At last, I've reached the end of my pumpkin ales. I am so ready to move on to different styles of beers, there's no way I can describe how relieved I am that we've come to the last remaining bottles in my collection.
I realize that I barely scratched the surface of the number of pumpkin ales available in Ontario, West Québec, New York State, and Delaware (my final tasting), but I hope that I've raised an interest in this interesting style of beer. And I know that some of my beer-loving friends (yes, I'm talking to you, Katy and Scott) have amassed a much greater collection of pumpkin ales, but for me, the number that I had was considerable, seeing that I've never had more than two different pumpkin ales in one season.
I reviewed 12 breweries but I tasted at least a half-dozen more that I decided to leave out of my reviews. And to spare the readers who may not care for pumpkin and spice in their ales, I fear that a dozen was too many.
But I've reached the end with the final three, none of which is available in the LCBO or is made in Canada. This weekend, I went south of the border. And once I've given my review of these beers, I'll give you my top five pumpkin ales and a couple of my least favourite ones.
I spread the final tastings out over three separate sessions. The first one, I had on Thursday night, with dinner. And thankfully, it renewed my love of pumpkin ale.
UFO Pumpkin
Harpoon Bewery, Windsor VT
5.9% ABV
I have my friend, Tom, to thank for this one. My buddy went for a beer run to Vermont and returned with a trunkful of beer. He came straight from the border to our weekly social event, Thursday Pints, and as we headed out he showed me his haul and offered me a bottle of this unfiltered pumpkin ale.
I'm honoured.
A cloudy amber orange with an off-white, foamy head, this ale delivered a nose of baked apple-spice cake. On the palate, I was immediately hit with spices, a hint of orange citrus, and brown sugar. The finish was all pumpkin pie.
This pumpkin ale hit the mark exactly. It was delicious and makes me want to venture down to Windsor next year. UFO is a favourite.
On Friday, I shared another beer with an expert: brewmaster Adam Rader from Mill Street. This one was from my recent trip to Cortland, in the Finger Lakes district of New York State.
Pumpkin Ale
Cortland Beer Company, Cortland NY
ABV NA
I came across the CBC by accident. My family and I were looking for a place for dinner in Cortland, and when we turned down a street off the main road, we passed an old fire station that was converted into a brewery. We pulled over and I hopped out.
I had a small sample of their pumpkin seasonal and decided that I would take some home. It was available only in a growler, so I made the decision right then and there that I would share it. I was hoping that I could share it with my three buddies, but neither Katy, Scott, or Tom were available, so I thought I'd take it to Adam.
Reddish-amber with a thin, off-white head, I caught a buttery nose. Adam pointed out the smell of popcorn, and it all came together. I also smelled pumpkin spice. On the palate, I tasted a toffee spice cake with a slight sweetness that accumulated as I finished my glass; the sweetness became cloying and coated my tongue. The finish seems to get sweeter as the glass emptied. And neither the growler nor the brewery Web site provided the alcohol content, though I couldn't taste anyone.
This is a good pumpkin ale, but I was glad that I shared. For me, it was too much to drink on my own. As it was, I left Adam the growler with half of the ale remaining. But I repeat: it was good.
I saved my final beer for yesterday (Sunday). I loved the beers that I had tried from this Delaware brewery and expected another awesome ale. What I got was not what I expected at all.
Punkin Ale
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Rehoboth Beach DE
7% ABV
I first had Dogfish Head beer this summer, in Charlotte, NC. Then, I had the incredibly intense 90-Minute IPA. Great hops, better flavour. A couple of months ago, I attended a beer tasting and tried several more, and I fell in love with this brewery. So I couldn't wait to try the pumpkin ale.
And thanks go to Katy, who gave me this bottle when I started collecting pumpkin ales.
In the glass, I saw an unfiltered liquid the colour of a pumpkin skin: deep, intense orange. The head was thick and foamy. On the nose, I smelled intense pumpkin and spice with a hint of ginger, almost like ginger beer. In the mouth, I tasted a sweet and sour flavour, and a fruit that reminded me of plums. Throughout my tasting, I had a craving for egg rolls.
