Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale – Foothills Brewing

For the majority of you, it’s a three day work week that involves lots of food, and a visit to your family. We know that last part tends to bring out the drinking to cope gene in all of us, so we decided to review a tight, light ale that you could happily share with your father-in-law while guzzling far past the legal limit and watching the Lions be mediocre.  Just remember to sleep off that Tryptophan coma before you hit the road.

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Name:  Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale

Place of Origin / Brewer: North Carolina, USA / Foothills Brewing

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin Ale / 5.3%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  Cottonwood starts off with North American and British Malts, adds real pumpkin, and is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger to craft a crisp and dry classic style pumpkin ale.

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Packaging:

Simple and focused on a modern text layout, with a view of the Appalachian Foothills in full autumn splendor. – Mike

With a bronze ‘slick’ label this bottle almost at a distance looks like it’s made of plastic.   And while the primary label might seem less than inspired with it’s simple branding I do appreciate the secondary label’s wealth of information about the ale, including some low SRM and IBU numbers that tell me right off the bat this is going to be a lighter beer with very little hop character. – Tim

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Color:  5.5

There’s nothing too fancy about the appearance of this ale. An orange hued amber has a subtle head that rings the glass, but with minimal lacing. It’s semi transparent and looks like it may be light in the body. – Rick

A crystal clear bronze-orange with some active carbonation trails and a fast & fizzy head from a very aggressive pour that vanished within seconds leaving zero lacing. – Tim

M- 6 / T- 5 / B- 6 / R- 5.5

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Aroma:  6

I could smell this one from across the room. Squashy pumpkin, sweet pumpkin pie spices, and a hint of malt come together to form a quintessential pumpkin ale aroma. – Brittney

A nice bit of spice with lots of ginger and cinnamon, along with sour pumpkin and malty cereal grains. Subtle like day old pie crust. – Mike

M- 5.5 / T- 5.5 / B- 7 / R- 6

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Mouth feel:  6

Wow! This ale is beautifully creamy with a good medium bodied feel to it. I thought it was going to be watery but was shocked at it’s build. There’s no bite or any harsh byproducts of the ginger and it goes down very smoothly. – Rick

Thin and a touch watery, with a insubstantial body.  The carbonation is vibrant and lends itself to a standard tongue-tingling sensation. – Tim

M- 5 / T- 4.5 / B- 6 / R- 8.5

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Tasting notes:  6.5

There’s a lot of ginger crispness, followed a cinnamon smack, and some malt. It reminds me heavily of an autumn cider, and while relatively insubstantial, there does seem to be a tiny bit of pumpkin lurking in there. – Mike

Pumpkin and cinnamon fair well in the ale with a malty sweetness that’s not nearly as overpowering as the bouquet could lead one to believe. A hint of spicy bitterness on the back end and the fragrant heat of ginger. – Tim

The aroma really had me expecting a little more flavor than what this one delivers.  I feel like it would be a great accompaniment for a fall meal and not compete too much with other flavors.  The spices are nice in that they don’t wreck your palate but you can still pick them out.  The pumpkin is there too, but also slight.  It’s traditional and delicate and that is not always a bad thing. – Brittney

I was taken by surprise with this little guy. The pumpkin pie sweetness makes it delicious, and the ginger has a light presence that really rounds out the beer nicely. There’s a touch of clove that balances the cinnamon and nutmeg sweetness as well, so they’re not too overwhelming. – Rick

M- 5 / T- 6 / B- 7 / R- 8

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Finish:  6

The finish was as expected, it does not linger but if you wait for it you almost get a touch of a sour tingle at the very end. – Brittney

I think the ginger might be the shining ingredient here. The way it dries the finish and allows for the pumpkin to stand out is masterful. With all the sweet spicing here, I thought it would be too cloying, but it finishes dry and tempts you for another sip. – Rick

M- 4.5 / T- 5.5 / B- 6 / R- 8

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Flavor balance:  6.5

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance: 6.5

The spice is not obnoxious, but it’s the first thing in your face without much to back it up. – Mike

The ale is actually rater well balanced between the pumpkin in the body and the cinnamon/nutmeg nose.  I really think the heat from the ginger adds an interesting twist to this ale.  – Tim

