La Cuvée 2023: a party in a church near you
La Cuvée will be held from March 30 to April 1, 2023 at Salon 1861 in Griffintown, a former church converted into an event hall.
After a two-year break, La Cuvée will return to Salon Richmond 1861, a former church in Griffintown, from March 30 to April 1. Metrospoke with one of the co-founders of this flagship gathering of the Quebec brewing world in order to draw up the history of La Cuvée to give you an idea of the program for this edition.
After the success of the Oktoberfest of Granby, of which he is still president, the co-founder of La Cuvée Justin Archambault wanted to set up an event to bring together the world of microbrewery in a place that is out of the ordinary, in Montreal.
“La Cuvée has been around for nine years,” says Mr. Archambault. Originally, the event took place on the Plateau-Mont-Royal, in the basement of the Saint-Joseph church. It was really amazing to be in a church drinking unique beers and exclusive alcoholic products from all over Quebec. But after three years, we were looking for a bigger room because the basement was no longer big enough for the success we were experiencing. That’s where we moved to Salon Richmond 1861, a church converted into an event hall in Griffintown.”
Photo of the last edition which took place in 2020, in the church of Griffintown. Photo: Courtesy, La Cuvée
But it’s not just alcoholic products that are on the menu at La Cuvée: since its creation, its team has been busy creating a festive atmosphere where rockabilly and rock’ n’roll are masters. The 2023 edition will be no exception, as underground bands will perform, with the added bonus of burlesque shows on Friday and Saturday nights.
Imagine drinking exceptional products from all over Quebec while listening to good music and watching a showburlesque in a church; this is La Cuvée! This event is not for a mainstream audience; it remains an event for beer and alcohol connoisseurs who also want to consume Quebec culture in a festive atmosphere.
Justin Archambault, co-founder of La Cuvée
The La Cuvée team will launch at the Mellön microbrewery on March 15, the evening during which they will make the grand unveiling of the microbreweries that will be present this year.
While they could not confirm which brands or which products would be in the spotlight, Justin Archambault still gave a hint: we go with popularity and exclusivity…!
On the menu for the 2023 edition
Each evening of La Cuvée will have a distinct theme, faithful to its mission to make Quebec producers shine by bringing together in one place a unique offer of microbreweries and quality spirits. Here are the themes for each evening:
- Thursday, March 30 – Ça Part Fort: in partnership with the Wabasso Distillery, located in Trois-Rivières, the first evening of La Cuvée will focus on products from distilleries from across Quebec. Signature tastings will be specially organized for the occasion.
- Friday, March 31 – Discoveries: in partnership with Le Bièrologue , an institution of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in the artisanal brewing community, the evening of March 31 will be dedicated to nanobreweries and microbreweries that deserve to be known.
- Saturday, April 1 – Release Bar: to end the 2023 edition, La Cuvée invites the public to come and taste more than a dozen rare products offered exclusively in Montreal.
The packages vary between $15 and $27. Basic admission is $15.
