McAuslan Cream Ale
McAuslan Brewing

illpass78 from Maine

4.13/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Pint on draft in a nonic at Poutineville in Quebec City.

Appearance: Somewhat cloudy copper with a big cream head that sticks around forever. Looks great.

Aroma: Floral, malty, rich. Has kind of a citrusy, lemony aroma backed by bready maltiness.

Taste: Citric and malty. Caramel, bread, toast. Some grass. Lemon. Grains. Some pine hop.

Mouthfeel: This aspect makes this good beer great. Super smooth. A pleasure to sip.

Overall: Terrific cream ale. One of the creamiest I've had. Tres bien!

Sep 01, 2017

NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

McAuslan Brewing "McAuslan Cream Ale"
on tap via ntiro

Notes: Ah, I had no idea McAuslan was from Quebec. For some reason I thought they were on the other side of the country in Alberta or British Columbia. Anyway... it's a clear deep-amber/copper in color beneath a creamy bright white head. As might be expected the head retention and lacing are both excellent. The aroma is limited to some doughy and lightly caramelish malt, but that usually a trade-off with the nitro pour as the head itself is keeping the aromas in. The flavor opens up delivering sweetish biscuity malt with a light touch of golden caramel, and some yeasty fruit (apple, pear).Spicy and floral hops appear across the palate and become a bit grassy as well in the dry finish. Firm bitterness. Medium-light body, and creamy smooth via the nitro pour. Very nicely done. An enjoyable, quaffable pint.

Feb 08, 2017

CalgaryFMC from Canada (AB)

3.68/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pint on tap at Beer Revolution, one of several McAuslan brews currently on showcase. Quite a looker, a cloudy golden-beige with two fingers of creamy whipped head, small nitro bubbles forming a nice compact froth. Aroma is very light and fruity: Hard candy, subtle orchard fruit (pears), a whiff of citrus rind, sweet grains, and a dash of green grass. Palate is similarly fruity and gently bitter, a muddle of lemon rind, vanilla, pear, stale white peppercorn, and grass with a mineral bite. Background white bread and corn sweetness. I do appreciate the silky smooth creamy texture, as billed. Whereas McAuslan's red failed to meet my expectations, this exceeded them. Nothing that will re-define your beer paradigm (or even your cream ale paradigm), but makes for a reasonable low-key session.

Nov 12, 2014

papat444 from Canada (QC)

3.48/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A totally beige body due to the silky, creamy head mixes nicely with the light copper body. Aroma of nuts and malt is somewhat muted by the nitro. Decent flavor, mineral hops, some fruit. Very creamy body, ultra smooth but middle is a bit muddled.. Overall, decent enough.

Sep 08, 2013

TheDoctor from Canada (QC)

3.71/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A:
Thick and creamy looking with nice cascading effects and good head retention; some light lacing.

S:
Dry hay and some slight maltiness. Nothing too in-your-face.

T:
Tastes mildly hoppy but not bitter or anything. A touch of sweetness citrus, grass, mustiness.

M:
Nice and creamy. Smooth and dry with a quick finish.

O:
This is a good beer. I read (don't know for sure) that this is just their Pale Ale with nitro and that they thought it tasted so different they decided to call it cream ale (I don't think it actually is one). I don't know if that is true but if it is, then it is quite amazing how different the taste is. I wouldn't spend tons to get my hands on it, but if it is on tap I'll definitely get it over some other stuff. Really enjoyable.

May 02, 2013

rappmann from Canada (ON)

3.67/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - copper with two fingers of fluffy dense white head. Cascading beautifully. The head sticks around for the entire pint.

S - smells like a toned down version of their pale ale. Spicy notes from the yeast. really beautiful caramel malty notes.

T - Tons of biscuity malt characters fnished with the tiniest hop bite. very spicy.

M - The nitro really makes me enjoy this beer on another level. It adds the creamiest finish. This beer is extremely easy to drink

O - A good example of the style. Nitro made it way better. Had it at work after my shift and I'm glad I did. Would have again.

Nov 25, 2012

spinrsx from Canada (ON)

3.61/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Nitro-Tap

Appearance – Clear light copper colour with an average size frothy off white coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation visible and there is a really good amount of lacing. The head lasted for around 7 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, hops, caramel, tea

Taste & Mouth - The beer has a low amount of carbonation and the beer has a nice velvety feel. I can taste malts, caramel, and some notes of tea. There was also a bit of a metallic flavour. Th beer ends with a nice light malty aftertaste.