M- 5 / T- 6 / B- 7 / R- 8.5

-         Sweet / Dry balance: 7

I’m a stickler for beers that are too sweet or too much like a dessert. That being said, I think this brew strikes a great balance in this department that not many pumpkin ales can claim. – Rick

It’s pleasantly dry, though it build’s through the glass. Fortunately it’s very swig friendly, which helps, as the ginger becomes a bit parching, so you’ll need that next sip. – Mike

M- 5.5 / T- 6.5 / B- 7 / R- 9

-         Multiple Drinkability?  5.5

It’s a nice beer but not something that would keep my attention for more than one. – Brittney

Hardly offensive, this could be a nice beer for a big meal if you wanted to skip the heavyweight high alcohol crowd. Myself, I’m missing a little of the oomph and bold declaration, which makes me feel it would get lost in a round of other beers. In other words, it’s a bit of a snooze fest. – Mike

M- 3.5 / T- 5.5 / B- 5 / R- 9

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Overall:  6.08

M- 5.08 / T- 5.42 / B- 6.41 / R- 7.50

Drunkin’ Pumpkin – Fort George Brewery

Well, that’s that. We’ve moved past the slew of  this year’s spooky pumpkin ales, and we’re done for the season. It’s officially XMAS, and we need to inundate our heads with the 30,000 horrendous pop covers of classic carols…Wait. What’s that? We have multiple boxes of pumpkin ale left to review? And it’s not even Thanksgiving yet?

Ok, ok, it looks like we’ve got more work to do and more abuse for our livers ahead, so you can pick that perfect pairing for burning your house down with a turkey fryer and collecting the insurance money. Check out today’s look at Fort George Brewery, where community matters.

P.S. Don’t forget to vote today.

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Name:  Drunkin’ Pumpkin

Place of Origin / Brewer: Oregon, USA / Fort George Brewery

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin Ale / 5.6%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  This ale is brewed with organic wheat, munich, caramel, and 2-row honey malts, US challenger hops, lots of roasted whole fresh pumpkins, and sand filtered water. This beer is also completely un-spiced, as the brewer’s prefer to let the pumpkins speak for themselves.

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Packaging:  This one was only available to us on tap, though Fort George does have a number of awesome cans.

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Color:  8.5

This is a gorgeous ale with tons of motion, settling out like a famous Irish stout, and nicely reflecting it’s grains. Throw in an epic head and extreme lacing and this could easily be a pumpkin ale pin-up. – Mike

My first impression of this beer is the great opaque copper coloration and an agitated swirling of the body. This quickly settles and reveals an awesome head with some intense lacing. – Rick

M- 9.5 / T- 8 / B- 8 / R- 8.5

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Aroma:  6.5

Refreshing and clean with a green hoppy nose and hints of bubblegum amidst the farm fresh vegetal pureness of newly harvested pumpkins. – Tim

This one has a good bit of a toasted pumpkin essence combined with nice harvest ale undertones. The aroma is smooth and calm; somehow I’m not disappointed by the lack of spice at all. – Brittney

M- 6.5 / T- 7 / B- 7 / R- 4.5

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Mouth feel:  6

It’s slightly watery, but with a medium body that feels like it’s a stronger beer than it actually is. There’s a nice hoppy presence that leaves a dry feel though, so there’s no sting. – Rick

Medium bodied but not syrupy, crisper than I was expecting for the initial feel, but a little more on the dense end. – Brittney

M- 7 / T- 6.5 / B- 6 / R- 5

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Tasting notes:  7

This is a great ale that expertly features it’s vast grain bill and still swings the fresh pumpkin right into the forefront. Definitely a cool option for those opposed to heavily spiced ales. – Mike

Lush with a pronounced vegetal feel.  As advertised, there are zero spices here which really lends an amazing and clear profile to this ale, letting every note of the pumpkin sing. Where in other beers it’s masked, faint, or just simply overpowered by spice, here the squash shines.  This reminds me of those stories of ales fermented right in the gourd and tapped straight out of the flesh. – Tim

There isn’t a ton of your typical pumpkin beer going on here but there wasn’t supposed to be. This one is a literal pumpkin beer; an autumn beer with an strong aftertaste of pumpkin, no spice about it. It’s nutty, malty, smooth, and delicious. – Brittney

