November 2011
In the midst of developing their business plan, the Laganière brothers fall in love with a space on Richelieu Street, in old Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC. After a few visits, the lease is signed.
The Lagabière Experience
Once upon a time in the family garage...
Our story
from the beginning
March 2012
The space is rented, and the work begins. With just the four walls, everything had to be built from scratch
September 2012
The brewing equipment arrives, and its installation begins
November 2012
First unofficial opening of Lagabière’s brewpub & bistro, only offering ‘’guest’’ beers. The very first Lagabière beer on tap was ‘’Captain Brian’’, a Blonde Ale at 4% abv that is still brewed by the brothers every now and then.
February 2013
The official opening was on February 9. It drew an impressive crowd, and the menu offered a selection of locally brewed craft beers.
November 2015
Lagabière’s growing success and the increased demand for their New England-styled India Pale Ales starts to affect their ability to offer a variety of beers at the brewpub and supply the demand. Francis and Sebastien set out to find a place where they can brew their high-demand core beers in a much larger capacity and supply the brewpub with those beers.
March 2016
A space suitable for a microbrewery is found in the Iberville industrial park. Work begins and the brothers work hard all summer to set up their new brewery location.
July 2016
Brewing at the new brewery location takes place in early July. Some test brews are made and are put into barrels/kegs only
August 2016
At the ‘’Bières et Saveurs’’ craft beer festival in Chambly, QC, which typically receives over 60,000 visitors, Lagabière wins 1st prize in the ‘’Grande Brasse’’ competition with its most popular beer, Ta Meilleure (a New England-style IPA at 7% abv).
September 2016
Ta Meilleure is launched in 341 ml bottles for the first time. Also launched are Southshore IPL (India Pale Lager), Ordre de Toasts (Brown Ale), Fumée Sans Feu (Smoked Red Ale), and Apaisante (Witbier) in 500 ml bottles.
September 2017
One year after bottling, the product lineup is revised and Lagabière decides to start canning their beers in 473 ml format. Except for very limited special releases, bottles are no longer used.
September 2018
One year after opting for cans, the beers continue to experience phenomenal success. The flagship product, Ta Meilleure, quickly becomes a staple on the Quebec microbrewing scene. Major investments in equipment are made to ensure the continued increased demand is met.
July 2019
Demand continues to grow and the premises Lagabière occupies finally becomes too small to support any additional growth. Plans for the construction of a new brewery are set in motion and the owners secure a vacant lot nearby.
November 2021
Lagabière moves into its brand new 19,000 square foot facility. Brewing capacity increases by nearly 8 times the amount previously possible. The new brewery provides tremendous room for growth and innovation…and 16 beers on tap in the Taproom!
The founding
brothers
The Laganière brothers, Francis and Sebastien, were born into a family particularly fond of beer and gatherings. No wonder they developed a love and passion for this wonderful beverage! At a young age, they began all grain brewing in the family garage with makeshift equipment. They eventually gathered enough equipment to have a nano-brewery at home! During their university studies in administration, they put together a business plan that led to the opening of their first brewery: the brewpub in Old Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu that is still pouring pints today! Their beer has always been brewed with passion and pleasure. The brothers now have a fantastic team that they rely on for production, however they remain at the heart of the creations and all decisions surrounding beer production.
“We brew what we like, and we like what we drink!”
Francis
Laganière
Co-owner
Sébastien
Laganière
Co-owner
