacation. The next morning, after breakfast, we drove home with nearly a dozen cans of beer in our cooler.
When we set out on our vacation, I didn't expect it to be a beercation. I had scoped out breweries in Chicoutimi—where we spent very little time—and in Tadoussac, where we were for two nights. I was hoping to check out the microbrewery in this town, and I did. But I also stumbled upon so many more breweries and tried more craft beer than I expected to find.
And I'm thrilled about the experience.
I've always known that Québec is home to excellent beer and this trip confirmed that notion. This vacation also renewed my love of beer—I had lost my passion over the summer—and I'm looking forward to discovering new beer from around the globe.
Cheers!
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