Overall – A very drinkable beer with a fantastic appearance. They should really start selling this beer in cans. It's not as good as some of the cream ales from the UK, but it's close. I'd buy it again.

Oct 31, 2011

Matt1516 from Canada (QC)

3.84/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on nitro tap at L'Escalier.

Thanks to the the nitrogen, it was a gorgeous pour: Super creamy, frothy head and cascading down the glass and thick lacing. Dark copper body. Hoppy malt smell.

A superbly creamy mouthfeel and nice bitter ale with some hop (similar to their "blonde" pale ale). Some toasted maltiness and caramel but also a wee thin and watery.

An almost perfect session ale for a night out with friends.

Aug 03, 2011

gskitt from New York

3.25/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap in Montreal. Poured a dark amber, orange, bright white head. Lots of stick and lacing on the glass. Smelled of grass, grain and herbs. Not sure if this was good or bad. Taste was more subdued, herbal and creamy. I guess cream ales should be creamy. This was. Overall, an enjoyable brew but not my style.

Jul 24, 2011

TheDeuce from New York

2.78/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

McAuslin Cream Ale…..in a bottle

Appearance-orange yellow color with a decent sized white head that rises with loads of bubbles and loads of carbonation. It sits and stares back at me for a minute before starting to leave as it settles. Not bad.

Smell-a little bit of fruit, hops appear, malt backbone and of course that pungent mixture aroma that comes with the style

Taste/Mouthfeel-right creaminess up front with a bit of hops, malt falls away creating a more sludgy texture without much smoothness, flavors are there upfront but don’t mix that well. Fruit at the end seems misplaced. Finishes fairly clean, unpleasant aftertaste. Mix of good and bad going on here, but while the taste is strong it doesn’t seem to work.

Overall-this beer started out great but doesn’t end as a good version of the style, maybe I had a bad bottle but the flavors didn’t work together and I didn’t find it very enjoyable. Not recommended.

Jul 10, 2011

kwjd from Canada (ON)

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pale orange with a finger of white head that doesn't dissipate (though it was on nitro-tap). Lots of lacing down the glass. Smells fairly hoppy for a cream ale, with lots of sweet caramel as well. Taste is mildly bitter with nice sweetness. Very well balanced. Quite smooth mouthfeel from the nitro. I used to drink this frequently before I got into craft beer so I wasn't sure how it would hold up now that I've tried so many other beers, but this still is quite a nice beer.

Aug 16, 2010

kjyost from Canada (MB)

3.56/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Pours a light orange body with a giant white cap that laces like freaking crazy. Obviously it's the nitro at work, but is this ever a fantastic looking beer. A surprising aroma for a cream ale, very hoppy, but not much else. I think the intro head is blocking the yummy malt from coming through. A good body with a slight caramel malt. The body though is a bit thin, as the carbonation is non-existent. Needs a little bit in the body for a bite. The head is nice, but the body thin. This beer went down way too easy though, and is eminently drinkable.

Jul 10, 2010

biegaman from Canada (ON)

3.43/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On-tap at Dominion on Queen, in Toronto.

Nitro-taps invariably produce a permanent, ultra-creamy head which, despite looking impressive, is totally fake. What I mean to say is that it's produced with no thanks to the beer itself and thus it's the gas that really deserves the credit, no? (Although its lacing, it must be noted, is so thick and hardened that the glass became opaque).

And let's not take everything away from the beer; its body, an icy dark orange shade, is quite impressive in its own right. Certainly it's much more colorful than the bouquet, which is utterly toneless and seemingly omitted entirely from the brewer's blueprint for the beer. It is hollow, devoid of everything less a faint maltiness, and, essentially, absent.

I've heard that McAuslan Cream Ale is nothing more than the brewery's St. Ambroise Pale Ale served on nitro-tap. While I can't officially confirm nor disconfirm this, I can attest that it tastes remarkably similar, albeit with a more muted hoppiness. It has a sharp, floral flavour with a strongly malty underbelly that boasts a crisp, biscuity taste.

Draft beer is pressurized with carbon dioxide; the addition of nitrogen to the mixture helps create a thicker, longer-lasting head but it can also deaden the flavour. This seems to me it'd be considerably tastier on a regular tap. And while the nitrogen paves the beer an ultra-creamy texture, it diminishes surprisingly little of its (sizable) bitterness.

