La Choulette Ambrée
Brasserie La Choulette

La Choulette AmbréeLa Choulette Ambrée
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From:
Brasserie La Choulette
 
France
Style:
Bière de Garde
Ranked #21
ABV:
8%
Score:
89
Ranked #12,772
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 9.34%
Reviews:
72
Ratings:
104
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 05, 2022
Added:
Aug 03, 2002
Wants:
  14
Gots:
  7
No description / notes.
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Ratings by amicar:
Photo of amicar
Reviewed by amicar from Missouri

4.72/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Pours from a corked 750mL green bottle opened with a satisfying "pop"
This smell hits me before my nose gets near the glass- nice. It's a true amber color with sticky off- white foam that I swear is climbing up the glass. A more intense whiff gives me a biscuity bread smell with some nice sharp undertones. A little ester under there; slight spice as well. First taste is dramatically full of bread and fresh grain- and then in a sip or two something wonderful happens and the solvent- esque fruit esters kick in. A hint of toated malt, but no acridity here. This feels wonderful in the mouth, with a smooth slickness that gives way to a tingling sensation followed by the perfect amount of warmth. The rough edges on this bad boy have been really nicely smoothed out. I'll have no problems finishing this one off by myself.

This is more sophisticated than I would have expected. Really a subtle, beautiful, well- balanced beer. Just tops.
Jun 01, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.12 by Shiredave from New York

Sep 05, 2022
 
Rated: 4.06 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Oct 24, 2021
Photo of Maxpower086
Reviewed by Maxpower086 from Canada (QC)

4.06/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
nice deep maple syrup brown with some reddish hues. smell is cherry, caramel and berries. taste is very sweet, malty, caramel, sherry/bourbon and subtle smokey oak. pretty good overall
Feb 01, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by Eltrandos from France

Jun 11, 2019
 
Rated: 3.9 by DarrellK from Florida

Apr 16, 2019
Photo of KooVee
Reviewed by KooVee from Finland

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
75cl bottle, combination of reviews when fresh and when 2.5yo.

Clearish dark amber, (for the style) moderately busy foam that subsides but leaves a thin finely constructed layer.

Nose is fruity and sweet when fresh, after ageing less remains but it is much more balanced and interesting: subdued bread, layered with caramel/toffee and a prominent presence of raisin once the beer warms up.

Taste is overly sweet when fresh, with some woody notes. No hop presence at any point of the evolution. The excessive malty sweetness turns wirh time into toffee and raisins with an understated aftertaste of good brandy. The sticky mouthfeel stays just the right side of diluted after 2.5 years. Still a bit of wood there. Pleasant, more than simple, sweetness in the aftertaste that might turn into honey.

Overall, I rate this based on the best (2.5yo) phase for the beer I have witnessed. Ageing and drinking at 13-15C improves this beer significantly. I would guess rhe ingredients and the process are spot on for ageing. What would lift this on a par with, say Belgian brunes, would be some hops or spices to carry the interest once the body fades. And a more interesting yeast. That is maybe the biggest obstacle here -- the yeast is distinctly workman-like.
Feb 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3.67 by desint from Belgium

Nov 23, 2018
 
Rated: 3 by ThisSeasonsWaifu from Sweden

Jan 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.13 by HopBelT from Belgium

Aug 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.9 by Silke_Neryn from Sweden

Jul 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.81 by shelby415 from Oregon

Dec 03, 2016
Photo of drmeto
Reviewed by drmeto from Germany

3.43/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25
L:
-pours a clear amber with a medium to big,foamy,offwhite head
-medium to high carbonation visible
S:
-caramel,plums,banana,brown sugar,spicy
T:
-caramel,toffee,astringent,orange,spicy,plums
-no hop bitterniss
-very sweet
F:
-medium to high carbonation
-medium body
-alcohol noticeable
O:
Decent, but a bit too sweet for me
Jul 28, 2016
Photo of Beginner2
Rated by Beginner2 from Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Extraordinarily hit the spot before and during a French meal. I will have to find this again and give it a review.
Reviewed in Prosts' CAMRA classic
Jun 06, 2016
Photo of hman43
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina

3.79/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Look: It pours a hazy amber color with a off white almost tannish head.

Smell: It has a rich, malty, aroma that features bread, dark fruits, toffee, and alcohol.

Taste:It has a malty rich taste of bread, toffee, a bit of roast, spices, and alcohol.

Feel: It has a heavy feel to it with a slightly sweet, the bitter aftertaste with alcohol warming.

Overall: It is a very malt rich beer. The malts dominate the aroma and flavor with a sweet, then bitter aftertaste.
Apr 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.27 by AlexFields from Tennessee

Nov 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.44 by Rivoire from France

Oct 25, 2015
Photo of Arthuros
Reviewed by Arthuros from France

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Tasted at La Capsule in Lille.
Very sweet amber, with an almost metallic taste. Also quite sweet, and not very hoppy.
Almost cider-like by some respects.
Good as a dessert beer, don't drink with anything too strong though.
Sep 14, 2015
Photo of Jerseyislandbeer
Reviewed by Jerseyislandbeer from Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Second beer of the day at Het Kasteelhof in Cassel, Northern France. Pours a amber colour with a slight tanned head. Aromas of caramel & flowers. Tastes of spicy caramel with hints of burnt sugar as well as apple fruitiness. The high alcohol content is slightly warming but not at all easy to drink.
Sep 06, 2015
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

3.4/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Handsome dark amber with an enthusiastic foam in the Ciney snifter. Woodsy and fruity aroma. Flavors of raisins and sugar cookies. A tart note along with the grainy taste. Strange and interesting though not my favorite in this style. It seems to be right in the Bière de Garde style, with the sweet mustiness.

Looking at the reviews, I wonder if people are drinking the same beer. Interesting how much variation this one has. Maybe it's more alive in the bottle, for better or worse. From the 750 ml bottle purchased at Elizabeth Station in Bellingham.
Jun 25, 2015
La Choulette Ambrée from Brasserie La Choulette
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 104 ratings