There was citrus on the palate, but not much in the way of hops. At least, not the intense hops that I associate with Dogfish Head. The finish was hot, due to the high alcohol content.
Punkin was a nice ale, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed. The love I developed for this brewery didn't continue with this offering. Punkin was not going to fall within my top five beers.
So which pumpkin ales rated as my top five?
- Beau's Weiss O'Lantern: incredibly flavourful and well balanced, the combination of pumpkin ale and wheat ale won my heart.
- Southern Tier Imperial Pumking Ale: this is an all-time favourite that is a great substitute for actual pumpkin pie.
- Harpoon UFO Pumpkin: what can I say? I loved it.
- St-Ambroise Citrouille: this offering is crisp, clean, flavourful, and reinforces why this brewery is one of my favourites.
- Nightmare on Mill Street: while this beer tastes slightly different in the bottle and on tap, I prefer the draft version, but the bottle is right behind it.
If you can find any of these ales, pick them up. Cherish them. If you can't find them, make sure you get your hands on some next year.
Which pumpkin ales fell short for me? Quite a few of the ones that I reviewed and didn't review fell into that category, but there were two pumpkin ales I will avoid in the future.
- Black Creek Historic Brewery Pumpkin Ale: not enough flavour, pure and simple. Not worth having again.
- Brooklyn Post Road: I purchased two bottles of this ale. The one that I reviewed wasn't finished, was dumped down the drain; the second, I gave away.
So that's it. That's my review of pumpkin ales. Next week, I look forward to sharing something completely different.
Okay, I'm getting a little tired of pumpkin ale.
I've only been drinking pumpkin ale for a couple of years: since my friend, Perry, took me to Toronto for Volo Cask Days, when he introduced me to his own version of the seasonal ale and I first tried Great Lakes' interpretation.
Since pumpkin ales sprang up, I've limited my self to only a couple each year. Not so this year.
In addition to the pumpkin ales I've reviewed, I've had some at beer tastings and at social gatherings, where I haven't taken notes (I did review a pumpkin ale last week, along with other beers at a food pairing dinner). Needless to say, I've had more pumpkin ale this year than I've had in all other years, combined.
I'm getting pumpkin beered out.
That said, I did try two more pumpkin ales this weekend: one from Ontario, another from New York State. And both of them are available at the LCBO.
I tried the Ontario ale first.
Highballer Pumpkin Ale
Grand River Brewing Company
Cambridge, Ontario
LCBO: $3.95, 500 ml; 5.2% ABV
The last time I reviewed a beer by Grand River, I wasn't particularly kind and I was somewhat reluctant to review them again. What if I didn't like this offering from this small brewery? Would I publish my findings? I decided that they deserved another chance.
Deep orange-ambered, the white head dissipated fairly quickly but left a nice, thin lace. On the nose, I detected a definite pumpkin and spice aroma with some citrus. In the mouth, the flavour was an obvious pumpkin but almost no spice. The fruit of the pumpkin was all that came through and ended in a clean finish.
While I would have liked to taste more spice, this was a good, easy-drinking ale. Grand River had redeemed itself.
I followed the Ontario ale with one from Brooklyn, New York.
Post Road Pumpkin Ale
The Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, New York
LCBO: $2.45, 355 ml; 5% ABV
While this seasonal is available in the LCBO, it is only available in limited quantities and only at a few stores.
Dark orange with a thick, beige, creamy head that lasts, this beer delivered a candied orange and malt nose. In the mouth, you are immediately hit with good hops, sour caramel, and orange rind. And like the Grand River, there was more pumpkin than spice.
But what disappointed me about this ale was the finish. The flavours seemed to drop off, leaving me with a watery finish. I didn't crave another sip after the first. And as I approached the bottom of my glass, I found myself bored with the whole drinking experience and did something I almost never do.
I dumped the rest of the glass down the kitchen drain.
