Auburn Ale - Cameron's Brewing Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.15/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I am of two minds about this beer. At their plant it went down well but was way too cold, and am told it is their best seller. It did not store well in my beer celler (no pun intended) and diacetyl was apparent serving it at normal beer serving temperature. The box recommends it be fridge stored (is it not pasteurized?) and they should have pointed this out at the plant.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2003 14:03:05 | More by northyorksammy

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Amber orange hued body with a nice sized two finger off white cream head, leaves behind fine lacing spread evenly. Aroma: Nice mild citrusy hop bite, with sweetness spread from the malts very solid offering. Taste: Smooth sweet flavor buttery malts with citrus twang from the hops very solid, a bit mild in the flavor but an incredible balance. Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied session ale here, full creamy edge moderate carbonation. Drinkability: I met one of the reps for Cameron's Brewing, and he bought me a second pint after seeing me drinking is product. I had about three pints total and thought it was excellent all around, very timid and withdrawn but the flavors that were there were in full cohesion.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2004 21:28:40 | More by WVbeergeek

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

'Auburn Ale' may not be the most creative name but it is pretty accurate. The beer is, as you might have guessed, a clear and rather sparkling tone of auburn that might remind one of fall foliage or perhaps a new penny. The construction of its head seems incomplete with patches yet to be filled in (this despite a viscous, ropey lacing).

The aroma may not be too robust or overtly dynamic, but there can still be much grace and distinction in subtlety. Sweet toffee-ish malts and earthy, floral hops make for an elegant and unexpectedly intricate bouquet. The scents are lively: the hops softly fragrant like spring flowers and the malts dank and soggy like wet autumn leaves.

The beer may speak softly but it carries a fairly big stick. The malts are gluey and, while not too thick, offer a hefty toastiness and really nutty roast. (That nutty taste resembles roasted pecans or macadamia nuts and is, for my palate, quite delicious.) Beneath this chewy caramel flavour is a crew of bitterly floral, earthy hops.

For their part, those hops do well to get noticed. I was skeptical reading the label's promise of a "full hop flavour" but while they aren't anywhere as animated or zestful as you'd find in most American brewed amber ales, they do offer a spritz of rose water and a lengthy shaving of grapefruit peel that both linger ever so gently on the finish.

Cameron's Auburn is a gracefully flavourful ale that makes for a wonderfully social and satisfying pint. While I typically prefer more adventurous, more sassy, more bold beers, I equally (if not more) appreciate elegance and quality craftsmanship, which those more audacious examples often don't have. This is welcome in my fridge anytime.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 19:21:12 | More by biegaman

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

2.53/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

The mouthfeel was lighter than expected, and there wasn't a lot of flavour either. I detected a slightly burnt taste, presumably from a small amount of very dark malt (primarily for colour?).

It seems to have a relatively large proportion of adjuncts.

It's better than your average cheap beer... but I wouldn't consider this a premium beverage.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2005 21:52:51 | More by Derek

hopdog

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle acquired in trade with beanmedic (thanks!).

Poured a medium and clear/see through amber color with an averaged sized off white head. Grainy aroma with some caramel. Watery tastes of caramel, lemons, and citrus. The body was on the weaker side as well.

Notes from: 10/30/05

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 15:06:18 | More by hopdog

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a pretty fresh case of beer, and the bottling date indicates its a mere two weeks old, so I'm expecting lots of goodness here.

Pours a nice clear copper (lets call it auburn), with a white head that diminished to a film, but laced well. Nice floral aroma, combined with citrus - a melange of honeysuckle and grapefruit with some toasted malt underneath. Presentation is decent and slightly above average, so I have high hopes for the taste.

At colder temperatures the floral and citrus aspects are more apparent in the flavour, but a toasty malt gradually becomes more dominant, and eventually overwhelms everything else. Its interesting to have the grapefruit flavours in there without the heightened bitterness, but they struggle to compete against the malt, leaving the beer a little unbalanced for my liking. The body is medium-light with medium carbonation - straightforward and quaffable.

This is a decent beer, but not one I'd reach for often. The emphasis on the toasty malt flavours really does nothing for me, and it seems to be stuck in a no-man's ground between a full on malt-forward beer and a hoppier amber. Its also a bit off-putting that this is only available in a 9-pack. Its a novel format at the store, but I prefer variety in my fridge, and nine of the same beer isn't cutting it. Cameron's make some great one-off casks, and it would be nice to see them translate those incarnations into seasonals. This beer is approachable though, and they'll continue to do well with it.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2009 13:52:27 | More by bobsy

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Draft

Appearance - Clear dark copper colour with a small size frothy off-white coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for around 2 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, caramel, hops

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel and some hops. There is also a bit of a metallic flavour to it. It ends with a malty sweet aftertaste with a small touch of hope bite.

Overall - Not a half bad beer that was a one of the only good options on tap. It didn't seem as sweet as it did when I had it from a bottle previously. It's not offensive and I enjoyed my glass.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2011 13:47:05 | More by spinrsx

grub

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle.

pours reddish copper with a whisp of fine white head. no lace.

aroma is good. bit of pine and grapefruit. light bready malt. hint of smoke. just a trace of dms.

taste is nice. dms is higher than in the aroma. light toasted bready malt. low bitterness. bit of grapefruit. fruity.

mouthfeel is good. medium bodied with a med-low carbonation level.

drinkability is pretty good. this bottle has actually been sitting in my cellar since december and i think it has done it some good. normally this beer is decent but unexciting, and today i'm enjoying this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2007 22:40:54 | More by grub

RBorsato

Virginia

4.58/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tawny brown with a low light tan head and very nice carbonation. Excellent toasty and biscuity malt aroma and flavor with light traces of ground coffee... Balanced very well with light fruitiness. Medium bodied and smooth with a dry roasty malt finish.

A beer I will use along with Boulder Sundance Amber to judge other non-hoppy ambers by.

'151203' lasered on bottom (bottled 12/15/03 ?)
Tasted: 02/06/05

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2005 17:35:00 | More by RBorsato

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured in to pint glass

A - Medium amber colour; translucent. A slight orange glow and a small amount of white head.

S - Bitter citrus hops up front with caramel malts providing some sweetness.

T - A nice balance of crisp bitter hops and sweet caramel bready malts. Slight bitterness in the finish.

M - Light body with moderate carbonation.

D - A very good ale with a good balance of hops and malts. Would definitely buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2010 03:27:47 | More by TheSevenDuffs

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from the mixed pack at the LCBO. I ran out of interesting things to try so I went for this.

A - Pours a medium copper with good carbonation and a one finger eggshell head. Moderate rings of lacing and a film of retention. Bright.

S - Caramel, earthy hops, bread.

T - Good combo of earthy tones and caramel malts, bread, and some yeast I think.

M - Good carbonation, medium body, and a slightly sweet then dry finish.

O/D - This one's alright. A quality session lager that's refreshing and tasty. Nothing over the top but it fills a hole as a quality craft lager.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 23:19:31 | More by tbeckett

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

3.28/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I quite liked this ale more than most Ontario ambers. Tapped a definate dark amber with a nice 1 finger cap that laced out and stayed for the ride. Lovely aromas...notes of grassy hop-citrus(citrus quite pronounced) and sweet malts. Started medium heavy (a filling drink) with lots of carmelized malty body and then the light lemon burst of hops comes in for a moment just before the finish which is mild and leaves a biscuit aftertaste with slight metalic tastes.Not a balanced ale but who cares eh? Nice pub fare....one more of these Bill ;-)

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2004 19:46:05 | More by pootz

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a nice dark copper colour with an amber hue, finger of head with some retention, and no real lacing.

S - Nice earthy hop notes, sweet caramel, hints of cedar and a leafy green finish.

T - Tasty ale with a solid hop presence, nice earthy flavors, and a solid caramel backbone. Hints of cocoa and coffee linger on the finish.

M - Medium, smooth and a tough of dryness.

O - A surprisingly flavorful offering with a solid hop presence and some tasty lingering flavors. Well worth grabbing and easily sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 21:54:42 | More by andrenaline

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Mild copper colour with a slightly off-white head. The head is quite thick and billowing to start, but it calms down quite quickly.

Slightly sour and somewhat bitter scent; slight grassiness. Fresh bread, toffee and a bit of caramel. Very mild taste - bready malts, really light hops. Not very powerful or spectacular but still a good, simple tasting beer.

A bit watery, but otherwise a good session beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2010 04:43:26 | More by BDTyre

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a great all around beer. I like the 9 and 15 packs the brewery sells it in, for the novelty alone I suppose.

The pour reveals a copper orange colored liquid topped with a smattering of white foam. The almost non-existent head does manage to leave a lot of lacing on the glass. The smell is lightly citrusy and grassy hop aroma and a doughy malt that gets more and more prominent throughout the glass. The taste is malt forward, but complimented with a very pleasant hop profile. Very much a PacNW flavor, cascades no doubt. The mouthfeel has very low carbonation, which I like, so many beers are overcarbonated in bottles these days. The finish is lightly bitter and bready.

A good beer, probably a good entry beer into the world of craft beer. Enjoyable to quaff by the pool as well.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2009 02:54:51 | More by CAMRAhardliner

putnam

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I wonder if this is related to the brewery in County Durham. Both offer an "Auburn" Ale.
"Brewed by a connoiseur instead of an accountant" appears on the official, under-construction web site.
Deeply colored with caramel/brown hue, it tenders a glossy, cream-colored head of diminutive stature.
Fried grain and burnt sugar feature prominently on the nose and so do loads of banana, grape jelly and cream.
Pliant, pillowy textured and clean, it struggles to find a compelling fruit argument. Roasted sugar, toast, wood, caramel and resin balance nicely within the clear, light-bodied frame. Awash with briny, oceanic mineral and skeleton flavors, there does appear a discernable notion of aged lemon peel on the finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2003 02:22:49 | More by putnam

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Last of my Cameron mixed four pack.

Poured into a becker Creemore glass. A light amber hue - a little too light to fall under the 'auburn' spectrum, but still very nice. Leaves behind about a half inch of white head, which dissolves into a thin ring. A few flecks of lacing.

The nose is malty, nutty and buttery, some apple and herbal hops in the back.

Quite pleased with the taste - dominated by the malts early on, but the herbal hops give it a lasting finish. Nutty and crisp, very satisfying.

Good carbonation, but a touch too thin. Very quaffable, however.

This one was my favorite of the bunch - easy to drink, flavorful, nothing funky or out of place. Not very complex, but something one could session with incredible ease. A solid Ontario offering - I'll definitely pick this one up again.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 01:25:11 | More by JohnnyBarman

Shaw

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This ale's color is perfectly named: Auburn. I hadn't thought of that synonym for amber before. Think I'll use it in future reviews!

Anyway, the color is good, with a short tan head that reduces down quickly to just a thin sliver of white.

It has a light smell of toasted malt and hops. The taste has a bit of hop flavor and bitterness that combines with the aforementioned malt. There is also some astringency but nothing major. The body is above average in heft. This beer is quite light in my mouth.

Overall this ale is above average and would be a good session beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2004 05:15:53 | More by Shaw

TerryW

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Overall, I quite enjoyed this beer. It's got a fresh and interesting taste that makes it a decent drinking beer.

Pours a crystal clear carmel colour – the term auburn fits quite nicely. Just a wee bit of a short-lived head. Gentle, maybe too subtle aroma, nicely balanced, full of hops and malt.

Very tasty. Deliciously fruity hops, nice malt sweetness, comes across as quite fresh. Noticeable taste of apricots – which I quite like – makes this distinctive and something I look forward to drinking.

Disappointing finish however. Lots of interesting things happening up front and then – nada. Nothing really lingers which is a darn shame, 'cause overall this beer is well worth a try. Everything hangs together just so. Still tasty after each bottle. Mmmm.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2004 17:47:25 | More by TerryW

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

An "old standard" of mine from years ago that I haven't revisited in some time with the new wealth of Ontario craft brewers. Saw a single at the LCBO and decided to take a trip down memory lane for BA rating purposes!

Pours a beautiful clear amber with minimal head, no lacing. Believe this bottle has less carbonation than normal. Malt-forward aroma of caramelized and roasted grains. These initially sweet flavours meld into a nicely bitter finish, with lots of toffee and breadiness in a well-rounded body. More depth than I expected and that finish lingers...

An excellent "transition beer" for anyone newly into the world of beer with flavour. A good example of roasted and toasted malted barley potential without being too threatening to a macro “red” drinker.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 21:45:28 | More by hopsolutely

MeisterBurger

Ontario (Canada)

3.15/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A gentle pour reveals shades of amber and copper and chestnut brown topped by a thin head that leave spots of lace.

The aroma reveals citrus and aluminum with something of a brown ale about it, toasty, with some mild floral aromatics.

Not having had this for several years, the taste is much milder than I remember it. A rich malt, somewhat reminiscent of a Tootsie® Roll fades with every sip and gives way to a floral, metallic bitter in the finish. As it warms the malt grows toastier, the caramel comes out and the hops swing towards grapefruit rind all with an underlying green grape sourness. The finish is a bit rough.

Mouthfeel is light with low carbonation.

This is better than I was expecting, different than I remember, and there's something in the aftertaste I find a little off-putting.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 01:59:20 | More by MeisterBurger

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

341 mL bottle from a sampler pack of 4. I don't know anything about this brewery, but the description on the bottle has me eager to try this one. Served a bit warmer than fridge temperature (I let it sit for ~10-15 minutes before pouring).

Pours a bright, clear copper-amber (or perhaps auburn?) colour, topped with a thin, foamy off-white head that fizzles out unfortunately quickly. Its only remnants are a thin film on the surface, and a respectable creamy collar around the edge of the glass that leaves smears of lacing. The aroma confirms that the label was not lying; there is plenty of grapefruit citrus and pine sap on top of caramel malts and toffee. Some floral notes as well.

A very hoppy, rather unbalanced example of the style, though as an IPA lover I am not about to complain. Earthy, bitter grapefruit and resiny pine sap are present from the start of the sip and linger well into the aftertaste. The malts remind me more of roasted bread and nuts rather than the toffee/caramel in the aroma. Good body for a 5%er, solid medium. Mildly carbonated, and really easy to drink - this is one of the first times I've almost finished the beer before the review!

Not balanced like I usually expect from an amber... but very easy to like at the same time, and even if it's not a textbook example of the style it's a thoroughly enjoyable one either way. I could definitely see myself getting this again if I were in the mood for a reasonably hoppy session ale.

Update (Nov. 14 2012) - Tried another sampler, one that was considerably less fresh than last time when it was only a week off the line. The hop character definitely dies down over time; still present but not nearly as prominent, becoming smoother and more malt-forward. I'm not adjusting its score, as this is still quite good for an amber, but it seemed worth mentioning as a factor worth considering.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 07:42:35 | More by thehyperduck

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a nice clear copper/amber color to it. It has a nice thick off-white head that dies down moderately and leaves some nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitly give out hints of roasted and bready malts, caramel, citrus and earthy hops.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a sweet roasty/bready malt character along with some caramel, some nut and earthy hops.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with decent flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 21:02:31 | More by SebD

demcorhip

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yes, im working my way through the OCB Discovery Pack. Not much to discover so far other than approachable ales.

A nice looking amber ale. One finger of head on the pour, which subsides to leave a thin collar.

Caramel malts and a touch of biscuit with no hint of the full hop flavour promised at on the label. There is, however, an underlying herbal grassiness.

Well there is a clean hop bitterness present that keeps this from being too pedestrian. Nice flavour from the caramel malts too. A somewhat tame yet tasty brew.

Nice, body has a bit of substance, decent level of bitterness and touch of astringent grain husk balances out the malts.

A good, drinkable and sessionable ale. Could be kicked up a notch or too with some dry hopping to add another dimension to what is otherwise a quality yet tame offering. As it is its reminiscent of an American Octoberfest.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2009 21:46:36 | More by demcorhip

funkengruven

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After trying their lager I was a little afraid about this one, but that fear was unfounded, this is quite a good beer.

This poured a beautiful deep clear amber brown with a nice thin ring of head and a cloud on top. Smell was very malty, quite appetizing. These malts are present in the flavor also, making this quite a delicious beer. It is very smooth on the way down and quite easy to drink. I'd recommend this one handily.

This was purchased at the same time as the Lager with a brewed date of 11/06 making this one a month younger than the previous. That could have made the difference in freshness with this, but I am unsure. Regardless, this is a great beer and definitely worth having in your fridge.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2007 21:11:29 | More by funkengruven