Passenger x Café Saint-Henri

A Toast to Our Roots with Café Saint-Henri

In a city that's as much about the love of craft as it is about the strength of its community, we couldn't think of a better partner for this venture than Café Saint-Henri, a beloved Montreal institution that shares our commitment to quality and our deep-rooted love for this vibrant city we call home.

The Story of Café Saint-Henri

Café Saint-Henri is more than just a coffee shop; it's a cornerstone of Montreal's thriving coffee culture. Established with the mission to bring specialty coffee to the forefront of the city's culinary scene, Café Saint-Henri has been a beacon for coffee aficionados, offering meticulously sourced beans roasted to perfection. Their dedication to highlighting the unique characteristics of each coffee they serve has made them a key player in Montreal’s specialty coffee movement.

Craft Meets Café - The 'Sunday Morning' Espresso Blonde Ale

Our first collaboration brew, a testament to innovation, marries the art of craft brewing with the uniquely crafted flavours of Café Saint-Henri's Holy Cow espresso. Perfect for sipping under the Montreal sun, the Sunday Morning Espresso Blonde ale is a tribute to the craft that defines our city.

At the heart of our new creation, the Sunday Morning Espresso Blonde Ale, lies a simple question: Why not enjoy the best of both worlds? Traditionally, coffee beers lean towards the darker, heavier side, favouring stouts and porters. But our aim was to craft a beer perfect for the warmer months, one that wouldn’t weigh you down under the summer sun.

Origins of The Beer

When we first envisioned this concept, our head brewer was initially skeptical. However, as we refined the recipe, everything began to fall into place. We used a combination of Pale Ale and Vienna malts to establish the foundation for a classic blonde ale profile, complemented by rolled flaked oats to add a rounded texture that balances the unique interaction between beer and espresso and brings this medium-bodied ale together beautifully. The espresso itself is choc full of flavour, so we added just enough Columbus and Hallertauer Mittelfrüher hops to complement the earthy undertones while elevating the distinct characteristics of the Holy Cow profile, ensuring it remains the highlight of our brew.

The Holy Cow Espresso

The star of this collaboration, the Holy Cow Espresso, stands as a testament to Café Saint-Henri’s expertise in crafting incredible coffee blends. Explore the Holy Cow Espresso, known for its rich flavour profile that perfectly complements our blonde ale, providing depth and complexity that elevates the beer to new heights. We had the opportunity to visit Café Saint-Henri's factory to taste a bunch of different coffee options, making sure we opted for something that would elevate the refreshing summer brew we were hoping to achieve. The careful selection of beans and the expert roasting process behind this espresso highlight the craft behind Café Saint-Henri's success.

The Brew Process

Instead of brewing the espresso and doing a hot addition into the whirlpool, we opted for a cold brew technique, steeping medium-coarse ground coffee directly in the tank for 48 hours. This method infused our ale with all the espresso’s delicious flavour without imparting additional bitterness, ensuring each sip was as smooth as it was delightful.

A word from our friends at Café Saint-Henri

"Café Saint-Henri is pleased to collaborate with Passenger Brewing Co for the creation of their espresso blonde beer due to our shared passion for craftsmanship and innovation. By combining our expertise in specialty coffee with their brewing know-how, we have created a unique beverage that subtly blends the rich flavors of our Holycow espresso with the freshness and complexity of a blonde beer. This collaboration represents a bold fusion between two related industries but, above all, two great local companies. Attention enthusiasts, the beer of the summer is definitely Sunday Morning!"

The 'Sunday Morning' 5 à 7 Launch

We held a pre-launch 5 à 7 tasting event at our partner brewery L'Espace Public in Montreal last Wednesday (April 24, 2024) and we had an amazing time. Guests got a small background in the brew process as well as a history of the Holy Cow espresso from the Saint-Henri team. We played some games, drank lots of beers, and had a blast!

We also got the chance to talk to everyone to see how they liked the beer. We're so proud to say that everyone had only good things to say - check out our Instagram reel here for a quick look into the night!

Moving forward we're extremely stoked to see how everyone else likes this brew, so be sure to ask for Sunday Morning at your favourite local beer shop, grocery store, restaurant, bar, grandma's house - we've gotta build a buzz!