Montreal Old Port: Craft Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour

The best part of this Old Port tour is its simple rhythm: three breweries, nine beers, and a short walk between stops. You get a guided introduction to Montreal beer without spending an afternoon arranging reservations, choosing tap lists, or finding your way around Old Montreal.

I like the mix of tasting and place. Antoine, the guide most often named by past customers, brings beer knowledge and Montreal stories together, while the three stops offer different settings and styles. I also like the food pairings, from homemade party mix to a warm pretzel and local cheeses. The main caution is that this is a walking drinking tour, so it suits adults who enjoy beer at a measured pace, not anyone looking for a full meal or a quiet historical walk.

Key points at a glance

• Nine samplers at three Old Port breweries: BreWskey, 3 Brasseurs St-Paul, and Bistro Brasserie Les Soeurs Grises each bring a different beer lineup.
• A guide-led walk through Old Montreal: The route connects the breweries with short walks and stories about Montreal’s beer past and surroundings.
• Access beyond the taproom: The tour includes entry to a brewing facility, giving you a closer look at how beer is made.
• Three food pairings: Homemade party mix, a fresh pretzel, and local cheeses help pace the tasting.
• English and French guidance: The live tour is offered bilingually, making it useful for mixed-language groups.
• A flexible three-hour plan: You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour and reserve now while paying later.

Three breweries, one easy Old Port route

This experience works because it keeps the geography manageable. You begin inside BreWskey Taproom in the Old Port, then walk to two more beer stops. One past participant described the breweries as roughly ten minutes apart, which gives you enough movement to reset your palate without turning the afternoon into a march.

The route also makes sense for first-time visitors. Old Montreal can feel like a collection of attractive streets and historic buildings without an obvious plan. Here, the beer provides the structure. You walk, listen, taste, and move on.

Expect a social setting rather than a private tasting at a table. The group can include couples, friends, solo visitors, and special-occasion groups. One past group used the tour for a bachelor party, while another had 11 people who continued chatting at the final stop after the scheduled finish. That tells you something useful: the tour has a friendly, easygoing tone, but you should be comfortable sharing the afternoon with strangers.

Starting with BreWskey’s first three pours

Your meeting point is BreWskey Taproom. Go inside and ask the brewery staff where to find the guide. The first tasting begins here, so you do not have a long wait before the activity gets going.

You receive three craft beer samplers paired with homemade party mix. Small pours are a good fit for this format. Nine full beers in three hours would be too much for most people, while samplers let you compare styles and keep enough room for the next two breweries.

BreWskey also provides the first look at the local craft beer scene. You can ask about the beers in your glass, how their flavors differ, and what makes a craft brew distinct from a standard lager. The strongest part of this tour, based on the information available, is the guide’s role in making those comparisons clear. Antoine is repeatedly praised for his enthusiasm, humor, and command of beer styles and brewing methods.

The food matters here, too. The party mix gives you something salty to eat at the start, which is practical when your palate is meeting several beers. On one past visit, the food included excellent roast nuts. Pairings can change, so treat that as a possible variation rather than a fixed menu.

Walking Old Montreal with beer stories

Between breweries, the guide adds Montreal context. This is not a full walking tour of Old Montreal, and you should not book it expecting a long architectural lecture. Instead, the city stories fill the spaces between tastings and help connect the beer to its setting.

That balance is one of the tour’s strengths. You are not sitting indoors for three straight hours, and you are not trying to absorb a full city history while walking quickly through streets. The guide gives you useful facts about Montreal’s brewing past, the local beer scene, and the surroundings you pass along the way.

Antoine receives especially strong praise for explaining in both French and English without making the tour feel stiff. Past customers describe him as funny, warm, and passionate about the subject. If you enjoy asking questions, this is likely where the experience becomes more than a standard tasting. You can ask about beer styles, brewing, or Montreal’s place in Quebec’s beer culture.

Wear comfortable shoes. The walking is not described as strenuous, but the route includes three brewery stops and outdoor time in all weather. The tour runs rain or shine, so bring weather-appropriate clothing. A coat or umbrella can make a big difference on a wet or cold day.

3 Brasseurs St-Paul and the brewing process

The second stop is 3 Brasseurs St-Paul, described as a beautiful microbrewery. Here, the focus shifts toward production. You learn about the brewing process and taste three more beers with a fresh pretzel.

This is a useful middle stop because the pretzel is more substantial than a handful of snacks. It helps slow the pace and gives you a familiar food pairing for comparing the beers. A pretzel also works well with several beer styles, so it lets you focus on the drink rather than deal with a complicated dish.

The brewing explanation is valuable for anyone new to craft beer. You do not need to know the difference between a saison, a cloudy beer, or another specialty style before arriving. The guide can give you a framework for noticing color, aroma, bitterness, sweetness, and texture.

