Beer O'Clock: Orange CreamsicALE

Photo: Google

One of the things that I miss about being a kid in the summer is the Dickie-Dee person. I remember hearing the bells ringing from their handle bars long before you saw the person on the three-wheeled, freezer-forward cycle coming.

My friends and I would drop what we were doing and rush to our homes, begging our mothers to give us some coins so that we could get our favourite cool treats.

For me, I loved the Orange Creamsicles. I haven't had one in decades but I'll never forget the taste: a juicy orange popsicle shell with creamy vanilla ice cream inside.

Last year, when Farm Boy, our local grocery store, came out with its own line of sparkling water, I tried the orange-vanilla flavour and it brought back memories of my childhood summer treat. Of course, without any sugar, this is not a sweet beverage but it does quench my thirst and is my favourite flavoured sparkling drink.

When I learned that a Southern Ontario brewery came out with a creamsicle-flavoured ale, I had to try it. Would it remind me of my childhood? Let's see...

Orange Creamsicale (4.8% ABV, 5 IBUs)
Railway City Brewing Company
St. Thomas, ON

Appearance: a pale, hazy orange, like a watered-down Orange Crush, with a white, foamy head that settles to a loose, fine lace. There are fine beads of effervescence, similar to that sugary soda.

Nose: the aromas are quite closed, and it took some time for me to discern anything. At first, I caught hints of the malted wheat and gradually I could discern orange zest. But the aromas are subtle and I had to get my nose right into my glass to detect anything. As I drank more, I could detect hints of vanilla, but not much and I really needed to breathe in deeply.

Palate: again, the flavours in the mouth are subtle, though I could discern mild orange. I expected some creaminess, hoping that there was added lactose, which would make this more of a milkshake cream ale. I don't get any, can't see lactose on the label, nor can I find any mention of the use of lactose on Railway City's Web site. There's a bit of vanilla that comes through in the finish, which is short, but my mouth is not left with much in the way of residual flavour. It's a very light, thirst-quenching ale with light flavours.

Overall impression: on a hot day, this will quench your thirst. But if you're looking for a burst of flavour, if you're looking to be reminded of the flavours of a childhood ice cream treat, you may be disappointed. The orange is light; the vanilla is faint; and the cream is absent. This is not the Orange Creamsicle of my youth.

That said, I didn't dislike Orange Creamsicale. It was refreshing and easy to drink. But I was disappointed by the subtle flavour profile and the lack of any creaminess. I was set up to enjoy a nostalgic moment and was disappointed.

Kind of like when I ran home for change for the Dickie Dee person, only to find my mom had none.

In all honesty, I actually prefer the Farm Boy Organic Orange Vanilla Sparkling Water. I love so many brews from Railway City that I feel bad for this review, but it is what it is.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺.5

You can find Orange Creamsicale at your local LCBO. You can find Creamsicles, if you're lucky, in your grocer's freezer section. And you can find that refreshing orange-vanilla fizzy water at your local Farm Boy.

Cheers!