Unibroue

Lore & Background

Unibroue was founded by business partners André Dion and Serge Racine, who acquired 75% of La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. of Lennoxville in 1990. The original goal was to improve distribution for emerging craft breweries in Quebec, but when other breweries left the project, Unibroue shifted to brewing entirely. Because of a moratorium on brewing licenses, Unibroue bought Massawippi to obtain its brewing license, Br-008. By 1992, La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Unibroue, later changing its corporate name to Brasserie Broubec Inc. and merging with Unibroue in July 1993. The company was purchased by Sleeman Breweries Ltd. in 2004, which was itself taken over by Sapporo in 2006.

Unibroue makes a wide range of beers with a focus on Belgian-style brews such as Maudite, La Fin du Monde, and Don de Dieu. Most of its beers are bottled on the lees, meaning they contain yeast sediment, which provides additional fermentation after bottling. This practice allows the beer to age well if kept dark and unrefrigerated, and gives the beers a cloudy appearance and characteristic taste. Many labels include suggested serving temperatures, such as 'better at 12°–14°C'. Recently, Unibroue shifted to more conventional styles with lighter beer cans inspired by their original heavier Belgian beers, including la Petite Maudite and Saison Libre, both referencing Quebec's history and folk traditions.

Reader's Guide

Unibroue's significance lies in its role as a pioneer of Belgian-style brewing in Quebec and its consistent award-winning quality. The brewery's practice of bottle-conditioning on the lees distinguishes its beers, allowing them to develop complexity over time and be shipped to international markets. La Fin du Monde, introduced in July 1994, has won numerous medals from the Beverage Testing Institute, including five platinum, six gold, and one silver, as well as a gold medal at the Los Angeles County Fair in 2004. Don de Dieu has won four gold medals from the Beverage Testing Institute since 1998. Grande Reserve 17 received the 'World's best dark ale' award at the World Beer Awards in London in 2011, along with platinum medals from the Beverage Testing Institute in 2009, 2010, and 2011. At the 2015 World Beer Awards, La Fin du Monde was declared World's Best Belgian Style Tripel, and the company won multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals. In 2016, Unibroue won World's Best awards for Belgian Style Strong Dark (Trois Pistoles) and Belgian Style Tripel (La Fin du Monde), along with other medals. These accolades reflect the brewery's enduring legacy in the craft beer industry.

Did You Know?

• Unibroue was founded by Serge Racine and André Dion, who acquired 75% of La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. in 1990.
• The brewery's license number is Br-008, obtained through the purchase of Massawippi due to a moratorium on brewing licenses.
• La Fin du Monde, a Belgian-style tripel, was introduced in July 1994 and has won five platinum medals from the Beverage Testing Institute.