Montreal’s First Beer Spa Opens in Place des Arts—but Is It Good for You?
Vitamin beer.
Beer has been getting a bad rap lately. Sales are declining worldwide, and the World Health Organization says that no amount of alcohol is safe. So it might come as a surprise that beer spas are a hot new wellness trend that just landed in Canada. Can beer really be considered wellness?
Quebec’s first beer spa makes the case that beer, particularly its key ingredients, is good for you. Bains Ninkasi opened in Montreal’s Place des Arts in December following in the footsteps of beer spas in central and eastern Europe, as well as Ontario’s Muskoka BeerSpa, which opened in 2022.
As you walk in, Bains Ninkasi, named after the Sumerian goddess of beer, has an ambiance similar to many Nordic-style spas in Quebec. Birds chirp softly from the speakers, golden light warms the reception desk, and carefully rolled towels signal it’s time to relax. Only instead of a menu of massages and skin treatments, behind the front desk are lists of artisanal beer cans and bottles from Quebec brewers.
Bains Ninkasi’s France-born owner, Esteban Dravet, first came across a beer spa on a trip to Budapest and couldn’t shake the idea for an experience that’s both good for you and social. Having lived in Quebec for years, Dravet thought a beer spa would work perfectly as a way to celebrate the province’s thriving beer scene. “I knew Quebec’s beer products, which are incredibly rich and wonderful,” he said. “It seemed like a beautiful way to showcase those products without necessarily making a tavern.”
As an immigrant who’d braved many Quebec winters, Dravet also saw a beer spa as a fun way to beat the sense of isolation that can come with dreary weather. “Winter in Montreal is social, but it’s very much a stay-at-home kind of social,” he said. “This is a place where you can come with your friends to socialize.”
Once you cross reception into the changing room, the sink is lined with hops-scented lotions, while a minifridge is filled with carefully rolled face towels that have the grassy smell of hops. The hops aren’t just for smelling good. They also contain antioxidants that are good for your hair, skin, and nails. Cross into the main area and find a sauna where hops are burning a relaxing aroma, and an ice bucket shower with—you guessed it—hops soap. Feel free to chat quietly. Unlike other spas, no one is going to tell you to shush. “We’ve done it the Montreal way, so something elegant, fun, and not too serious,” Dravet says.
The centrepiece of the spa is the standalone oak tubs filled with hops and barley that are unfermented and without yeast, so it’s not exactly beer. Barley is a good source of vitamin B, important for cell function, and hops act as a muscle relaxant. Next to the tubs are taps for pouring Montreal’s Dieu du Ciel beer without leaving the bath. There’s also the option of having a board filled with cured meats, dried dates, and grapes along with fine beers served over the tub. One of the beers, 1201 Bourbon by Sir John Brewery, is produced in only 20 cases a year.
After the bath, return to the sauna or ice bucket shower, or smother your body with hops-infused clay, which can increase collagen production, helping to reduce wrinkles and skin inflammation, and relax in one of the lounging areas. Don’t be shy when slathering on the clay. Dravet says the clay experience is meant to evoke a sense of play, as if you’re a child.
On a recent visit, I had a great time chatting with my brother as we sipped high-quality local beer from our respective tubs and laughed as the hops clay made our skin feel crispy. By the time we left, I felt more connected to him than I had in years, and my skin felt smooth and vibrant. Are these the kind of health benefits that’ll make me live longer, or was I just old-fashioned drunk? I can’t be sure, but if I left feeling good and relaxed, does it really matter?
