United Nations of Beer

Le P'tit Train du Nord

by John Breese
(Beer Delegate, QC, Canada)

Le Ptit Train du Nord beer
M-B Saint-Arnould, St-Jovite, QC, Canada

One of the fondest memories I have of my days on the road, possessed by wanderlust was getting into hopping freight trains. It was a party while it lasted and lived up to everything Johnny Cash ever sang it about.

It was even fun to screw up, like one moment of brilliance that saw me jumping into a boxcar, expecting to wake in Regina, finding myself somewhere closer to the North West Territories instead. Good times, good times.

Even with those days behind me, the image of the mighty freight train has long been consecrated in my psyche.

So try and imagine my joy then, when I discovered Saint-Arnould breweries' Le Ptit Train Du Nord (The Little Northern Train). I threw down the cash without reserve, eager to see what this Mont-Tremblant microbrewery had going with this dry, blonde offering.

Flicking the bottle open, a cloud wafted out, releasing a coarse but engaging aroma. This was a good sign, I told myself, pouring the first sip into my mouth, only feeling very little tingle on my tongue. The taste was somewhat musty, but even at that, it came up kind of feint.

Hey, where did the body go? I went for a second, larger gulp and still the liquid was just as bubbly, displaying no staying power.

I attempted to hold the third sip a little before downing it. The results came up the same again, with the beer just fizzling away without leaving much of a trace.

Ok, this isn’t the worst beer I’ve ever downed, but it came up pretty short. At best, I could see myself downing not more than one of before getting restless for a pass at another brand.

The brewers might also reconsider using the image of life on the rails to represent such a beer, as I’d be quick to bet that if you wandered underneath your local bridge and attempted to donate Le Ptit Train Du Nord to the tramps sitting around the campfire, you would be promptly jeered and told to come back when you're a little more serious about your charity.

Saint-Arnould, for its part, indicates on its website that this pale ale might well be designated for the more devout extra-dry drinker. Translation: drinkers of flavored tonic water, gather ye here.