Shortly after the opening of the neighborhood “brewpub” that he and his partners had dreamed of so much, Michaël Ruel still remembers leaning at the end of the bar and contemplating the crowd of customers seated around a pint. “I was on cloud nine, and this cloud has lasted for 10 years. We’re still pinching ourselves,” he says.
This Saturday, Isle de Garde celebrates its 10th anniversary. For the occasion, in collaboration with the borough of Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, part of its alley will be closed. There will be food, music, entertainment and, of course, beer!
Those who frequent Isle de Garde know that on a Thursday or Friday evening, its 150 places are sold well before 6 p.m. This is without counting the large terrace which welcomes around 90 customers during the warm season. It makes you wonder where people used to go for a beer in the corner!
The popular independent brewery on Rue Beaubien wouldn’t celebrate its 10th anniversary without a man named Paul Proulx from the Caisse populaire de Victoriaville, says brewer Olivier Dupras. He alone believed in the project of Michaël Ruel, Simon Chantal, Matthieu Gauthier and Marc-Aurèle Lussier, who were eyeing the space left vacant by the closure of Bistro Unique.
“Simon had gone to see him to change something in his account and he spoke to him about our project by chance,” says Olivier. It is thanks to him that we exist. »
All are childhood friends from Victoriaville, except the chef, Marc-Aurèle Lussier, who worked with Matthieu at the Café du Nouveau Monde. As customers of the rarest craft breweries of the time, the partners clearly knew what experience they wanted to offer.
Young, Olivier was the type to make beer in his cellar while Michaël remembers his collection of bottles and the time of “going up to Montreal” from Saint-Hyacinthe, where he studied at CEGEP, to go to Dieu du Ciel ! and enjoy a stout with cocoa and vanilla.
Matthieu and Olivier recount the time when they toured the “malt axis” stopping at Cheval Blanc, Saint-Bock, L’amère à boire, Benelux, Dieu du Ciel! and Vices.
From the first evening of opening in September 2014, Isle de Garde attracted crowds. And this is still the case (seven days a week from midday!), although the brewery offer has improved in the area with the opening of the Harricana and Mellön breweries and the bars Yisst, Birra, etc.
In August 2022, Isle de Garde took the premises of a former convenience store and even kept the name to open Chez Popo and add around thirty more places. “We were losing a lot of customers because there was a long queue,” says Olivier. “Chez Popo allowed us to realize our plan of having a boutique café with cans to take away,” adds Matthieu.
Olivier, who shares the brewing task with Isaël Dagenais, is delighted that customers follow their initiatives which are off the beaten track. He cites the example of Cask beers – very rare in Quebec – and he says he is particularly proud of Franconian beers. We also had to convince customers who only swore by IPAs to rediscover lagers.
Everything is brewed at 1039 rue Beaubien Est. “Per square foot, we produce a lot of liters of beer here,” emphasizes Olivier.
There are also no plans to expand or open other branches. “It’s about authenticity,” says Matthieu.
From the start, Isle de Garde also wanted to stand out through the plate. “We found that food was often neglected in pubs,” emphasizes Michaël Ruel.
“We can eat a burger and a mac and cheese, but we can also go elsewhere,” emphasizes chef-owner Marc-Aurèle, who works with executive chef Clarisse Barrette Vigneault. Recently, there was a dish of fresh gnocchi served with blond morels and wild garlic on the menu.
But in 2024, it’s quite a challenge to offer a good steak and fries for $21. “With local products and from local businesses,” adds the man everyone calls Marco.
“The vision we have today is the one that was on paper 10 years ago,” Olivier says with hindsight.
Conclusion ? It was lucky that Simon went to make a change in his current account at the Victoriaville pop fund while he and his friends were struggling to finance their neighborhood gastro-pub project.
Paul Proulx, know that beer will be offered on the house if you come to Isle de Garde!