Dieu du Ciel

1. History of the Brewery

The beginnings in Montreal (1991–1998). The story of Dieu du Ciel! traces back to the early 1990s. In 1991, Jean-François Gravel, then a biology student, discovered homebrewing and quickly became passionate about it. During his master’s studies in microbiology, he met Stéphane Ostiguy—a partnership that would prove decisive. Along with a third partner, they decided to bring their dream to life by opening a brewpub.
After a long search, they found a location at 29 Laurier Avenue West in Montreal and spent 11 months completely renovating it to accommodate brewing operations. Finally, on September 11, 1998, Dieu du Ciel! opened its doors for the first time, drawing more than 300 curious visitors on opening night.
At the time, the goal was to introduce Montrealers to what a craft microbrewery truly was—“to make people understand that a brewery isn’t just a place to eat spaghetti and meatballs with a Molson, but a place where beer is actually made,” recalls Jean-François Gravel. The success was almost immediate, and the small Mile-End brewpub quickly became a popular gathering spot for Montrealers.

Rise to Fame and Expansion (2000–2008). By the early 2000s, the reputation of Dieu du Ciel! beers had spread far beyond the walls of the pub, and demand skyrocketed. A turning point came in 2003, when Péché Mortel was ranked among the Top 50 best beers in the world on RateBeer. This international recognition gave the young brewery a major boost and opened doors outside Quebec.
At the time, because provincial laws prevented them from selling their beers outside the Montreal pub, Dieu du Ciel!seized the opportunity to export to the United States to meet the growing enthusiasm, effectively “breaking ground” in foreign markets, as J.-F. Gravel recalls.
Meanwhile, it became clear that production capacity had to increase well beyond the ~800 hectoliters per year the small Montreal system allowed. The solution was to open a second brewery dedicated to bottling. In 2006, Jean-François Gravel and Stéphane Ostiguy partnered with Luc Boivin (an electromechanic and homebrewer) and Isabelle Charbonneau (a sales and marketing specialist) to launch Microbrasserie Dieu du Ciel Inc.
Their project took shape in Saint-Jérôme (Laurentians), where they acquired a former grocery store at 259 Rue de Villemure in the city center. After intensive renovations, the new facility began brewing at the end of 2007, with an adjacent pub opening in January 2008. This second location allowed Dieu du Ciel! to scale up bottled production while offering a new gathering place for beer lovers in the Laurentians.
Barely a year later, in 2009, Péché Mortel brewed in Saint-Jérôme won the gold medal at the prestigious World Beer Cup in the strong stout category, confirming the brewery’s ability to deliver quality at larger scale (even as production became more industrialized). It is worth noting that in 2010, Luc Boivin left to found his own microbrewery, while Étienne Tremblay (a long-time employee) later joined the ownership team in 2017.

Consolidation and Recent Developments (2010–2021). Building on its earlier expansions, Dieu du Ciel! continued to grow throughout the 2010s while staying true to its artisanal spirit. The brewery regularly ranked among the world’s best, repeatedly voted Best Microbrewery in Canada and Quebec in the RateBeer Best awards.
In 2018, faced with a booming Quebec market (with microbreweries multiplying and new beers appearing every week), the company undertook a major rebranding. The conclusion was clear: its historic logo—an angel playing a trumpet—and its labels with religious overtones or seductive female figures no longer reflected the company’s identity by 2020.
After two years of work, Dieu du Ciel! unveiled a new, more modern and inclusive visual identity in November 2020: the logo was streamlined, keeping the trumpet icon (without the angel), rendered in a cleaner, more contemporary style.
At the same time, the brewery shifted decisively toward cans, with the 473 ml format gradually replacing the traditional 341 ml bottles to better match consumer habits. Finally, in 2021, Dieu du Ciel! relocated its Saint-Jérôme pub to a larger building (248 Rue Godmer), featuring a spacious garden terrace to welcome summer visitors. The original Villemure Street site was kept solely for production, with the future ambition of developing a tourism component (brewery tours).

Exterior view of the new Saint-Jérôme pub, inaugurated in 2021.

Today, the company remains independent and thriving, supported by a loyal team (by 2019 it already had over 100 employees split between Saint-Jérôme and Montreal). It brews around 13,000 to 14,000 hL of beer per year and distributes its creations across Canada as well as internationally (to as many as six export markets). Despite increasing competition on store shelves, Dieu du Ciel! looks to the future with confidence, backed by its founding values and ongoing capacity for innovation.