Lacking traditional spices, we’re left with the pumpkin pulling all the weight which leaves a sour ale that’s barely sweet. With a hop profile that dominates the roasted malts, it’s tough not to miss some of that sweetness from cinnamon or nutmeg. – Rick

M- 8 / T- 8 / B- 7 / R- 4.5

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Finish:  6.5

An opulent wheat finish that’s moderately long with just a smattering of bitter hops. A first in my pumpkin ale travels. – Mike

Long, dry, floral, and hoppy, with a stark bitter astringency that is refreshingly different and, perhaps, a little problematic for drinker’s more accustomed to modern pie spice interpretations of pumpkin ale. – Tim

M- 8.5 / T- 7 / B- 7 / R- 4

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Flavor balance:  6

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance: ***

***Since this ale is completely un-spiced, we have opted to remove this category from the overall score.***

M- * / T- * / B- * / R- *

-         Sweet / Dry balance: 5.5

There’s a brief, but fantastic caramelized pumpkin jive that backs off into a dry and fairly hopped finish. Not exactly the great equalizer, but less polarizing than today’s election. – Mike

The sweet to dry balance is so far off center (read: Bone Dry) that it’s almost unfair to the categorize it.  I’m of the opinion that this beer is designed to be exactly what you don’t think a pumpkin beer is–but more precisely what a true, pure, untainted  pumpkin beer could be. – Tim

M- 7 / T- 6 / B- 5 / R- 4

-         Multiple Drinkability?  6.5

I enjoy the lack of spice that a lot of pumpkin beers tend to lean on, but for this one I’d stick with one round. – Brittney

A decent flavor for a traditional style pumpkin ale. Without any sweet spices added, this is perfect if you’re looking for a change of pace. – Rick

M- 9 / T- 7.5 / B- 5 / R- 5

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Overall:  6.75

M- 7.92 / T- 7.25 / B- 6.67 / R- 5.17

Southampton Pumpkin Ale – Southampton Publick House

All Hallow’s Eve is approaching fast and we’re doing our damn-est to chug down some of the more sinister slanted ales as the date approaches. Stay tuned next week as we countdown. In the meantime it’s Friday, so we went the extra mile and reviewed a whole six pack of Southampton. ***Spoiler alert: Rick didn’t like it.***

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Name:  Southampton Pumpkin Ale

Place of Origin / Brewer: New York, USA / Southampton Publick House

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin Ale / 5.5%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  Southampton is an Amber ale brewed with real pumpkin, spices, and vanilla extract.

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Packaging:

Orange and Black, this is a very classic, colonial styled label, touting “Long Island’s Original Craft Brewery”.  This label is really so steeped in tradition that it almost seems shocking to see they have only been brewing since 1996.  In fact, I found the old world characteristics so compelling I wouldn’t have felt it surprising in the least had it read “since 1796″ on the ale. – Tim

The orange-washed image of the Southampton Publick House stands strong on the label.  Looks like a pleasant place, I think I might like to visit there one day. – Brittney

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Color:  6

This ale looks quite nice. Tons of motion, clear as crystal, and very rich dark amber tones. The head dissipates fairly quickly, but is constantly being refreshed by the activity of the ale. The color and clarity are the real highlights here though. – Mike

Strong bold amber coloring seems to be keeping with the norm in this style. The head appears frothy and highly agitated while leaving no lacing after vanishing. – Rick

M- 7 / T- 6 / B- 7 / R- 5

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Aroma:  7.5

Strong flavor on the aroma. There’s a good bit of pumpkin and vanilla that compliment each other very well. I feel like I’m in for a delicious treat. – Rick

Classic spicing is fully on show with vanilla sugar and a sharp pumpkin snap. It’s nicely multifaceted, if hardly subtle. – Mike

M- 7 / T- 7 / B- 8 / R- 7.5

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Mouth feel:  6

A model for a medium-bodied ale, this has a velvet thickness to it without leaning toward heavy.  The carbonation is a touch higher than I would like for a perfect mouth feel, but the beer is smooth and blossoming on the tongue. – Tim

Somewhat bland in this area; it’s super foamy and just a touch more dense than watery. I do get a malty smoothness that helps the drinkability, but this ale is light, too bubbly, and uninteresting. – Rick

