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St-Ambroise Pale Ale

McAuslan Brewing
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🌍 Canada · Pale Ale · One of 144 Pale Ales in hopIQ

The brewery's first beer, on sale since February 1989 and still its best known. Cascade, Willamette, Golding and Hallertau hops sit over a body of specialty malts, giving an amber pour with a floral, faintly resinous nose. The palate runs from bready caramel malt into orange and grapefruit peel, with a firm herbal bitterness at 35 IBU and a long, tangy finish. Open-tank fermented with the house Yorkshire yeast.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter35 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
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AWARDS

Silver · 2012
Canadian Brewing Awards
English Style Pale Ale (Bitter)
Silver — Canadian Brewing Awards (English Style Pale Ale (Bitter))
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Balanced backbone, with every axis close to the middle.

Nothing dominates, and that is the craft — each element gets room to be tasted.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Pale Ale.
Hop character
citrusy
floral
herbal
resinous
hoppy
Malt character
bready
caramel
malty
Fermentation & yeast
tart
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for St-Ambroise Pale Ale

Appearance

A clear amber pour with a bright, burnished hue characteristic of specialty malts in balance. The head is white and persistent, showing good retention and fine lacing down the glass. Carbonation is moderate and even, befitting a hand-crafted ale.

amber, clearpersistent white headwell-carbonated

Aroma

The nose opens with restrained floral notes from Cascade and Willamette hops, layered beneath a faint resinous quality. Bready and caramel-tinged malt provides a warm, inviting foundation. The Yorkshire yeast contributes subtle fruity undertones without dominating, allowing the hop and malt interplay to breathe.

floral, faintly resinousbready caramelsubtle fruity yeast

Taste

The palate enters with clean bready malt and soft caramel sweetness, then transitions smoothly into bright citrus peel—orange and grapefruit—in the mid-palate. A firm herbal bitterness builds at 35 IBU, assertive enough to balance the malt without harsh edges. The finish is long and tangy, leaving a dry herbal grip.

orange, grapefruit peelfirm herbal bitternessdry tangy finish

Finish

The aftertaste lingers with citrus zest and dry herbal notes, gradually fading to a clean, slightly resinous memory. The finish is tart and refreshing, never cloying.

long, tangyclean herbal fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
80
Finish
81
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of St-Ambroise Pale Ale

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Cold enough to sharpen the hop aroma without numbing the palate. Around 7–9°C keeps the citrus and pine vivid without losing bitterness definition.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink fresh — hop aroma fades fast. Best within 3 months of canning or bottling.

Food Pairing

What to eat with St-Ambroise Pale Ale

About Pale Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale Ale?

India Pale Ales are hop-forward ales with ABV typically 5.5–7.5% and IBU 40–70+. Bold citrus, pine or tropical aromas alongside firm bitterness and a clean dry finish.

Finding a similar Pale Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same floral, citrusy, bitter character as St-Ambroise Pale Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Pale Ales in hopIQ

Explore all Pale Ale beers in hopIQ →Browse Canada beers →