2. Product Analysis

Range and Brewed Styles

Dieu du Ciel! built its reputation on the diversity and creativity of its brewing portfolio. Unlike other microbreweries that specialize in a single tradition (classic British ales, Belgian styles, or German lagers, for example), Dieu du Ciel! chose versatility early on. Brewmaster Jean-François Gravel explained that he began by brewing classic styles to master the fundamentals (“you have to learn to walk before you can run,” he says), before the team gradually developed off-style recipes influenced by innovative North American trends.
This approach led to the creation of beers that became emblematic and often groundbreaking at the time of their release: for instance La Fumisterie, a red ale brewed with smoked malt and hemp seeds, or the famous Péché Mortel brewed with coffee—one of the first Imperial Stouts of its kind in Quebec.
Today, the brewery covers a very wide range of styles: blond, white, and red ales; IPAs (from classic West Coast to hazy NEIPAs); stouts and porters; fruit sour ales; saisons; wheat beers; thirst-quenching lagers; and even more specialized styles (barleywines, Trappist-inspired quadrupels, salty goses, etc.).
This stylistic plurality reflects Dieu du Ciel!’s ambition to “develop a uniquely Quebecois beer identity” without being limited to traditional frameworks, always striving for an authentic and well-balanced flavor profile.

The brewery allows itself constant experimentation. The small brewing system at the Montreal pub serves as a laboratory for testing new recipes in 500 L batches, minimizing risk while encouraging creativity.
In recent years, Dieu du Ciel! has structured this innovation into special series: the Momentum series offers a new limited-edition beer each month, the Style Libre series gives brewers full freedom for spontaneous creations, and the Réserve range gathers barrel-aged brews or the brewmaster’s most ambitious recipes.
At the same time, the brewery continues to produce its Classiques—about ten regular beers brewed frequently, providing a solid and recognizable base for loyal consumers. These include several permanent beers that were first served at the original brewpub.
Finally, Dieu du Ciel! embraces collaborations with other breweries and industry players. A series called Synergie was launched at the Montreal pub, inviting local and international brewers to co-create original recipes with the house team—for example, Passion Houblon, a collaborative IPA that quickly won over regulars.
This openness to collaboration illustrates the spirit of exchange and community that drives the brewery.

Glass of Rosée d’Hibiscus, a wheat beer brewed with hibiscus flowers, appreciated for its bright pink color and delicate floral aromas.

Among the multitude of recipes brewed by Dieu du Ciel! (over 100 different beers have been created over the years), some stand out as true flagship beers that have left a lasting impression on drinkers. The table below presents a selection of these emblematic beers, with their style, alcohol content, and a few characteristic tasting notes:

Quality and Recognition. All these beers share the DNA of Dieu du Ciel!: boldness in conception, always in the service of authentic and refined taste. The brewery prides itself on never cutting corners when it comes to ingredient quality, even if they are costly or difficult to source: “We never make compromises based on price,” says J.-F. Gravel. For example, fruit beers are brewed with real whole fruits (raspberries, cherries, etc.) rather than artificial flavorings, and Rosée d’Hibiscus owes its vivid color and flavor to real hibiscus flowers added during brewing.
This commitment to quality is reflected in the way connoisseurs perceive the brand: Dieu du Ciel! is frequently acclaimed in competitions and by online tasting communities. In 2020, RateBeer (one of the leading reference sites for beer enthusiasts) once again named Dieu du Ciel! the best brewery in Canada and Quebec, with the Montreal brewpub ranked among the best in the country. Beers like Péché Mortel and Aphrodisiaque have won prestigious medals at international competitions and regularly appear at the top of BeerAdvocate or Untappd rankings.
Thus, Dieu du Ciel! enjoys an exceptional reputation for quality, both locally and internationally, with its products often described by enthusiasts as “cult beers.”