M- 5 / T- 7.5 / B- 6 / R- 5

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Tasting notes:  6

Given the powerful aroma, this ale seems to be a good bit more reigned in than initially implied. We get a bubblegum fruity pumpkin with heaps of vanilla, on top of a dry and spicy amber ale that features quite a lot of caramel malt presence. – Mike

Very mild on the spice level, the pumpkin puree on the bouquet is also much more restrained here, allowing for nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice to present themselves.   However, even with the flavors peeking through the gourd, I find the ales nose to have been far more promising than the actual, physical body itself. I would have liked to seen a more malty ale than what Southampton is selling. – Tim

The taste arrives a little subdued after the intensity of the aroma but doesn’t completely let you down.  There is a nice mellow undertone of vanilla throughout with smatterings of that real pumpkin flavor, cinnamon and nutmeg. – Brittney

This ale virtually forgoes any traditional spicing and rests the flavor on the shoulders of the vanilla extract and pumpkin, which are also pretty weak. I’m sure there’s a hint of cinnamon in there, but the dry bitter finish masks all of the subtleties of the spicing. – Rick

M- 6.5 / T- 6 / B- 7 / R- 4

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Finish:  5

I think I can still feel the sensation from the carbonation in my mouth long after it’s gone. The finish leaves behind mostly nutmeg and vanilla with a bit of bitterness. – Brittney

Tart and spicy, I get a pretty powerful punch of clove and drying nutmeg, but not so much that it lingers unpleasantly long, rather queuing to a tight finish with crusty bread notes. – Mike

M- 6 / T- 6 / B- 5.5 / R- 3.5

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Flavor balance:  5

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance: 5.5

This ale is a little more schizophrenic than I’d like to see.  The aroma is spot on for pumpkin with subtle spices, but the body holds more spice than gourd.  If the finish could have balanced everything out this would have scored a little higher, but overall it’s a noble effort. – Tim

The aroma brings more to the table than the taste does so unfortunately it gets a little lost among the spice. – Brittney

M- 6 / T- 6.5 / B- 6 / R- 3

-         Sweet / Dry balance: 5

A bit dry with mulled cider tartness beginning to dominate by half glass. – Mike

Usually I like a drier beer, but this one has me wanting more sweetness out of it. It doesn’t help that the finish is on the sour side for our pumpkins. – Rick

M- 5.5 / T- 5 / B- 7 / R- 3

-         Multiple Drinkability?  5

It might seem like I’ve been overly critical of this ale for its somewhat disjointed overall vibe, but the truth is, this is a very approachable fall brew and you could do a lot worse than taking home a sixer and settling down to some turkey and stuffing.  It’s a decent beer and I wouldn’t pass up another bottle. – Tim

Nothing here to stop you from having more than one.  Pleasant enough to have another. – Brittney

M- 5 / T- 6 / B- 7 / R- 2

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Overall:  5.92

M- 6.17 / T- 6.42 / B- 6.67 / R- 4.58

La Parcela No.1 Pumpkin Ale – Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, LLC

I apologize that this one is a little behind schedule (it was supposed to be Friday’s post). Last September Brittney and I were getting married. This one, we’re moving. When will we get our priorities straight about drinking beer?

Alas, though the house is packed up in boxes and becoming ever emptier, we still had a jolly good time taking down a draught of the old squash rot. Here’s how it turned out:

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Name:  La Parcela No.1 Pumpkin Ale.

Place of Origin / Brewer: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales LLC / Michigan, USA

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin Sour Ale / 5.9%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  The joke is Jolly Pumpkin doesn’t brew a pumpkin beer, but the jokes on you, as now they totally do. La Parcela is a sour ale brewed and flavored with pumpkin, Cacao, and spices, then aged in Oak. The result is definitely individualistic. We ripped into Batch 865/866 which was bottled 8/17/2011, giving it a nice year of age.

