St-Ambroise Citrouille (Pumpkin Ale) - McAuslan Brewing

Ralphus

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

McAuslan's Great Pumpkin Ale is one that I'd been hoping to spot this season. Sure enough, on a hunt for any Dogfish PA remaining in my region, I spotted it as well. It's sold in a 4 pack, which to be honest, I thought might be a bit too many at a time for a novelty beer. Luckily this one goes down well and the other three wont be to long in joining the first.

It pours with an attractive mahogany color, reddish brown but without much of a head even less lacing. The smell however is quite nice.. cinnamon, cloves and ginger plus a steady sweetness. The taste has the sweetness in spades and it's balanced somewhat by the spices in the nose. I think some more hops would pull the thing together quite nicely.. but maybe the realm of a pumpkin beer is to be a bit on the sweeter side. And speaking of pumpkin.. there might be some but its not really enough to speak of.

Overall I think this is a good pick.. and given that you'll have four on your hands - a good chance to introduce them to people who have never tried a seasonal beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2008 22:20:47 | More by Ralphus

Bill235

Ohio

4/5  rDev +7.2%

05-09-2013 18:34:38 | More by Bill235

nullbort

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

05-04-2013 13:05:03 | More by nullbort

Lobstertainment

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +20.6%

04-24-2013 07:11:00 | More by Lobstertainment

Whatup14

Quebec (Canada)

3/5  rDev -19.6%

04-17-2013 14:44:12 | More by Whatup14

Eric908

South Dakota

4/5  rDev +7.2%

04-05-2013 03:03:09 | More by Eric908

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I love pumpkin beer first of all, and this is my favorite so far out the 5 or 6 that I have sampled. This one poured into a pint glass with a small head that dissipated rather quickly. I marked it down a half point or so for that. The color was very nice for a pumpkin brew though, almost perfect. A bit dark red-orange brown hues shine nicely, This is a mostly clear liquid.

Strong aromas of sweet pumpkin and spices emitted easily from the glass for a wondrous scent to enjoy.

The beer is mild yet strong of pumpkin. Slightly sweet and nicely spiced. This does not have the strong better spices of a southern pumpkin pie. No this is mild. Strong with cinnamon is pretty big and only light with recognizable cloves. Malty yeasty with a slight balance of hops.

The texture is the most difficult area of a pumpkin beer and this has a nice ale like balance to carbonation. Just perfect in my book. A tremendous advancement in the art of ale making. Hats off to the Canadian brewers here. Well done.

I recommend a high quality beverage like this should be only complimented by the highest of musical art forms of the region. I recommend the "musique actuelle" scene start with electronic turntable artist Martin Tétreault's cd entitled "Des pas et des mois" with Rene Lussier. Another excellent choice might be "The Frankenstein Symphony" by Francois Dhumont that he contributed on.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2013 21:08:38 | More by frankiepop

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.5 oz. bottle, with a production date on the back but it's a code so I'm not going to bother with that. I should probably note that my bottle in Illinois is a little different than the one pictured, with the larger label reading St-Ambroise Pumpkin, and the smaller label at the bottleneck reads St-Ambroise Citrouille. Excited to try this beer, as I remember enjoying the St-Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours a dark bloody copper looking color, with a finger of tan head that disappears within a minute.

S - Fresh roasted pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice. Caramelized malts, perhaps? Smells like the typical fall spices. Some dried figs & dates creeping out as the beer warms. Burnt brown sugar.

T - Creamy and smooth. Slight carbonation tickles the tongue. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice again. Very airy and creamy pumpkin taste. Like whipped pumpkin puree. A very tasty beer.

M - Smooth and light. Very creamy texture. Slightly carbonated. I enjoy the creamy feel of the beer paired well with the slight carbonation, and I think they work well together.

Overall, it is the second nice beer I've had by McAuslan Brewing so far, and I'm looking forward to more. Definitely glad to have tried this, and I am impressed so far with what McAuslan has been putting out.

St-Ambroise Citrouille (Pumpkin Ale) ---3.5/5

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:58:25 | More by mfnmbvp

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

03-10-2013 00:15:29 | More by spycow

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

02-15-2013 02:19:22 | More by DaPan

Irishlover58

Iowa

4/5  rDev +7.2%

02-12-2013 03:42:37 | More by Irishlover58

DerekMorgan

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

01-24-2013 17:31:08 | More by DerekMorgan

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -12.9%

01-10-2013 23:22:53 | More by Reagan1984

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle dark browm with a short tan head. Foam faded but never disappeared completely, spotty lace.
Nice aromas, spices more dominant than the pumpkin itself. Taste had the same allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, flavors. Nice complexity to this one, levels of flavor keep building on top of the caramel malt base. Good body with a full mouthfeel.
Some pumpkin beers have been kind of bland, but we really liked this one's flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 06:25:56 | More by BigBry

Mama-Kail

4/5  rDev +7.2%

12-24-2012 02:32:27 | More by Mama-Kail

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

From: Binny's, Bolingbrook, IL
Date: "H241208:08" stamped on label
Glass: Tulip

St. Ambroise's Citrouille is a surprisingly rich pumpkin ale: the malt, pumpkin, buttery diacetyl, and spice tastes are "deep" enough to make this taste and smell, at times, like an imperial pumpkin ale without the higher ethanol content. The body is somehow able to pull off feeling full as well, despite the fairly low ethanol content. This was an affordably priced pumpkin ale that also tasted rich and loaded with the flavors I tend to find appealing in a pumpkin ale: not a fizzy, watery, spicy mess. One I will look for next fall.

