St-Ambroise Barrel Aged Imperial Porter (Barrel Collection, 2023)
McAuslan Brewing
- From:
- McAuslan Brewing
- Quebec, Canada
- Style:
- Imperial Porter
- ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- +6 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.94 | pDev: 4.06%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 11, 2025
- Added:
- Nov 20, 2023
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
4.05/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25
4.05/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25
500 mL bottle from the LCBO; dated Aug 2023 and served barely chilled.
Pours a deep cola brown colour with reddish highlights, generating approximately an inch of soapy, light tan-coloured head. This disintegrates within two minutes' time, reduced to a bubbly, sudsy collar surrounding a filmy islet on the surface; attractive swaths of lace cling to the glass after each sip. Plenty of bourbon on the nose, with oak, vanilla, butterscotch, Belgian chocolate, fig and date coming through as well; the alcohol fumes are potent, but not out of the ordinary.
It's flavourful, sure, but comes off as quite subdued for a 10% imperial porter. It tastes of toffee, figs and milk chocolate, all of which integrate well with the barrel-derived flavours of bourbon, vanilla and wood. The bourbon peaks at the finish, with burnt wood, herbal hops, treacle and black cherry dissipating into a sweet, rather warming aftertaste. Medium-bodied, with low carbonation and a slick, tongue-coating mouthfeel that seems on the thin side for a beer of such strength. It's a sipper, not a gulper - share this bottle unless you're using it as a nightcap.
Final Grade: 4.05, an A-. McAuslan's St-Ambroise Barrel Aged Imperial Porter is as polite as a BBA imperial porter can feasibly get without being an outright disappointment. It's definitely not a harsh quaff, but it is a little lacking in both depth and intensity, which is not what most folks seem to be looking for in their bourbon barrel-aged imperial what-have-yous. The thinnish mouthfeel is also a significant drag on the experience. Still decent value at $8.65 per bottle - I liked this porter just fine, but their regular baltic porter is better, and their RIS blows this out of the water.
Apr 26, 2024Pours a deep cola brown colour with reddish highlights, generating approximately an inch of soapy, light tan-coloured head. This disintegrates within two minutes' time, reduced to a bubbly, sudsy collar surrounding a filmy islet on the surface; attractive swaths of lace cling to the glass after each sip. Plenty of bourbon on the nose, with oak, vanilla, butterscotch, Belgian chocolate, fig and date coming through as well; the alcohol fumes are potent, but not out of the ordinary.
It's flavourful, sure, but comes off as quite subdued for a 10% imperial porter. It tastes of toffee, figs and milk chocolate, all of which integrate well with the barrel-derived flavours of bourbon, vanilla and wood. The bourbon peaks at the finish, with burnt wood, herbal hops, treacle and black cherry dissipating into a sweet, rather warming aftertaste. Medium-bodied, with low carbonation and a slick, tongue-coating mouthfeel that seems on the thin side for a beer of such strength. It's a sipper, not a gulper - share this bottle unless you're using it as a nightcap.
Final Grade: 4.05, an A-. McAuslan's St-Ambroise Barrel Aged Imperial Porter is as polite as a BBA imperial porter can feasibly get without being an outright disappointment. It's definitely not a harsh quaff, but it is a little lacking in both depth and intensity, which is not what most folks seem to be looking for in their bourbon barrel-aged imperial what-have-yous. The thinnish mouthfeel is also a significant drag on the experience. Still decent value at $8.65 per bottle - I liked this porter just fine, but their regular baltic porter is better, and their RIS blows this out of the water.
Reviewed by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)
3.66/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
The pour is not quite black but it ends up being that, while forming an only slightly mocha coloured head. The nose is heavy plum and figs, really sinking all other possible flavours. The body is not quite the expected. Oily and bourbon heavy without the usual plethora of bouquet these type of BBAs produce. Drinkable, but not recommended.
Nov 20, 2023
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!