Dépanneur Peluso

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev -4.2%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Nice dep a little out of downtown Montreal, but easily accessible by car, and seemingly not too far from transit. The beer room is in the back left of the store, and has an excellent selection of Quebec micros, which is very comprehensive and covers all the bases. Expect to find some great beer from Charlevoix, Dieu du Ciel, Trois Mousquetaires and a lot more. There is also a small handful of Belgians, but nothing too special. A beer fridge along the left-hand side of the store strikes me as a good option for those beers more sensitive to the conditions they're kept in. Prices seemed fine and in line with elsewhere.

Service was decent enough. I speak a bit of French, but there was little else needed in the transaction. I understand that the beer guys here is outstanding, so if you need to know anything he'll be the guy to speak to.

Picked up a whole bunch of Trois Mousquetaires... nice stuff!

06-16-2010 18:56:18 | More by bobsy

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.56/5  rDev +0.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

Stopped in here on Monday around 11AM. This was like the Julio's/Foodery/Deciccos/Olive Tree Market of Montreal to me, awesome selection.

In the front it looks like a regular convenience store but a small walk to the back and there is a pretty big room (Montreal terms) dedicated to micobrews.

The atmosphere was nice. Clean presentation, bottles lined up on shelves neatly organized by style. Big cooler selection, seemed to be sorted by brewery in there. I liked how I could pick a style and just grab a few bottles from different breweries, I grabbed 4-5 big stouts.

Quality was great as well. Like I said, the beer looked clean, ie lacked dust and the dates I saw on cases or singles were all within reasonable limits for a store with such a huge amount of different beers.

I didn't really ask any questions but there were several people working in the store and from what I gathered they knew enough about beer. He told me about specials they had and was nice. Didn't run out to offer advice, which I personally don't care about.

Mostly carried Quebec/Candian micorbrews, which is what I was looking for. I didn't bother to notice if there was any macros or import beer. Huge amount of singles on the top few shelves of each aisle with respective 4/6/12 packs below, I really liked the layout. I went up and down the aisle and there seemed to be 20-30 different examples of each style. Saisons, fruit beers, stouts, browns, IPAs and Belgian adaptations. I can't imagine another store in Montreal with a bigger selection of beer. They also had a great glassware selection, better than any store I can currently think of in the USA.

Prices were the same as any other store I looked for beer in. Montreal tax is a killer but that applies to all stores obviously. $2-3 per 12oz, $3-6 per 500ml, $6-15 per 750ml, etc etc. Reasonable.

The front of the store carried some snacks, wine, soda and whatever else the common Depanneur carries.

If you go to Montreal, this is a must visit. They also had a small PARKING LOT right next door where you don't have to pay, not too common in that city. That being said it was probably 1-2 miles from St. Laurent/busy areas of Downtown. Anyways, get here if you want to feel like a kid in a candy shop of Quebec micros.

02-21-2012 17:07:03 | More by cbutova

charlesw

New York

4.45/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 5 | $$

So the remodel they did went well - for a mini mart this place is very nice! In fact, once you're back in the "nice beer" section (out of the mini mart) you would never know you were anywhere but in a nice beer store.

And it's a very nice beer store. It's certainly overwhelming for a foreigner with no knowledge of Canadian beer to go in because it is overwhelmingly Canadian! Another reviewer wrote "if it's Canadian they have it" but that is far from the case - I did not see any of the beers I know from the Atlantic seaboard. But... HOLY COW are there ever a lot of Quebecois beers! Four or five aisles of Quebecois beers... It's nuts!

There is some semblance of order in the aisles - IPA, Belgian-Style single and tripel, dark and heavy, amber, um. And at least 2 others I forget just now (ha). Then all around that, in the cold case, against the walls, in center bits, things are arranged by brewery or as specials (when it arrived, whatever). There's a glass aisle (mostly locals, some European) and some tshirts, too.

What makes this place stand out:
- it's nice, clean, airy, well-designed, organized.
- the selection of locals is phenomenal

What could make it better for me:
- maybe... Maybe the place is designed specifically for locals but as someone from somewhere else I'm utterly at a loss when confronted with hundreds of beers I've never heard of! Shelf talkers of any kind would have been so appreciated! That's maybe complicated for them in that the BA shelf talkers are in English but, dang it, if I have to look up every single beer to have any idea what it's about then it makes being there take a really long time!
- I want an itemized receipt, please, and not just the cash ticket!
- having help that seeks out customers and asks if they want/need help would work for me. Maybe that's not the style of Montreal, I dunno...