Pours a 1cm tall head of slightly off-white foam, composed of bubbles that are medium to large in size. Dissipation is a bit faster than average, the head lasting a minute or less. Lacing is minimal to nonexistent, a few specks and small dots scattered across the perimeter of the glass. Body is a dark copper brown, with light bringing out slightly brighter orange and pale copper hues. Carbonation is visible through the transparent body, streaming up from the center and sides of the glass.

Aroma is well-spiced with cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, along with some bready malt-influenced sweetness that gives this a hint of cinnamon roll scent. Generally heavy on malt and spices, very much like a baked pumpkin pie.

The beer is delicious and rich, fairly full of cinnamon, nutmeg, bread, buttery diacetyl, and caramel characters, with minor notes of baked butternut squash. If the cinnamon was a bit more intense, or the squash a bit less, this could be less delicious. This year, though, St. Ambroise happened upon a solid balance among all the ingredients. Front of palate picks up strong cinnamon and nutmeg flavors, along with malty/bready sweetness, and pumpkin/squash flavors. Middle of palate brings forward greater modest caramel malt sweetness with a background of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and diacetyl, contributing a buttery maltiness that really reinforces the richness of the beer. Back of palate picks up very hearty caramel malt flavors, buttery diacetyl, warming cinnamon, and rich pumpkin/squash notes: perhaps the best part of the beer. Aftertaste of lingering sweet bread meets cinnamon and light pumpkin/squash flavor, again reminding me of faded pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Beer is medium-bodied, with medium levels of carbonation that are a bit too much at first, but a few minutes after pouring, the beer settles to a fairly light, crisp mouthfeel with comfortable fizziness. Closes semi-dry, with some stickiness across the palate. This feels pleasant to drink, better than average, but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 07:01:19 | More by falloutsnow

WeissBoy

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

12-14-2012 04:14:08 | More by WeissBoy

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

2.38/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Deep copper with red highlights. Thin, poorly retained head. No lace. Weak spice and cookie dough aroma. Diacetyl. Mild biscuit and pie spice flavour. Buttery. Light-bodied with moderate carbonation. Mouthfeel is watery thin and greasy slick. Quite disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 04:23:04 | More by mintjellie

KalanM

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

11-29-2012 01:24:28 | More by KalanM

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a crystal clear dark copper in color with some reddish highlights and light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall beige head of large bubbles that reduces to a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of pumpkin pie spices upfront (cinnamon dominates with some lighter notes of nutmeg) and some sweetness. Underneath that there are lighter aromas of pumpkin and an almost fruity malt.

T: Starts out with a malty sweetness that includes a hint of caramel with strong fruity flavors (apple and pear) then there is a moderate to strong flavor of pumpkin pie - the combination of pumpkin and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg). The beer is quite sweet overall with very little bitterness.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with slightly more than moderate amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: This is a solid Pumpkin Ale offering and one that I enjoyed - the heavier amounts of cinnamon than other spices tickled my fancy. Easy to drink and I could have a couple of these in an evening.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 04:28:09 | More by dbrauneis

flagmantho

Washington

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 11.5oz bottle into a dimpled mug.

Appearance: rich golden-orange hue with a haze-free body and thin finger of frothy ivory foam which dissipated quickly. Not too bad.

Smell: sweet malt aroma with a bit of a Vienna lager character to it. Pumpkin pie spices are present with a little bit of actual pumpkin aroma. Decent, but it's a bit sweet and a little messy.

Taste: sweet malt with a big dose of cinnamon and nutmeg which were not nearly as prominent as in the aroma. The cinnamon is close to being over-done, but it creates a great balance that simply wasn't there at all in the aroma. Easily the most cinnamon I've ever experienced in a beer, but this brew is all the better for it.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a decent carbonation and a good creaminess. Quite satisfying.

Overall: this is kind of a bizarre beer; it lacks balance in the aroma but the crazy cinnamon brings out the best of the flavor. Put this on the list of maybes.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 22:06:24 | More by flagmantho

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +20.6%

11-17-2012 23:23:16 | More by Molson2000

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - A very deep shade of amber brown, clear and fizzy with a 1/4 inch of head that seems to clear as I type. Nothing left no lacing or any head.

S - Smell is strong allspice,nutmeg and cinnamon . Reminds me of "Screaming Jacks Pumpkin Spice" lager that everyone bitched about and they pulled it from the shelf's. Smells downright good to me!

T - Nutmeg and pumpkin giving me a vegital taste. To me it kind of taste like a watered down "Dogfish Punkin ale" which I downright hate. Base must be a brown ale. Even though its like Punkin I can actually drink this one since its more than just brown malt and nutmeg. Who am I kidding both are pretty undrinkable.

M - Medium, watery yet kind of chewy. Seems like the ABV is noticeable.

Overall I am not sure who thought a base of a pumpkin ale should be a brown ale but it only works for some. To me I will take a pumpkin ALE any day. Pass on this since I paid almost 3 bucks for a single!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 03:39:49 | More by DrDemento456

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Ooh, a Canadian pumpkin ale...how exotic! This stuff pours a clear sunset amber topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises the usual blend of pumpkin ale spices (cinnamon, brown sugar, clove, mace, allspice, etc), but they're not as powerful and in-your-face as usual thanks to a nice backbone of bready caramel. The taste, though, falls victim to the overspicing rampant in most pumpkin ales. The clove and brown sugar are particularly intense, providing my tongue ample opportunities to wither in brief pain. It's honestly too much at times. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slick feel. Overall, an okay pumpkin beer, but one that comes off too overly-spiced for its own good.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 06:43:27 | More by TMoney2591

Mack

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

11-10-2012 22:30:50 | More by Mack