Beer, vino, history and more

I had a full day today, continuing my exploration of the Outauais region of Quebec. After checking out of my fantastic accommodations at the Chateau Cartier, I headed north to a rustic rural area called Aylmer, to get a first hand tour of a boutique vineyard.  As I arrived at Vigoble du Clos Baille, I was greeted by Raymond Huneault, the owner and wine-master who gave me a tour of his petite wine-making operation. I then enjoyed a a tasting of several of his wines while learning about the vineyard.  One area of specialty are ice wines, which is a variety I don’t necessarily care for due to the high sugar content. However, I tried the Vin de Glace, a red ice wine, which was fantastic.  I’ve actually never had, nor had I heard of, a red ice wine…it was actually quite enjoyable.

My next stop of the day took me south to Gatineau, where I enjoyed a tour of a brewery full of history, both literally and figuratively. The Les Brasseurs de Temps (BDT) is a Microbrewery, and…history museum—on beer of course. BDT is actually the site of the very first brewery in the region and dates back to 1821.  Much of the building is original and is an iconic landmark for the area, which resides along a feeder river and provides a wonderful setting when dining outside on the expansive patio. Indoor the facility has been acoustically modified for live music events.  The venue is quite extraordinary, with a wonderful layout that has retained much of its historic legacy.

In the center of BDT you find a spiral pathway that leads guests through the museum portion of the facility. Here you will find an array of artifacts and information on the region’s beer making history. You may even see the brew-master concocting a current batch. BDT doesn’t serve ordinary bar food, on the contrary, they have an extensive menu that consists of fresh and delicious  items that will tantalize the taste buds.  Of course, this is a brewery, so they have an extensive menu for beers as well, all of which the brew on-site, with the exception of a couple of guest beers that rotate from time-to-time. I tried a sampler platter flight, that had 12-13 beers on it…all incredibly distinct and full of flavor.

Next on my agenda was to visit the Civilization Museum, which was an extraordinary experience.  I had a private tour guide who was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about sharing his wisdom on the various exhibits. The museum is huge and also encompass an IMAX theater, so if you go, plan to spend the whole day. The views from the museum are also quite spectacular, right on the Ottawa River.  On the other side you can see the Parliament buildings and other local landmarks.

After making my way through rush-hour traffic, I arrived in the small village of Chelsea, where I checked into a B&B.  Auberge Old Chelsea B&B is a charming house with three rooms and a separate cabin adjacent to the main house.

I’m now catching my breath and getting freshened up before heading to dinner.  More later…