Was I tired of drinking pumpkin beer? Perhaps. But I was certainly tired of this particular beer.
If you are determined to try all available pumpkin ales from this season, then give it a try. Give both of these beers a try.
I have a few more pumpkin beers to try. But then I may be done drinking pumpkin ales for a few years.
Cheers.
J.P. Fournier is a multi-talented fellow: DJ, event organizer, and beer maker. And this weekend, he performed all three tasks with a panache that seemed effortless.
On Sunday and Monday, the Ottawa Beer TAP Society founder and president of the National Capital Craft Beer Week (and his fiancée, Trish Watson), hosted the eighteenth beer and food pairing dinner.
J.P. started making beer about three years ago, and about six months later he started hosting the food-pairing event. This time, with the help of the folks at The Copper Pot Café and Catering, about 20 members of the Ottawa Beer TAP Society were treated to a six-course extravaganza.
J.P. organized and hosted the event, made the beer, and provided the music for the evening. At the start of the event, J.P. asked the guests to complete the provided tasting notes sheet and rate the beers on a scale of 1 to 10.
My wife, Lori, and I were greeted by J.P. and Trish and offered a mulled pumpkin porter (ABV 8%). The hot beverage was a clear brown with no carbonation or head: a cinnamon stick was placed in the glass to add extra spice. On the nose, I caught toffee-cake aromas and spice, with a hint of sweetness. In the mouth, distinct raisin and spice flavours ended with a toffee finish. It was a unique way to have beer.
I gave this mulled beer a score of 8 out of 10. I would drink this hot beverage any day over mulled wine, especially because it contained no nuts or dried fruit.
The first dish was a whole-wheat couscous and organic quinoa fritters with Brussels sprouts, beets, and a sweet pickled aioli. While I found the fritters a little dry, the Brussels sprouts and aioli mixed nicely with them (I typically don't like Brussels sprouts, but they were split up into individual leaves and only lightly warmed: they tasted great). And while I don't like beets, I did take a couple of bites to marry the appetizer with the paired beer.
The beer was J.P.'s Cranberry Wheat (ABV 4.7%), which was the colour of ruby-red grapefruit juice and cloudy. The nose revealed candied orange with a white, effervescent head that dissipated fairly quickly. In the mouth, I detected a slightly tart cranberry with tangerine fruit and a clean, fresh finish.
I described this wheat ale as "Orange Crush for adults." While it wasn't nearly as sweet as the orange soda, it was very flavourful and was a perfect summer beverage.
My score: 7 out of 10.
The second course was a braised beef brisket in a savoury chocolate barbecue sauce with whipped sweet potatoes and roasted baby carrots. The beef was succulent, juicy, and flavourful, though I didn't taste any chocolate. It was a rich dish and I was thankful that the portion wasn't too large. It was delicious, especially with the creamy, smooth sweet potato.
The dish was paired with an Irish stout that J.P. called "Guinnish" (ABV 3.3%), as it was made in the tradition of Guinness. This stout was brewed with sour wort, which gives the beer a sour flavour. Guinnish is a dark cocoa brown with a fine, brownish cream head, much like Guinness. On the nose, the sourness comes through and gave me impressions of yogurt.
In the mouth, the sourness was full-force, backed with rich malts. For me, the sourness was a bit overpowering and did not exactly marry with the beef, though the sauce helped cut the sourness. The finish was very short and light.
For me, Guinnish rated a 6. I love stout, but this one did not meet my expectations. Sorry, J.P.
Next, we were treated to maple-fried pork belly with green beans and a sweet-and-sour cabbage slaw. The outside of the pork was crispy and flavourful; the inside juicy and delicious. And while I don't typically like green beans, these were crisp and fresh. The "slaw" was tangy and complemented the dish.
Unfortunately, the beer didn't. We were served a Belgian wheat ale (ABV 4.7%), called Quat??? (J.P. added the question marks, not me). The beer was delicious but didn't pair particularly well with the food.