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Packaging:

Everyone familiar with this brand knows their labels are works of art, but this is almost the perfect pumpkin beer label. Deep blue hues of fire lit twilight and jack o lanterns grinning in the darkness.  It captures all of the joy of trick or treating as a kid, without trying overly hard to be creepy or cartoonish, and it works so well. – Mike

Glowing jack-o-lanterns set against a setting skyline of hazy blues and greens, silhouettes of gnarled trees and scarecrows framing a perfect pumpkin patch on All Hallows Eve.  Jolly Pumpkin just flat-out wins as the best bottle illustration I’ve seen.  I want to frame it, buy a case of it to decorate my house, and walk inside of it and live there forever.  – Tim

The coloring on this label is awesome, the scene of the pumpkins, scarecrow and trees are creepy, haunting and beautiful. I also always enjoy a little quip from the brewers or brewery so the remarks concerning Jolly Pumpkins first and only pumpkin ale were enjoyable. – Brittney

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Color:  8

This brew has a very cool appearance. It’s dense and opaque with a slight ethereal glow to it. The coloration is a burnt umber yielding a yellow hue where the light hits it, with soft caramel notes in the center. Great head with big airy bubbles and decent lacing. Particulate is found effervescing after the pour  quickly settles to the bottom – it’s kind of fun to watch. – Rick

Golden-orange in color, this reminds me of a freshly juiced glass of apple cider. A solid ivory-tan head with a good amount of sediment throughout and the tiniest bubbles of carbonation you have ever seen. – Brittney

I think this is what Pumpkin juice must look like.  Hazy, yellow/orange with tons of sediment.  Like a spooky version of apple cider with a thick and velvety cream head that displays massive retention qualities and leaves the most amazing–and seriously longest-lacing trail I think we’ve yet encountered on a non-porter product. – Tim

M- 7 / T- 9 / B- 7 / R- 8.5

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Aroma: 6

Sour and vegetal notes are in great prevalence, with the slightest note of bitter dark chocolate. There’s a play of spice, but it’s extremely difficult to narrow against the sour ale. Perhaps mace and clove? – Mike

Musky and earthy, not overwhelming with pumpkin or spice, and just a hint of limey citrus. – Brittney

In case anyone missed the note (like I did) this is a sour ale.  I love a sour ale, when I’m in the mood, and frankly, this smells just like what you’d expect (had I been expecting it).  After being a bit jarred, the usual, tangy scents of sour and spice finally started to break apart with just a hint of apple and cinnamon desperately clawing to overcome the tartness that assaults my senses. But where is the pumpkin?  – Tim

M- 6 / T- 5 / B- 8 / R- 4.5

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Mouth feel:  6

Very airy and frothy with a good bit of a tingle on the tongue. It’s quite crisp and clean on the palette despite the full bodied appearance. It does have a bit of tartness though, which could be a little overwhelming to any novice of sour ales. – Rick

Given the boggy density of yeast and sediment, it’s actually a good bit on the light end of medium bodied, with a fizzy zip that really punctuates the tartness. – Mike

M- 6.5 / T- 6 / B- 7 / R- 5

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Tasting notes:  5.5

If this wasn’t brewed in Michigan, I’d swear it must be the eastern European approach to pumpkin ale. Sour like a lemon with the intensive bitterness of raw cocoa nibs it’s massive and complex, but almost to a confusing point. It reminds me a lot of the head expanding beers made by Brasserie BFM, but it’s going to be a total mindf@%* for the uninitiated. If the joke was that Jolly Pumpkin didn’t make a pumpkin beer, then the joke is on us, because though caustic and interesting, this is not going to be identifiable as a pumpkin ale to the average soul. That said, I do really enjoy it, particularly as it warms, even if I do have to pretend it’s Halloween in Switzerland. – Mike

I will preface this bit by admitting, I’m not a huge fan of the sour style so my palette may not be accustomed to it’s intricacies. With that said, this brew is way sour making it hard to discern any pumpkin flavor. The spicing may be subtle, but it’s hard to notice over the heavy citrus influence that accentuates it’s tartness. – Rick

So, it is a seriously sour – sour. (It is Jolly Pumpkin after all)  I get a lot of pumpkin, some spice, a touch of chocolate smoothness and a lot of sour granny smith apple. – Brittney

Astringent notes of citric acid, sour cherries, apricots and apples, dried fruit and just about everything else–even hints of metallic rust–but nary a pumpkin (vegetal or roasted) to be found. Cinnamon and nutmeg are the most prevalent spices but I’m sadly disappointed in the overall flavor strictly as a pumpkin sour.  As a sour it’s perfectly fine, but if it weren’t for the incredible artwork on the bottle and maybe a touch of that spice, I wouldn’t pick this for a fall brew if it were standing in a line-up wearing a suit of maple leaves, holding a turkey in one hand and a pumpkin pie in the other.  – Tim

