St. Ambroise’s Apricot Wheat Ale

The nose of St. Ambroise’s Apricot Wheat Ale threatens to be overwhelming in its fruitiness. Apricots and malt are abundant in sudsy head of the beer from Montreal’s McAuslan Brewery.

In the first sips, the fruit is prominent, but it’s also accurate and not an approximation of apricot flavoring. It’s sweet enough to raise concerns that the beer may linger cloyingly on the palate, but that’s absolutely not the case. Instead, the grassy notes help it finish with a surprisingly dry crispness. I’m generally wary of fruit beers, but this is well-balanced and refreshing.