12-30-2011 16:17:23 | More by charlesw

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.86/5  rDev -15%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$$

Probably the largest selection of Quebec beers in the Montreal area. The store is also in the middle of renovations that will be increasing its size. The prices are a little bit higher than what I'm used to, but not excessive. Apparently they carry Hopfenstark and Trou Du Diable, but they didn't have any in stock. Most beers are available in singles and it was pretty easy to find parking. The staff was pretty busy moving stuff around as part of the renovations, so I can't really comment on the service. Definitely the spot to go for anyone from out of town looking for Quebec beers to take home.

09-16-2011 18:46:14 | More by spinrsx

dmgnyc

New York

4.6/5  rDev +1.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

Wowsers.

This place was a five minute drive from my lodging on a recent Montreal bachelor weekend/beer extravaganza, and I made a point to go based upon the positive reviews herein.

Doesn't look too special from the outside, and even once you're in the front door, just looks like a basic convenience store with cases of Molson and Labatt's and whatnot. But when you keep walking towards the back, you eventually realize you're in a one of a kind beer emporium. My knowledge of Canadian microbrews not from Dieu Du Ciel is minimal, but suffice it to say, if they brew it in Canada, chances are it's here.

And they've got tall boys of PBR Dry! I can't get that in NYC.

06-28-2011 22:35:32 | More by dmgnyc

zachariaIPA

Ontario (Canada)

4.74/5  rDev +4.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$$

Wow. If you're going to Montreal, this place is a must-visit. A very unassuming store with unparalleled selection..completely mind-melting. Kid-in-a-candystore type of stuff we're talking about here.

Hundreds of beers..all of your Quebec microbrewers and a large number of the province's top 50. Nice selection of glassware, as well. Everything is in French which makes things take a little longer when browsing but the staff are friendly and helpful.

I bought so much beer they ended up throwing in some posters and a Blanche du Chambly glass.

05-07-2011 21:49:31 | More by zachariaIPA

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.24/5  rDev -6.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Amazing corner store in Montreal with huge selection of beers. The selection is quite incredible with all bottled Quebec micros represented. Quiet a few rarities with great selection of growlers. Staff is quite knowledge and always willing to help. Location is a bit off from downtown but not too far form highway 15 which is convenient for me. Prices might be a bit higher then other places in town but far justified with selection. Nice selection of quebec ciders. Parking is quite ample in that part of town.

04-14-2011 02:06:08 | More by Phyl21ca

HopBacchus

Massachusetts

4.64/5  rDev +2.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

The best place to get Quebec craft beer. I'd been living in Montreal for a year when I decided to make the drive out east to this store. Absolutely fantastic. I find in Quebec its very hard to get American imports and Quebec brewers although masters at producing Belgian styles, show much less interest in Hop Heads. My desire for bitterness was more than satisfied in this amazing store. The guys know exactly what they're talking about and what's more they are on BA! If you are in montreal, go here.

03-16-2011 19:30:17 | More by HopBacchus

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

4.8/5  rDev +5.7%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

This must be the beer Mecca of Quebec! The store is bright, well lit and clean. The selection in the coolers on the left of the store as you enter beats the total selection of most any other beer store. But then there is the display in the room out back, which is organized by general style, and must include most anything available from Quebec breweries in bottle.

The service is friendly, knowledgeable and bilingual. And if you are looking for something you don't see - ask. They may go downstairs and find it for you. My large order was carried to my car for me and delivered with a handshake and a smile. Incredible!

11-02-2010 00:55:37 | More by CliffBrake

johncoates

Ontario (Canada)

4.85/5  rDev +6.8%
quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I was so glad to find this place. It looked just like any depanneur until you get back to the back - follow the fridges and the selection just keep getting better and better.

Everything is broken up by style and it's easy to find anything. Or just ask for help. If you're lucky, Alain will be there (a beer's lover beer lover). He knows everything, knows all the brewers, and he might have something special for you in the back if you ask nicely (old vintages, new arrivals). This place is excellent for Quebec more standard craft and very special beers. They also have growlers and bottles from the most up and coming breweries. There are not many imports - but you don't need them with this Quebec selection.

Bottomline: If you are looking for Quebec beer, go here!

09-07-2010 12:46:33 | More by johncoates