The colour displayed a light, yellow grapefruit colour and held an unfiltered cloudiness. The nose was an attractive pear with tones of pineapple. On the palate, I tasted distinct yeast, light grapefruit, and orange citrus. Again, this would make a refreshing summer patio beer.
I gave this pairing a score of 5: the dish was delicious, the beer was good. However, together I found that the pork, and especially the "slaw," blew the beer away. With a mouthful of the dish, the flavours of the ale were reduced to water.
Having read the menu in advance, I was really looking forward to the next dish. The food sounded exquisite, the beer was one of my favourite styles. We were treated to pumpkin and squash perogies with roasted onions and a chive crème. It was delicious, though I found the crème a little rich. But this was one of my favourite dishes of the evening.
Paired with this dish was J.P.'s Pumpkin Nut Porter (ABV 6.9%), the un-mulled version of our first beverage. Deep brown with a creamy head, this porter offered a distinct pumpkin and spice nose. In the mouth, I tasted raisin and a slightly burned sugar flavour. In the finish, I sensed a mild espresso.
While the pork in the previous dish overpowered the wheat ale, I felt the porter sometimes overpowered the perogies. I had to balance the beer in the mouth with the amount of crème on my fork to achieve a decent pairing. And when I did, I loved it.
Out of 10, I gave this course a 9.
The next course featured a pan-seared cod filet in a citrus buerre blanc, with arugula and shaved fennel and pear. I had to be careful because I'm allergic to pear, and so I gave those parts of my salad to Lori.
The cod was moist and flaky, and melted in my mouth. The sauce was lightly lemony and was delicious. And the dish married perfectly with the beer, a gruit ale.
Called Sage Gruit (5.6%), J.P. was inspired by Beau's Bog Water, which doesn't use hops and, therefore, cannot truly be called a beer. And while Sage Gruit didn't remind me of Bog Water, I loved it nonetheless.
Copper-amber in colour, this brew was clear (if memory serves me, Bog Water looked like... well... bog water). On the nose, I detected a distilled aroma—whisky or cognac—with herbs: specifically, sage. Inhaling the aromas through the nose, my sinuses cleared up and I felt a slight burning at the back of the throat.
On the palate, the sage continued and mixed with ginger, and was slightly sweet. The finish offered a complex licorice. This was an awesome drink served with a fantastic dish. The pairing, I said, was perfect.
I gave the gruit an 8 out of 10.
The final dish was dessert. I showed you a picture of it yesterday. Let me show it again because it was awesome. It was a homemade apple cider cream pie with a caramel sauce and apple chips (shaved, dried apple). I couldn't eat the chip that stood up in my pie like a flag because I'm terribly allergic to apples. I can eat apples if they're very well cooked: dried apple isn't cooked apple.
But the rest of the pie was to die for. Rich and creamy; sweet, but not too sweet. And the crust was flaky and perfect.
To match, J.P. presented a Black Harvest Ale (ABV 5.2%), a black American Amber-APA blend. The hops for this ale, Zeus and Cascade, were hand-picked by J.P. himself. Half of the hops were grown in his back yard; the others were picked (with permission) from the Dogfish Head brewery in Delaware.
Coffee-brown in colour with a delicate, lacy head, this black IPA delivered beautiful, intense citrus hops. The palate picked up deep, grapefruit and hops flavours with a malty nut finish that lingered and blended perfectly with the pie.
It was heaven: and for that, I gave it a perfect 10. I could drink this beer any day, all day long.
To finish, we were treated to an aperitif that was a black IPA liqueur (ABV 25%). J.P. learned this recipe from the owner of a pub in Berlin and presented his impression. Deep toffee coloured, there was a date nose with a hint of coffee. Drinking this liqueur, I was reminded of a warm, tawny port and Kahlua. Despite the high alcohol level, there were no legs on the sides of the glass and the alcohol did not dominate the drink.
It was a true treat. I didn't rate it, but I did love it all the same.