For a beer style that is typically undistinguished and ordinary, this particular offering has an inordinate amount of character; unfortunately, that doesn't entirely work in its favor. The extra bitterness hits the palate slightly obnoxiously (and contrasts oddly with the creaminess of the nitrogen) and its flavour becomes clammy and dank.

McAuslan Cream Ale certainly has more colour, bitterness and flavour than most others in its style but those pluses don't add up to a better beer. I can think of a few other less flavourful cream ales that are still more enjoyable. This is a fantastic brewery with an outstanding lineup of beers - this offering, simply put, is just not one of their best.

Jul 04, 2010

Otterburn from Canada (QC)

4.47/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance is similar to the st-ambroise pale ale, a little bit clearer. theres a nice white foam head that stay until the end.

smell: malty hoppy

Taste is great, malty and a little bit hoppy theres something very floral like the pale ale, its very well balance, nice evolution in the taste during the sip. clear and smooth taste and some bitterness here and there.

mouthfeel is great. creAM ale all the way. this is very smooth, very low fine carbonation

drinkability is very good,

on-tap restaurant Le Trait-d'union
dans le vieux-Beloeil sur la terrasse..

overall an very good cream ale

May 08, 2010

pootz from Canada (ON)

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at fall ale fest.

Taps a hazed dark honey color, with a billowing creamy head.

Aromas are subtle but you get whiffs of floral hops, apricot, some sweet grainy notes.

Nice hop "bite" up front with a wonderful creamy smooth mouth feel, some citrus-peach notes in the middle with a clean, drying , delicate malty finish.

I think we got something here.Most cream ales are kind of a bland two dimensional thing because the brewers don't source proper yeasts... but this is both layered and subtle as well as smooth and creamy....don't know how much the nitrogen delivery has to do with it but this is one of the better commercial cream ales you'll find anywhere.

Apr 28, 2010

eat from Canada (QC)

3.91/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

If McAuslan didn't exist in Ontario I'm not sure that I could live here. Ontario made beers, generally, are so sad that one of the only things saving my beer life in Toronto is being able to find St. Ambroise products relatively easily. The Cream Ale, however, is a pretty rare find. The Tranzac seems to always have St. Amroise Pale Ale on tap and the Oatmeal Stout and Cream Ale on nitro-tap. Even if the music isn't always great, the beer is bound to be good. Thanks Tranzac!

I've only ever had stout on nitro-tap but cream ale would obviously benefit just as much. Pours with a huge three-finger, creamy-white head. It looks like a McDonald's milkshake. The beer is transparent and a dark honey colour. Retention is amazing and there is a wall of lace left down the glass as you work your way to the bottom.

Not a whole lot of smell here. Minerals (mostly iron), faint hops, light cream.

The taste is very well-balanced and incredibly smooth. Nice and simple flavour: medium roasted malt, European hops of some kind.

Creamy medium body and light carbonation. Nice feel.

I think the only other cream ale I've tried might be Sleeman's. McAuslan's take on the style puts Sleeman's to shame. This is very drinkable and would make a great session beer.

Feb 26, 2010

nighthawk from Canada (NS)

3.71/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On Nitro-tap at Hart & Thistle. Served in a pint glass. Notes from 9 Dec /09.

Golden amber hued body with a generous creamy white head that leaves tons of sheeting and retains until the end.

Aroma is muted, but fruity malts and a bit of biscuit can be discerned.

Taste has lots of fruity malt, some citrus and pine hops, and a mildly sweet biscuit backbone.

Creamy, smooth body that's still light in the mouth.

Very nice quaffer, flavourful and very drinkable.

Dec 11, 2009

cfrancis from Canada (ON)

4.13/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Le Moulin de Wakefield. Aroma is hop, malt and fruity. Nice thick froth on top. Taste is smooth and complex. Full mouthfeel that tickles the palate. Light malt flavour with a slight hop bitterness in the aftertaste. This is a very nice beer. I'd have it anytime.

Oct 26, 2009

Viggo from Canada (ON)

3.92/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On nitro at C'est What?.