The range may not suit every palate. One past participant did not enjoy the cloudy beers that were part of the Montreal beer scene, but found other samples more appealing, including a saison. That is a fair warning: craft tasting means you may encounter styles you would not normally order. The point is comparison, not nine guaranteed favorites.

If you already know your preferred beer style, use the tasting to test your assumptions. You may find a saison works better for you than expected, or you may confirm that hazy beer is not your thing. Either result is useful, especially when the pours are small.

Finishing at Les Soeurs Grises

The final brewery is Bistro Brasserie Les Soeurs Grises, where you taste three specialty beers with local cheeses. This ending shifts the mood from brewery lesson to relaxed food pairing.

Cheese is a natural match for beer, but the value here is practical as much as culinary. After several samples, you want something with substance and a flavor that can soften bitterness or sharpen a lighter beer. Local cheeses also keep the food tied to Quebec rather than turning the tour into a generic bar crawl.

Past pairings have included strong and unusual snacks, such as spicy buffalo cauliflower, while other visits featured roast nuts. The exact food can vary, so anyone with strict dietary needs should ask ahead rather than assume every snack will suit them.

The final stop also appears to be a good place to linger. The scheduled experience lasts three hours, but one past group stayed on after the formal tour ended. That does not mean extra time is guaranteed, but it suggests the last brewery has a social feel that works well for conversation.

You should still remember that this is a tasting, not a pub crawl. The tour offers nine samplers, but the pace is guided. If you want to order larger glasses after the official finish, that would be separate from the included experience.

What the $50 price buys you

At $50 per person, the price is reasonable for a three-hour guided activity in Old Montreal. You are paying for nine beer samples, three snacks, visits to three breweries, a bilingual guide, access to a brewing facility, and local taxes.

The value is strongest if you want structure. You could visit one or two breweries on your own, but you would need to choose the places, manage the route, understand the beer lists, and arrange your own explanations. This tour handles those decisions and adds a person who can explain what you are tasting.

The price is less compelling if you mainly want a large quantity of beer. Nine samplers are designed for variety, not volume. You are paying for the route, the information, the pairings, and the chance to compare several local beers without committing to full pours.

I also see value in the bilingual format. English and French are both used, which suits couples or groups with different language preferences. Past customers specifically appreciated the guide’s ability to explain the tour in both languages.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would recommend it to adults who enjoy trying unfamiliar beers, asking questions, and walking through Old Montreal. It is particularly useful for a first visit, since it combines a food and drink experience with a modest introduction to the area.

It also works well for a small celebration or group outing. The atmosphere is described as relaxed and social, and the food helps keep the experience from feeling like three unrelated bar visits.

Beer beginners can join without preparation. The guide explains the basics, and the sampler format lets you discover preferences without ordering full glasses. Experienced beer drinkers may enjoy the range and the chance to hear about Montreal brewing, though the tour may feel introductory if you already know the city’s breweries well.

This is not suitable for children under 18 or pregnant participants. Bring identification, and a copy is accepted. The tour operates in rain or shine, so check the forecast and dress for the conditions.

A few practical details before you book

Plan for three hours from the scheduled start. Starting times vary, so check availability when you choose your date. The meeting point is inside BreWskey Taproom in the Old Port, and brewery staff can direct you to the guide.

Comfortable shoes are more important than dressy clothes. You will move between three locations, and weather-appropriate clothing is essential because the walking portions take place outdoors.

The tour includes local taxes, so the listed $50 price covers more than just the beer samples. Cancellation is flexible: you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Montreal plans are still shifting.

My verdict on this Old Port beer tour

Book this tour if you want a friendly, guided introduction to Montreal craft beer with enough walking to keep the afternoon moving. The strongest reasons are the three-stop format, the useful snack pairings, the brewing access, and the guide’s clear enthusiasm, especially when Antoine is leading.

Skip it if you want full pours, a silent tasting, or a broad city tour unrelated to beer. The experience is social, bilingual, and built around sampling unfamiliar styles. For most beer-curious adults, though, $50 buys a well-organized way to taste nine local beers and see a little more of Old Montreal along the way.

FAQ

Where does the Montreal Old Port beer tour begin?

The tour begins inside BreWskey Taproom in Montreal’s Old Port. Ask the brewery staff where to find your guide.

How long does the tour last?

The guided tour lasts three hours.

How many beers are included?

Nine craft beer samplers are included, with three samples at each of the three brewery stops.

Which breweries does the tour visit?

The route includes BreWskey Brasserie Artisanale, 3 Brasseurs St-Paul, and Bistro Brasserie Les Soeurs Grises.

What food is included?

The included snacks are homemade party mix at BreWskey, a fresh pretzel at 3 Brasseurs St-Paul, and local cheeses at Les Soeurs Grises.

Is the tour available in English?

Yes. The live guide offers the tour in English and French.

Can I cancel the tour for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund.