Tag Archives: quebec

St Ambroise Erable — McAuslan Brewery

By chris | Published: February 26, 2013

I don’t even know if I can adequately describe in words how much I love maple syrup. When I buy a new bottle (always Ontario), I open it on the spot and take a swig. Ben does this now, too. Be aware, if you are pouring syrup out of a bottle that I bought, it’s had my mouth on it. I nearly always buy those little maple sugar candies that the syrup sellers always have on their tables, too. While I love the pursuit of the ideal pancake (and I’m closing in on it), basically as soon as the first bite or two has confirmed the quality of that batch, I really only care about the pancake as a vessel…. [Read More]

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged ale, maple beer, mcauslan, st ambroise | 2 Responses

St Ambroise Pale Ale — McAuslan Brewery

By chris | Published: February 26, 2013

I was seriously shocked when I checked and discovered I had never actually reviewed McAuslan’s St Ambroise Pale Ale. I mean, I drink it frequently, both in bottles and on draught. I often sing it’s praises to others, and feel that it is one of the best English-style pale ales available in Ontario, if not the country. So I was super excited when I got a few of their new tall boy cans, and assumed it would just be a nice news notice here. But then there it was: no review. So happily I sat down and put on my serious-beer-guy hat and got into it. Here we go!

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged mcauslan, pale ale, st ambroise, top-pick | Leave a comment

St Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale — McAuslan Brewing Inc.

By chris | Published: July 10, 2012

Continuing along with my “stuff in beer” reviews, is St Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale. I’ve said it in past posts, but I’ll say it again: I don’t go in for this seasonal beer stuff. True, I think there are beers for specific occasions or times, but I would never consider turning down a delicious stout in July or a gorgeous weisse in February. I probably wouldn’t crack a Russian Imperial Stout to cool down after mowing the lawn, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have one with some chocolate after dinner that night. That being said, most people do identify beers as being seasonally appropriate, and this is one generally accepted as being a summer beverage. And there is no…. [Read More]

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged apricot, fruit beer, mcauslan, st ambroise, wheat beer | Leave a comment

St Ambroise Framboise — McAuslan Brewing Inc.

By chris | Published: July 9, 2012

Another day another beer review. If you recall from my review of Great Lakes Green Tea Ale, I’m focusing for a while on those “summer-time” brews (though I prefer to not pigeon-hole beers seasonally, most people do) that have things added to them, from fruit juices, to spices, and beyond. Next up is this bottle from McAuslan, their St Ambroise Framboise. Now, aside from the obvious cuteness with the name, if you follow along, you know I’m a big fan of McAuslan. I actually say regularly that beyond not making a bad beer, McAuslan actually only makes excellent beers, or better. There is no doubt their Oatmeal Stout and Pale Ale are exceptional. So I’m always happy when Barry Pletch…. [Read More]

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged framboise, fruit beer, mcauslan, st ambroise | Leave a comment

St Ambroise Special Reserve Russian Imperial Stout – McAuslan Brewing Inc.

By chris | Published: December 7, 2011

St Ambroise Russian Imperial Stout - McAuslan Brewing Inc

There is no secret about my love for McAuslan Brewing from Montreal. I kind of go on and on about them….. Their Pale Ale makes me quiver, etc. So, when I was sent a bunch of their brews, I was a little more than excited. That it included their new barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout nearly put me over the edge. This is a style that could go badly wrong; both Russian Imperial Stouts and anything barrel-aged have the potential for disaster. But McAuslan is so damn good at what they do, fear wasn’t even on the radar. Just pure excitement. I’ve actually had to wait quite a while to do this review, but today is the day, and here it…. [Read More]

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged mcauslan, Russian Imperial Stout, stout, top-pick, winter | Leave a comment

Grande Reserve 17 2011 – Unibroue

By chris | Published: November 21, 2011

Most readers of this blog will need no introduction to the mighty mighty Unibroue, pride of Chambly, Quebec. One of the best brewers of “Belgian-style” ales outside Belgium, they have remained a massive force in Quebec brewing, even after being bought out Sleeman, and subsequently Sapporo. Makers of the renowned Fin du Monde, Maudite, Trois Pistoles, Blanche du Chambly and many others, Unibroue deserves its reputation. But what happens to a brewery like this when you get a new head brewer? In some cases, destruction. For Unibroue, though, in 2007 when Jerry Vietz took over, more success followed. The first beer Jerry created was 17, to celebrate their 17 anniversary. Three years later, when they entered bottled versions of that vintage…. [Read More]

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged bad-ass mother-fucker, belgian style strong dark ale, quad, quadrupel, top-pick, unibroue | Leave a comment

St Ambroise Citrouille – McAuslan Brewing Inc

By chris | Published: October 2, 2011

It’s pumpkin weekend at my place, at least in terms of beer. Friday Fred and I drank pumpkin beer on the Edge, yesterday I reviewed Shipyard’s ferocious Imperial Pumpkin Ale, “Smashed Pumpkin”. Today, I’m going to do a review of one of the pumpkin beers that helped convert me to a fan of pumpkin beers, St Ambroise Citrouille by McAuslan Brewing, or “The Great Pumpkin”, as they call it in English markets. It should come as no surprise that it was a McAuslan beer that helped hold my hand over the threshold into the glorious mansion of pumpkin beers. I’m a huge fan of both McAuslan’s Oatmeal Stout, and their incredible Pale Ale. Their Apricot Wheat beer, while not my…. [Read More]

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged ale, mcauslan, pumpkin, st ambroise | Leave a comment

Rescousse Altbeir – Dieu du Ciel!

By chris | Published: June 29, 2011

Ah, the joys of friends who both travel and like beer. A while back, Matt Caldwell (onebeeratatime.wordpress.com) was in La Belle Province, and brought me back a lovely little stash of beers. One of them was Rescousse Altbeir, by the legendary Dieu du Ciel! brewery in Montreal (okay, their main brewery is in St Jerome, but the brewpub is in the Plateau). Basically, if you haven’t heard of Dieu du Ceil!, you’re probably new to this blog. Far and away, one of the leading breweries in Canada right now. I write about them frequently, a good starting place is here: http://www.torontobeerblog.com/tag/dieu-du-ciel/. While you can’t get this beer at the LCBO, if you like the sound of the style, you might…. [Read More]

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged ale, altbeir, dieu du ciel! | Leave a comment

IPA Impériale – Microbrasserie du Lièvre

By chris | Published: June 19, 2011

My wife goes out for a bachelorette (or a hen party, if you prefer), and what do I do with my solo evening in? Watch Ronin? Play guitar for 5 hours straight? Sit on the balcony smoking a cigar and reading a book? Ogle a Victoria’s Secret catalogue? Sear’s catalogue? No. I do a beer review. But I needed to get a monkey off my back. If you’ve been following this blog or my life in general, you’ll know I took a day trip last August, to Montreal with a dear friend, and came down with pneumonia on my way home. Well, this is the last bottle that I bought on that trip. To be fair, I generally wouldn’t review…. [Read More]

Posted in Beer Review | Also tagged hops, imperial ipa, ipa, Microbrasserie du Lièvre | Leave a comment

Dernière Volonté – Dieu du Ciel!

By chris | Published: May 21, 2011

So the rapture is happening anytime now. Apparently. So, just in case, I thought it appropriate to review a relevant beer. Two obvious choices would the either La Fin du Monde or Maudite by Unibroue, but that’s sort of been done. Instead, I’d like to offer a blessing, or a last rite. Which is what Dernière Volonté translates into in English. Last rite. Seems fitting. As a side note, I’ve actually had this beer since last August from my pneumonia-fated epic Montreal trip with my bro, Rob. I had actually lost track of this bottle; it was hiding behind my last Garrison Imperial Ale. Hoping it’s held up okay.