M- 7.5 / T- 5 / B- 6 / R- 3

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Finish:  6

A wash of foam, and there it is. The huge bread yeast notes, the lingering dryness of wine — it makes me crave cheese.  The cacao notes also show here with the spice, leaving a creamy hazelnut in the back of my throat with a slight astringency that I would never notice in the powerful mix while it was still in my mouth. – Mike

After the initial pucker, this beer finishes clean, if not a bit bitter,with an apple cider vinegar snap. – Brittney

M- 8 / T- 4.5 / B- 7 / R- 4.5

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Flavor balance:  4.5

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance: 4

It’s a sour with some pie spice notes, together those two things work in pretty pointed unity, but it’s missing the key element of the equation–the pumpkin.  I’m sure it’s in there (for truth in advertising purposes) but it might as well not be for taste purposes. – Tim

It’s almost impossible to classify this one, as it defies the categorization. The spice in here is categorically buried in the multitude of directions this brew is going, and likewise, the sour nature of the ale has transformed the pumpkin into an entirely different, though intriguing, beast. – Mike

I’ve given low marks here because I’m not too sure that there is any spice in this ale. If so, it’s tough to pick out since the sour is so dominant. – Rick

M- 5 / T- 3 / B- 6 / R- 1

-         Sweet / Dry balance: 5

DRY. DRY, DRY, DRY, DRY, DRY. – Mike

I don’t expect, nor do I want sweetness–at least not pronounced sweetness–with a sour ale.  That said, I ‘d like a touch less bone-dryness at the close on this one to push my score a bit higher on the (broad) curve I’m grading this ale on. – Tim

M- 4.5 / T- 4.5 / B- 6 / R- 4

-         Multiple Drinkability?  5

Not being a huge fan of sours to begin with, it’s hard to see myself drink more of these. I’m not thinking pumpkin beer when drinking this, and that is the biggest turn off for me. – Rick

This beer was fun to taste and a glass would be enjoyable but that would probably be enough sour for me. – Brittney

I don’t really session sours, and this is no exception.  And, as sours go, I’d drink it again, but this is The Great Pumpkin Beer Review and if I want to be honest – as things go -about its appeal as a pumpkin beer, I think Jolly Pumpkin should retire this one back to patch and stick to making the staple sour ales that have long proved their prowess. – Tim

I love the sour explosion that keeps driving me back sip after sip. It’s parching and wet all at once, and I do love a good sour. So if my pocket permits, I’ll be back. – Mike

M- 8 / T- 3.5 / B- 5.5 / R- 3

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Overall:  6.00

M- 6.83 / T- 5.50 / B- 6.75 / R- 4.75

Ace Hard Pumpkin Cider – California Cider Company

We’re almost there folks, just one short review away from the end of the season for us, and we’re pleased to find a diamond in the rough for our final approach. We’ve seen a few pumpkin ciders along our way so far, and not much good has come of it. Sonoma County’s own Ace seems to tip the glass in our favor though, opting for a more traditional spiced offering that just might beat the odds.

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Name:  Ace Hard Pumpkin Cider

Place of Origin / Brewer: California, USA / California Cider Company

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin Cider / 5.0%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  Ace is a fall seasonal cider made from fermented apples, pumpkin and allspice, ideal for harvest time holidays. It’s also Gluten free, which is a nice alternative if you can’t rock the grains.

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Packaging:

There is something to be said for simplicity and starkness–and Ace is saying loud and clear with this black label featuring an ‘Ace of Pumpkins’.  Simple and direct.  The neck also features some pertinent facts about the cider maker’s process–which is a nice addition and something we don’t often see in Hard Ciders. – Tim

Ace sports a clever and to the point pun based logo, with the high card on the front on a black field (in this case, the ace of pumpkins). Reflecting the squash in the neck as well, there’s no mistaking this one as a seasonal brew, and it’s straight to it attitude leaves enough room for a first in my book: nutritional information. It’s gluten free, and it’s reminding you that at 175 calories a pop, you’re gonna get fat after a few. Thanks? – Mike

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Color:  5.5

It pours a pale golden color like a bold lager, while maintaining a translucent body.  There is no head, which was expected, but it did have some lacing. – Rick