My thanks go to J.P. and Trish, who presented a memorable dinner experience with some lovely food and interesting beer. While not all of the dishes paired particularly well, the dishes and beer were all good on their own. J.P. is a great brewer, who I feel privileged to call friend.
And the next time he organizes a beer-pairing dinner, I'll be back. And I strongly recommend that you go too.
I also want to thank Garth and Ellen for the company at our table.
Yes, my beer review is one day late, but I decided that because it was a holiday there was a good chance that many of you wouldn't be spending your free time in front of a screen. Also, I got home too late and too tired on Sunday, after spending some time in nature, capturing the colours of the autumn leaves, and with family, stuffing our faces, to sit down and bang out a beer review.
If you get a chance, get out soon to enjoy the colours of fall. The Gatineau Hills to the north of Ottawa have exploded in vibrant colours of red, yellow, and orange. This week's Wordless Wednesday will showcase some of the images I captured this weekend.
But I also took the time to enjoy two more pumpkin ales while I absorbed the beauty of the changing leaves in the Gatineaus.
This weekend, being both the Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and with Columbus Day in the United States, I went for a Canadian offering and an American one. And in drinking these seasonal brews, I only had one regret.
That I didn't buy more.
This week's selections are Beau's All Natural Weiss O'Lantern Pumpkin Weiss and Southern Tier Imperial Pumking Beer. I started with Beau's.
Beau's, for me, is a hit-and-miss brewery. I like some of their beer; I dislike others. When Beau's creates something truly special, I want to stock up. Their Bog Water, Festivale, and Beaver River IPA come to mind. Sometimes, they seemingly try too hard (I'm thinking of Mr. Hyde) and for me, it's too much. And, I'm sorry to say, I don't like their flagship brew, Lug Tread (I respect it; I just don't appreciate it).
Their Weiss O'Lantern (LCBO: $7.85/600 ml; 5.6% ABV), I'm happy to say, firmly hits the mark for me. A golden-yellow glow with a hint of orange and a lush-white foamy head catches your eye. Like most weiss-styled wheat ales, there is the murkiness of little filtration. As a result, the light that enters the glass seems to remain captured within.
On the nose, I was immediately hit with intense banana. This is only the third time that I've noticed this fruit in a beer, and it tells me one thing: this beer is going to be good. In the nose, there are also hints of spice, which comes through more clearly on the palate.
In the mouth, I was met with warm clove spice and pumpkin flavour. This is a full-bodied, but not heavy, wheat ale. The fresh yeast comes through in the finish and leaves a beautiful, clean aftertaste.
Sadly, I only picked up two bottles on Saturday. I tend not to purchase more than two bottles of an unknown entity: I buy a second just in case there's something wrong with the first, but I don't buy more just in case I don't like the beer and am then stuck with it. And with my experience with Beau's, my opinion could have gone either way.
I'm happy to say that this seasonal is something I would be happy to drink year-round. It's flavourful, it's refreshing, and it's a hit with me. I am going to hit the liquor store in the next day or two to track down more of this excellent pumpkin ale.
The second selection for this week is a friend of mine from last year. I first experienced Southern Tier's Imperial Pumking Ale (LCBO: $8.95/650 ml; 8.6% ABV) over the Thanksgiving weekend one year ago, and it blew my mind. It was the most-intense pumpkin ale I had ever had, including Perry's Atomic Pumpkin Ale, which I had a couple of years ago at the Volo Cask Days. That cask-conditioned ale, made by my friend, Perry Mason, was pumpkin pie in a glass.
Pumking is pumpkin pie in a glass, followed by a kick in the head. It's massive, eye-opening stuff.
Rich bronze-orange and red in colour, the white foamy head dissipates rather quickly. It's clear, so filtering is well-performed.
On the nose, you are immediately hit with an intense sweetness, like honey, and a warm aroma of fresh-baked banana-nut loaf (my youngest daughter, who loves beer—particularly stouts—picked up the banana bread first; I got the nuts). Some pumpkin fruit also comes through in the nose, but the sweetness overpowers it.
On the palate, there is a big maltiness with spices, sweet honey, and pumpkin. This is not so much a beverage as it is a dessert. Someone at Southern Tier has a sweet tooth: their Crème Brulée Stout is so sweet that I have to share a bottle with at least two other people.
Pumking has a creamy finish and staying power. Hours after finishing my glass, I could still taste it. The day after, I could still recall the flavours.
When I started collecting bottles of pumpkin ale for reviewing, Pumking was at the top of my list. I wanted to have it as the star of my reviews. But as I've tried more and more of these seasonals, Pumking is facing a lot of stiff competition. After tasting the two beers this weekend, I found myself craving more of the Beau's. Perhaps that craving stemmed from the fact that I was out of it, whereas I stocked up on plenty of Pumking—enough to last me the season. But I know that this Thanksgiving, I was thankful that I drank two awesome pumpkin ales.
This is so much fun.
Pumpkin ale is still coming out and I'm still collecting. And I'm loving finally getting to it, trying new ales that I never had before, becoming reacquainted with some that I haven't had since last year—this time, paying closer attention and taking notes.
This week, I looked at three ales: two from Toronto and one from the Ottawa area.
The first beer is one that I tried a couple of times: the first time, at the brewery; the second time, at this weekend's Oktoberfest Ottawa... um... fest.
Ashton Brewing Company opened only a year ago, and already they're making great brews. I first tried their brown ale at the National Capital Craft Beer Week, and since then I've tried their blueberry wheat ale, their vanilla bean stout, and now their pumpkin ale (5% ABV).
From the moment you see it, you know that this is no ordinary pumpkin ale. Bright, golden-yellow in colour with a white foamy head, this ale looks more like a summer weiss than an autumn pumpkin. The cloudiness tells you right away that it's unfiltered.
What also grabbed me when I first smelled it was the intense fruit aromas: primarily, banana, but with traces of pear. I held the pint glass to my nose for at least five minutes before I took my first sip. I would have held this pose for longer, but my friend was already tasting his pint, making sounds of approval, and looking at me to get into it.
I could drink this ale all day long. On the palate, there are wonderful tones of spice and generous flavours of fruit. I detected pineapple with the pumpkin. And the finish lingered, allowing me to savour the flavour.
Awesome stuff.
The one downside to this pumpkin ale (known as Lederhoser Pumpkin Ale at Oktoberfest Ottawa) is that it is available in very limited quantities. It is on tap at the Old Mill at Ashton English Style Pub and other pubs in Ottawa (go to Ashton Brew Company's site for more information). It sold out early at this weekend's festival, so I don't expect it to stick around in the city. You can also buy growlers at ABC.
Another great pumpkin ale gets right into the Hallowe'en spirit. Mill Street offers its Nightmare on Mill Street Pumpkin Ale (5% ABV) in a seasonal pack that also includes an Oktoberfest ale. I'm not reviewing that beer here.
Nightmare pours a clear copper brown to brick colour with a tan foam head that dissipates quickly after a lively effervescence. There were lots of large bubbles with the initial pour, but they settled down to almost nothing. I have also had the draft version of this pumpkin ale at the Mill Street Brew Pub. The carbonation is greater from the keg and the head changes to a nice lace top. There are other differences that I'll outline as I go.
On the nose, Nightmare presents toasty spices with fleshy fruit. This is pumpkin pie in a glass. In the mouth, I immediately taste caramel and true pumpkin-pie flavours. The keg version seems less sweet and more creamy, with more carbonation.
I enjoy them both. And because this ale is at the LCBO, it's readily available. For another month or so, at least.
Finally, I delved into another Toronto beer, the second pumpkin ale that I ever tried (the first was a cask-conditioned, one-off that my friend, Perry, made a couple of years ago for Volo Cask Days, and is one of the best pumpkin ales I've ever had).
The first time that I had Great Lakes Brewery Pumpkin Ale, I wasn't crazy about it. To me, the pumpkin flavours didn't taste genuine. They tasted artificial.