Pours a slightly hazy amber, thick and creamy white head forms, very dense, settles to a thick layer that never goes away, lots of lace chunks stick to the glass. Smell is nice, lots of citrus and floral, grapefruit, honey malt, really quite hoppy, caramel, nice citrus character, a bit herbal as well. Taste is nice too, very citrusy, caramel and honey, grapefruit, oranges, floral, nice malty middle, solid herbal/citrus bitterness in the finish. Mouthfeel is light bodied with low carbonation, very creamy. Pretty nice beer, solid hoppiness.

Oct 06, 2009

biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

This beer appears clear medium orange amber hue, with a few fingers of very creamy white head - it looks at lot like melted ice cream, and leaves lace that seems painted on. It smells of spicy biscuit grain, and very mild earthy hops. The taste is cereal malt, and edgy, herbal hops. The carbonation is nice and soft, the body super-smooth and creamy, and it finishes dry with some fruity graininess.

This goes down so smoothly, it was hard to enjoy the scenery on its way past!

Aug 17, 2009

MasterSki from Canada (ON)

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Stumbled upon this at C'est What while looking for some roti. Served in a pint glass.

A - Lovely nitro-style reverse cascading waterfall pour. One finger of pristine off-white foam that just sat there forever without dissipating. After a few minutes I gave up and just starting drinking the brew, which was a transparent orange-amber color.

S - Fruity - apple, berries, peach, apricot, as well as some light spicy noble hops and caramel malts. Not super pungent or super adventurous, but well balanced.

T - Similar to the smell, but a little less complex - mostly the caramel malt and fruit flavors without the floral hoppiness.

M - Super creamy, soft as velvet, mild carbonation, and a light-to-medium body that still boasts some viscosity. Exactly what I'd from a cream ale.

D - Not super different in flavor from other McAuslan brews (like the Apricot Wheat or Pale Ale) but with a significantly improved feel and texture to it. Low ABV and carbonation make it very easy to drink, although the creaminess might slow me down a little bit.

Glad I got to try this one.

Jun 16, 2009

CanuckRover from Canada (ON)

3.71/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Say what you want about nitro-beer, but they always look beautiful. Pours a light copper with a thick creamy head. Lacings coat the glass entirely.

As has been noted, the aroma takes a hit, but you can still discern the light fruity note that typifies the McCauslan range of ales. Biscuity malt with a little bit of light fruit sweetness followed quickly by bittering classic hops.

Unsurprisingly smooth and creamy. It's pretty good, but I ordered a Tankhouse to follow it up.

Apr 25, 2009

bobsy from Canada (ON)

4.06/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great beer... the pale ale on nitro? I can see that. Classy nitro appearance - HUGE smooth white head sat atop a radiant gold body. Lacing in sheets and retention out the wazoo. he nitro numbs the aroma somewhat, but some fruity malts peak through along with some spicy hops, and this becomes more apparent as it warms. Big rounded fruit flavour - apricots and peaches with cream, and a biscuit malt background, before tailing into a nice bitter finish. Surprisingly large apricot presence - almost fruit beer-esque! Obviously creamy body with low carbonation. Great drinkability on this classic Canadian cream ale.

Apr 05, 2009

CAMRAhardliner from Canada (ON)

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is probably the best Cream Ale Ive ever had. Its a dark bronze color with a whipped cream nitro head that lasts the whole glass. About 95% of the glass remains covered in sheets of lace. The aroma is light and bready with a touch of caramel. The taste is honeysuckle sweet with plenty of doughyness. Hops are very retrained and the finish is minimally bitter. Typically smooth nitro mouthfeel.

Quite a nice Cream Ale, plenty of malt, sweet but not cloying. I recommend it if you like light flavored beers like Cream Ales.

Aug 22, 2008

jbsteiny from Hawaii

4.18/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

So, this was the third beer in the six-beer sampler at the brewery, and it made me feel like the journey was worth it. Frankly, I thought it kicked the tar out of the (respectable) Griffon Ales.

It was a very pretty pour, even in the small sample glass -- a dark gold, like roasted corn, topped by a thick head with great retention. It smelled like a Key lime pie, and tasted not far off -- creamy with citrus notes and a big hop finish. Great body, noticable carbonation, but not too fizzy. I could drink it all day. The only thing keeping the mouthfeel & drinkability from being 5's was this bitter finish -- it made me want to keep drinking, whereas I think a perfect beer should leave the drinker completely satisfied. But again, an excellent beer that I would happily drink until unconscio. On deck... St. Ambroise Blonde.

Feb 08, 2007