Crystal clear and bubbly.  It’s a very light straw to gold color that resembles…you guessed it… sparkling apple juice.  Also, it’s a cider so I didn’t really expect a head or very heavy lacing but when poured aggressively there was a small white head with a solid ring of lacing. – Brittney

Honey crisp gold, and clear as,well, apple juice, this cider is true to its style: clean and appealing. The Slight lean to the orange side of golden gives you a hint of pumpkin, if only in artifice, and the head pops down to a smoggy float across the top, and our favored white ring. – Mike

M- 5.5 / T- 6.5 / B- 6.5 / R- 4

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Aroma:  7

The sweetness of apples greets with hay notes, pumpkin and allspice all follow thereafter. – Tim

Right away, I’m hit in the face with many aromas.  The fruity aspects flourish at first with pumpkin being bolder than the apple base.  There are sugary notes as well, and all together give off a sweet banana-like scent that I can’t wait to taste. – Rick

The aroma of apple from the cider is what hits my nose first.  The curious thing is that it’s not as overly sweet as most ciders smell.  You definitely find how the pumpkin sort of mellows out that characteristic and then get only a touch of the spice buried deep within. – Brittney

M- 7 / T- 6 / B- 7 / R- 8.5

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Mouth feel:  7

At first, it seems tart and becomes sweetly smooth with a bit of carbonation.  It feels syrupy and somewhat honey-like, but thin and watery coating my mouth well. – Rick

Very crisp and very active.  It’s refreshingly clean up front with only a hint of the syrupiness that could very easily take over with this style of brew.  – Brittney

M- 6 / T- 7 / B- 7 / R- 7

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Tasting notes:  7

Allspice and cinnamon kick to the front on this cooler take on the chilly seasonsal favorite. The sweetness of the apple juice and slight tingle of the alcohol separate nicely to offset the sour pumpkin presence that lingers on a bit with the spice, making this the more defined of our cider offerings so far. – Mike

This is a sweet cider, with the spice coming on much stronger on the palate, and noticeable cinnamon in the body.   But the spice feels out of place and presents itself in a more cloying manner giving this drink a bit too much artificiality.  Sadly, we’re stepping into ‘Yankee Candle territory’ on this one. – Tim

As I noticed in the aroma, the pumpkin really mellows out the possibility of any overtly sweet notes.  The allspice is very bright and seems to play a supporting role at the beginning and finish that really shines through as it warms.  – Brittney

It’s exactly what I expected a pumpkin cider to taste like.  The pumpkin flavor fits outstandingly well with it’s apple foundation, while the cinnamon and allspice sweeten it just enough before making it too spicy. – Rick

M- 7 / T- 6.5 / B- 7 / R- 8

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Finish:  7

The apple is the first to fade and the spicy dryness is a nice and bold aspect to this finish which makes me prize it. Accommodating it’s departure is the sour pumpkin, and you really get a fermentation feel here, reminiscent of the finish of a honey mead, but lacking the punishing sweetness. – Mike

The finish is nice, clean and crisp.  I was expecting that usual filmy mouth, hangover before you’ve even finished cider and got something completely different. – Brittney

A medium finish that lends itself to the sweet side which will work if you prefer your hard ciders sweet, but I tend to fall of the crisp/dry ‘white wine’ side of cider drinkers.  I’m looking for snap in the step that Ace is offering. – Tim

M- 7 / T- 7 / B- 6.5 / R- 7

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Flavor balance:  7

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance:

The cinnamon and allspice could overdo it here, but they are restrained to being sweet accents to a great pumpkin flavor.  Also of note, the pumpkin really shines with the help of the apple cider backbone. – Rick

This one is an entire experience, through the first half of the glass I would say that the pumpkin had a little more shine, as I got to the second half and it had warmed a bit the allspice really came out nicely. – Brittney

M- 6.5 / T- 5.5 / B- 8 / R- 8.5

-         Sweet / Dry balance:

It’s sweet in the front and finishes on a dry and sour spiced note, which keeps it evenly in check. Some might find it pushing a bit to the sweet side, but chances are, those people just don’t like cider in general. – Mike

The crisp dryness holds back the sweet from becoming overwhelming.  I think without this aspect keeping it in check this cider could be so sweet it would detract from the great flavors. – Rick

M- 7 / T- 7.5 / B- 7.5 / R- 8

-         Multiple Drinkability?