Last year, I tried this pumpkin ale again, and I developed a better appreciation for it. But, in truth, I did try it after I had another pumpkin ale that knocked my socks off, whose flavours overpowered my taste buds.
(I think Coors Light would have tasted decent after this other, as-yet-unnamed pumpkin ale, which I'll be reviewing in another week or two: it's probably my favourite one so far. But I still have more to try.)
So, on my third tasting of Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale, I paid closer attention, and this is what I found:
In the glass, the colour is a golden orange with a pale foam that lasts through the better half of the glass. On the nose, I found citrus scents with nice spice and a hint of honey. The nose, I found, is the best aspect of the beer.
On the palate, I tasted bold hops but not much in the way of pumpkin. Though this ale isn't particularly high in alcohol (5.5% ABV), those flavours come through in the finish.
It's a decent pumpkin ale, but for me it's not a favourite. For me, it doesn't compare with Mill Street's and doesn't even come close to the atypical offering from Ashton.
But one thing's certain: I'm going to love October, when I review many more pumpkin ales. Cheers!
Let's be clear: this is not a competition.
A few weeks ago, I started collecting bottles of pumpkin ales. I wanted to do a comparison of the different seasonal ales from the breweries that are available to us beer lovers in Ottawa.
And some that aren't, but they won't be part of this taste comparison.
However, after I amassed a small stash of beer from all over Ontario, from Québec, and parts of the United States, I started thinking: I can't drink all of these beers in one sitting. I'll get pissed. I suppose I could drink a little of each, but what to do of the remainder of the bottles. When I review beer, I tend to do it alone. I don't want to be influenced by anyone.
And so I came up with an idea. I will drink two to three different pumpkin ales each week, giving my impression to you.
I'm starting with two very different pumpkin ales: one from Toronto, Ontario; the other, from Montréal, QC. In my search for great pumpkin ales, I went to Black Creek Historic Brewing and McAuslan Brewing (to the bottles, not the actual breweries).
I have never had either of these ales before this weekend, so I was tasting fresh. But I must admit: I had great expectations for the St-Ambroise Citrouille. After all, this brewery creates my favourite stout and makes an amazing seasonal IPA.
I performed this tasting in two sittings, drinking a bottle of each of the pumpkin ales in each tasting. For the first tasting, I drank a bottle of the St-Ambroise, and then drank the Black Creek. A couple of days later, I drank both ales at the same time, taking notes. Here's what I discovered:
The Black Creek pumpkin ale (5% ABV) shows a rich, murky amber-brown colour with a creamy, thick head that lasted for most of the life of the beer. I found the nose to be closed for many minutes; it slowly opened while I drank, but I could only detect faint spices. In the mouth, I was met with mild pumpkin and spice. The finish reminded me of black pepper but was short, and I caught something astringent.
Black Creek is an easy-drinking pumpkin ale. While I would have liked it to open more, would have liked a little more pumpkin-pie flavour, I did enjoy it. This is the type of beer that you could enjoy at a social gathering.
The St-Ambroise Citrouille (5% ABV), on the other hand, is very different. Starting with the appearance, this pumpkin ale is crystal-clear, with a deep amber to caramel colour. The head is white but disappears almost immediately. I thought my first bottle might have been flat, but the miniscule pearls stayed throughout, and this beer was fine. The second bottle was the same, so there was nothing wrong.
Where the Black Creek was closed, the Citrouille held intense spice on the nose, lots of pumpkin, and a freshly baked pie crust. I couldn't wait to taste it.
On the palate, the Citrouille was slightly sweet (did I detect maple?) and incredibly flavourful. The finish produced citrus flavours and great hops.
The St-Ambroise tasted more like a dessert-like beer; something that you treat yourself with.
While I liked the Black Creek, I loved the St-Ambroise pumpkin ale. But this isn't a competition. If you like pumpkin ales, go out and get both. Serve one after a meal; drink the other one when you're enjoying an evening with friends.
Next week, I'll take a look at two other Ontario brews: Mill Street and Great Lakes Beer. Cheers!