Innovation and Limited Editions. Beyond its established classics, the brewery also knows how to generate excitement with special releases. One standout example is the annual Péché Day: since 2011, Dieu du Ciel! has celebrated the anniversary of Péché Mortel by organizing a worldwide simultaneous tasting event. On Péché Day, specialty bars across the globe (up to 45 participating venues) serve exclusive variants of the famous coffee stout for one day only.
It’s a unique opportunity for fans to taste rare and ephemeral versions: Péché Mortel Bourbon (bourbon barrel-aged), Péché Mortel Framboise, Péché Mortel Mexicain (with chilies and spices), and other imaginative twists (coconut, maple, etc.). These limited editions, often highly anticipated, showcase Dieu du Ciel!’s ability to constantly innovate around a single base recipe.
Similarly, the brewery occasionally offers mixed packs (e.g., Péché Collection featuring several variants) and brings back older recipes in barrel-aged or refined versions (such as the recent re-release of Rigor Mortis ABT, a Belgian-inspired quadrupel at ~10% ABV, aged in barrels).
Together, these initiatives help sustain consumer curiosity and refresh the product line, ensuring the brewery stays at the forefront of the craft beer scene.

3. Marketing Strategy and Positioning

Brand Image and Positioning

From the very beginning, Dieu du Ciel! cultivated the image of a bold and principled craft brewer, relying on the quality and originality of its beers rather than marketing gimmicks. Even the name of the brewery—Dieu du Ciel!, a well-known Quebec exclamation that is both playful and irreverent—sets the tone: a slightly nonconformist spirit ready to challenge conventions.
The company’s core values (boldness, integrity, refinement, collaboration) are evident in all its actions. For instance, on the integrity front, J.-F. Gravel has publicly denounced the “worst practices in the beer industry,” which Dieu du Ciel!refuses to adopt: no misleading in-store discounts, no paid shelf space or exclusivity deals imposed on retailers, and transparent labeling without exaggerated claims.
This commercial ethic reinforces the image of an authentic, respectful brewery, committed to the “dignity” of the product as much as to customer satisfaction.

In terms of branding, the 2018–2020 redesign modernized the visual identity without betraying the brand’s soul. The new logo, more streamlined, proudly displays the name Dieu du Ciel! in stylized lettering with the iconic trumpet in bright yellow. It now stands out more effectively on store shelves, improving visibility at the point of sale.
Packaging was also revamped: each product line now has its own visual signature (Classique, Création, Grand Classique, Réserve) to help guide consumers. The hiring of a local illustrator (Thaïla Khampo) allowed for the creation of new artistic labels for the Classiques, with fewer religious symbols or stereotypical female imagery than before.
This evolution demonstrates Dieu du Ciel!’s commitment to staying relevant: the brand adapts to today’s sensibilities (equality, inclusion, modern aesthetics) while retaining its distinctive elements. Its brand image is thus that of a pioneering brewery (with over two decades of existence) that has managed to stay youthful in spirit and aligned with the new generation of beer enthusiasts.

In market terms, Dieu du Ciel! positions itself among the leaders of Quebec craft brewing. Often mentioned alongside other flagship breweries (Trou du Diable, Microbrasserie Charlevoix, Dunham, etc.), it enjoys cult status in Montreal—its original Mile-End pub is considered a must-visit for anyone wanting to experience the best of the city’s craft beer scene.
With the explosive growth of the microbrewery sector (over 300 breweries in Quebec in 2023, compared to just 30 in 2002), local competition has become fierce. Yet Dieu du Ciel! benefits from a well-established brand synonymous with consistent quality, allowing it to stand out despite the flood of new beers on the market.
Internationally, the brewery also enjoys strong recognition among connoisseurs: its beers have been distributed in the United States, Europe (France, Belgium, etc.), and Asia, helping to showcase Quebec brewing expertise abroad. Being present in specialty bars and bottle shops overseas with iconic beers (such as Péché Mortel) has reinforced the brand’s aura with beer enthusiasts worldwide.
Dieu du Ciel! is thus positioned as a standard-bearer of Quebec’s beer revolution: “We came in like a punch… it inspired others,” recalls J.-F. Gravel when describing the impact DDC had in the 2000s. This pioneering aura gives the brand lasting credibility, keeping it associated with both tradition (timeless classics) and innovation (new trends brewed with mastery).

Communications and Community

Dieu du Ciel!’s communication strategy relies on building closeness with its fan community and on initiatives that highlight conviviality and the shared experience of beer.
On one hand, the brewery actively uses digital media to inform and engage its audience: a regularly updated website (including a blog/news section) relays announcements of new products, upcoming events, and even interviews with team members.
On social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.), Dieu du Ciel! communicates with an approachable and passionate tone, sharing enticing photos of its beers, shop availability, behind-the-scenes glimpses of brewing, and recent awards. For instance, each monthly Momentum release is announced online, creating a regular touchpoint for fans eager to discover the latest creation.
Similarly, when the new visual identity was launched at the end of 2020, the brewery publicly explained its process (through a press release and dedicated posts) to bring its community on board with this significant visual evolution.

