That's Not Orange Juice

Ottawa has a new brew pub in town, and after giving them a chance to settle in, I paid them a visit.

The new pub is not a new brewery. Founded in 1986 in France, les 3 Brasseurs has expanded in Europe and has made its way to Québec and Ontario. It's newest location is at Bank and Sparks, in the 240 Sparks building.

My first experience with The 3 Brewers, as they are known to les anglophones, was last summer in Old Montreal. And, I have to admit, I left the brew pub less than satisfied. The beer was okay, the food was so-so, and the service was downright awful. I left the Rue St.Paul location thinking I would never try them again.

But here we are in Ottawa, and I decided to give them another chance. The location is great, with large, floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides of the pub, with some glass looking into the mall. The pub is spacious, clean, and takes up two floors. Copper kettles and fermentation tanks are in several locations and are exposed to the patrons. The main-floor bar, where I sat, is huge and offers 12 taps.

Although, when I was there, only six brews were available.

When I visited the Montreal brew pub, I tried only the brown. I remember it being good, but not extraordinary. It was on tap at the Ottawa pub, so I ordered the six samplers. I wanted to refresh my memory of the brown and compare it with the remaining five ales.

The sampler consisted of four regular beers: the Blond, Amber, White, and Brown. A beer of the month, a special brew for the new pub, a Wit-style ale aptly called 240 Sparks was the fifth offering, and the final beer was a seasonal called The Winter Warmer.

Each of the beers offered a unique taste to its style, but when it came down to it I found that I only liked one of the beers. Most of them rated a 2 on my scale. They weren't to my liking, but if you like that style you should try them out for yourself.

I didn't like the seasonal at all. The colour was a deep copper with hints of red. The nose was closed and offered little more than traces of wood. On first sip, I was immediately hit with the 9-percent alcohol, and then I detected what I could only describe as pine resin. The Winter Warmer finishes like medicine. My rating: 1.

But there was one ale that I truly enjoyed and even ordered a full pint, and then another half-pint.

The winner of the evening was the beer of the month, the 240 Sparks.

I enjoy unusual ales, and this one was definitely not your ordinary brew. With creamy orange, murky colour and a white head, you could look at my glass and believe I was drinking orange juice. Seriously. But this was not orange juice. The nose presented distinct notes of grapefruit and intense spruce. Grapefruit carried through in the mouth and blended with a good balance of hops and a nice, lingering finish. The alcohol (6% ABV) did not come through in the flavours, which makes me think that this would be a dangerous beverage on a hot summer day. It made me long for patio season (especially since I was there on a frigid winter's night).

My rating for 240 Sparks: 4 out of 5. I hope they bring this beer back, because January is almost over.

While I didn't eat during my stay, my friend ordered the fish and chips, which smelled great and was endorsed by my buddy. Another gentleman ordered a cheeseburger with crispy, fried onions, and it made my mouth drool. The unnamed eater gave it his thumbs up.

And apart from the manager, who was initially surly with me (I asked permission before I came behind the bar to photograph the taps!), the service was prompt and friendly.

So I will return to The 3 Brewers. Check them out for yourselves, and make sure you get some of the beer of the month before it's gone.