A warm welcome from the islanders

Warm, welcoming, inventive and unpretentious, Les Insulaires microbrewery could not have been born without the love that owners Marilène Barale and Guillaume Ouimet have for beer, and the love that has united this passionate couple ever since they met... in a bar 12 years ago!

Long tables, lots of plants, pastel colors, a vintage sofa on a small mezzanine, a tropical tapestry reminiscent of the sea, a large wooden bar around which Laval residents and visitors alike gather, 24 lines of cask beer neatly lined up on a white-tiled wall, an airy 140-seat space, a comforting bistro menu: Les Insulaires microbrewery has become the gathering place that the inhabitants - the islanders! - of Laval Island.

We've been tripping over beer for as long as we can remember," explains Guillaume, co-owner and brewer with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. It was our shared passion that motivated the whole thing, but doing it as a couple was necessary. We wouldn't have done it if we hadn't been together.

Les Insulaires set, photo Simon Jodoin

It was while living in Montreal that the pair first became familiar with microbrewery beer. And by participating in numerous beer festivals. Events that so charmed Marilène that, five years ago, she decided to found the famous Festival des bières de Laval. It was this "real" plunge into the world of microbrewery beers that marked a real turning point in the life and desires of the couple, who have since become Laval locals.

The microbrewery scene is very under-represented in the region," says Marilène. We saw that there were no microbreweries in Laval, and we couldn't understand why, because there was a demand. We felt it was important to establish ourselves here. Our clientele is mainly local.

Proof that the demand was real: the enthusiasm people showed when they opened in 2018 is still going strong. So the couple are not only "brewing beer", they're also helping to create neighborhood life around the Viau Bridge, where there were very few local businesses.

Photo Simon Jodoin

"The locals are very grateful to us," adds the couple, who say they're very involved in their community. They told us, "Finally, a business like this!" People are enthusiastic, they want to encourage us and they appreciate our presence."

Over the past few years, Laval has developed a number of attractive offerings. Many new restaurants and projects are springing up, attracting more and more young people and small families to settle here. And beer lovers who prefer to stay in the metropolis now dare to go out of town to discover new breweries.

Over the past five years, the number of beer routes has exploded," says Guillaume. There's a lot of tourism created by microbreweries. Almost every village now has a microbrewery. The fact that we're close to Montreal attracts people, and they hear about us.

A dish from the Islanders menu, photo Simon Jodoin

Local freshness

Like many establishments in Montreal and beyond, Les Insulaires makes it a point of honor to give pride of place to local and Quebec products. That's the spirit behind their 100% Quebec beer, La Lyzée, released... on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day! A classic, fruity Pale Ale "without being too bitter," it's easy to drink and has received rave reviews.

We wanted to make a 100% Quebec beer and encourage local products," explains the man who spent 4 years brewing beer in a cauldron in a university building. There are more and more hop gardens in Quebec, there are some really interesting malting plants, and it's becoming more and more available. Plus, the fact that our friends at Domaine Brune Houblonde grow the hops in Laval is even cooler."

Yeast and malt from Innomalt Inc. or elsewhere in Quebec, honey from Intermiel, cherries and other good Quebec berries: the flavors of Les Insulaires beers are enhanced by the freshness of local products.

Photo Simon Jodoin

"I always manage to make someone love one of my beers," says Guillaume, whose father, a former Molson Export enthusiast, now swears by La Dérive NEIPA, his New England IPA.

Licensed as a craft brewer, the microbrewery is currently only able to sell its beer directly to customers on site. It has also recently been able to offer them its new cans to take away. A great way to advertise for the couple, whose third baby (they also have two children) is growing fast. So much so, in fact, that brewers from other parts of the world sometimes make the journey to visit their facilities and ask their advice.

We don't know where we'll be in two years, we're just growing," laughs the brewer, who is already exploring new beer recipes. The Quebec beer scene is really a great brotherhood, and there's no shortage of projects for us."

by Sarah-Emilie Nault