At the same time, Dieu du Ciel! maintains a strong physical presence. Its two pubs (Montreal and Saint-Jérôme) play a key role in its experiential marketing strategy: they offer welcoming spaces where customers can enjoy around twenty rotating beers on tap, including exclusives unavailable elsewhere. These establishments serve as living showcases for the brand, focusing as much on ambiance (a cozy pub-style setting, knowledgeable staff) as on the food offering (notably beer-and-food pairings and in-house cuisine in Montreal).
The brewery also takes part in numerous beer events in Quebec and abroad. Whether at the Bières et Saveurs de Chamblyfestival, the Mondial de la Bière in Montreal, or tap takeover nights in specialty bars, Dieu du Ciel! meets enthusiasts face-to-face. These events strengthen ties with the beer geek community and help maintain brand awareness among a target audience of connoisseurs.

Another important aspect is the brewery’s collaborative commitment within the “family” of microbrewers. Dieu du Ciel!is known for maintaining strong relationships with its peers: “We’re fortunate to work in an industry where healthy competition exists within a spirit of true brewing fraternity,” notes Leïla Alexandre, communications manager at DDC.
In practice, this translates into collaborative brews (with both local and international breweries), the sharing of experience and advice with younger microbreweries, and participation in collective projects (for example, the Projet Rescousse, in which Dieu du Ciel! took part in 2015 to support environmental causes through a charity beer).
This collaborative mindset strengthens the image of a respected and generous brewery—one that actively contributes to the growth of the brewing ecosystem rather than seeking dominance.

Finally, Dieu du Ciel! makes sure to involve its loyal fans directly. Over the years, several initiatives have strengthened its community: for example, launching a short-lived beer club tied to limited editions (allowing the quickest to secure rare bottles), publishing a beer-based cookbook (Mangez et buvez-en tous!) launched at the Saint-Jérôme pub, and organizing contests and quizzes on social media.
The brewery also highlights its employees, for instance through portraits (such as interviews with Isabelle Charbonneau and Étienne Tremblay published on the blog in 2023), putting faces behind the brand and deepening public attachment.
This authentic, human-centered communication aligns with Dieu du Ciel!’s philosophy: “People are at the heart of what we do,” whether employees or customers.

Conclusion

In just a few decades, Dieu du Ciel! has grown from a small bohemian Mile-End brewery into a true Quebec brewing institution, all while preserving the inventive spirit of its early days. Its history is marked by defining moments—from the bold opening of the pub in 1998 to international acclaim, the expansion to Saint-Jérôme, and the modernization of its image in 2020.
The product analysis reveals a rich portfolio where flawless classics coexist with innovative creations, reflecting both a rejection of routine and a constant pursuit of new flavors. Iconic beers such as Péché Mortel, Moralité, and Rosée d’Hibiscus have left a strong impression and helped define a standard of quality recognized worldwide.
Finally, Dieu du Ciel!’s marketing strategy has always aligned with its values: focusing on authenticity, quality, and proximity. Instead of flashy mass campaigns, the brewery favors direct contact through its pubs, events, and online communities, while maintaining a premium yet welcoming positioning. Its brand has evolved with the times—adapting to new trends (such as the shift to cans)—without ever losing the trust of beer enthusiasts, earned through exemplary integrity and deep respect for the product.

In 2025, Dieu du Ciel! approaches the future with a well-balanced mix of tradition and innovation. In a local market that has reached maturity (and at times even saturation), the brewery can rely on its strong reputation and loyal base to weather challenges while continuing to inspire the next generation. It has trained both brewers and consumers to appreciate bold craft beers, helping to anchor a true beer culture in Quebec.
More than just a business, Dieu du Ciel! has become a symbol of the success of Quebec’s microbrewing revolution: a passion elevated to the highest level without ever compromising its convictions. For beer lovers and enthusiasts, Dieu du Ciel! remains an inexhaustible source of malted discoveries and moments of sharing—and there is no doubt that its future creations will continue to surprise and delight palates, in Quebec and beyond.

Sources :

enoline.com

dieuduciel.com

baronmag.com

journallenord.com

viragemagazine.com

theforks.com

tastet.ca

boutique.dieuduciel.com

beeradvocate.com