In a climate like ours here in Florida, this has all the appeal of the cool and crisp autumn and hot ciders that I used to have as a kid during getaways further north, with the added appeal of reducing the chances that I’m sweating out my shirt at the bar. Throw in a moderate abv and a solid tasty appeal, and I could punish six of these, no problem. – Mike

On a hot day, I could drink more than my fair share of these in place of soda and with the 5% ABV I’d probably not be any worse for wear, but if drinkers are looking for a ‘pumpkin cider’ an unbeatable hand, might want to deal again.  It’s good but it’s good in a ‘two pair’ kinda way.  You’ll probably beat most of the other hands, but it’s hardly a cinch. – Tim

This cider is probably the best cider I’ve had. I really enjoyed it for a fall pumpkin brew.  I could see this becoming too sweet after quite a few, but it’s a small price to pay. – Rick

M- 8 / T- 6 / B- 6 / R- 8

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Overall:  6.75

M- 6.58 / T- 6.58 / B- 6.83 / R- 7.08

Bluepoint Pumpkin Ale – Bluepoint Brewing Company

As much as we’d like to give every craft brewer a pat on the back, the bottom line is, just because it’s independent, doesn’t mean it’s great. Sometimes things just need a little work, sometimes they need a lot, but we try to keep it critical and straight up, and hopefully, that feedback is appreciated.

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Name:  Bluepoint Pumpkin Ale

Place of Origin / Brewer:  New York, USA / Blue Point Brewing Company

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin Ale / 6.0%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  Brewed with pumpkins “from only the most sincere patches”, this seasonal brew is golden orange,  with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.

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Packaging:

I really like the country  store nature of this burlap label.  It’s got a real folksy craft vibe that gives me small town Americana vibes– like sitting on a porch after a long day, eyes gazed across the golden waves of wheat quivering a the field while John Mellencamp’s Scarecrow album plays. – Tim

Yeah, there’s a pumpkin on it, but it’s not jumping off the shelf to me.  The colors are subdued and the overall labeling seems like another Photoshop blunder.  I’m not sure why the “burlap sack” texture has to dominate the entire label, including the logo and ale’s name. – Rick

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Color:  6

Cider clear with a brown sugar tint and just the slightest hint of orange  to remind us that this is in fact a pumpkin beer. – Mike

Crystal clear, golden brown and very active, it looks like a cold glass of cream soda.  It has a solid head and heavy lacing.  – Brittney

M- 4.5 / T- 6.5 / B- 6 / R- 6

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Aroma:  6

This ale has a great sweet aroma, mostly fulfilled by the nutmeg and cinnamon spices.  There also seems to be a pumpkin based scent as well. – Rick

There is a really earthy spice to it.  Usually, it’s the pumpkin that I describe as earthy but the nutmeg and cinnamon are coming through as really raw with a creamy caramel. – Brittney

M- 6 / T- 5 / B- 6.5 / R- 7

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Mouth feel:  4.5

It’s Light-bodied without stepping completely into ‘light beer’ mode but still not very substantial for an ‘ale’. – Tim

Almost watery light, with a drying bitterness that belies that same quality. – Mike

M- 4 / T- 4 / B- 5 / R- 4.5

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Tasting notes:  4.5

Warm and spicy, with a touch of smoky baked pumpkin and a good bit of cinnamon. The nutmeg seems to take on subdued sense, but is certainly prevalent as well. Most notably though, is the fair amount of hop dried texture that makes this ale variable from the rest, particularly given the quite light body. – Mike

Ever have a beer that just sort of tastes like ‘beer’?  That’s Blue Point for me.  Some minor sweetness from the malt, notes of Carmel, some sour vegetal pumpkin flavors pop up here and there. A little more honey on the back-end–but it was better in the bouquet.  Overall it’s a bit watery and far to innocuous and one-dimensional to regard with much rapture. – Tim

Frankly, I’m pretty bored with the taste of this beer.  It’s heavy on spice and dry.  The pumpkin is really hard to place and every other supporting ingredient is lacking character.  – Brittney

This malt beverage is very drinker friendly.  There’s a slight bit of sweet spice to it, but the carbonation really dilutes any flavors from flourishing.  There is however a nice hop finish that’s not too bitter or overwhelming. – Rick

M- 4.5 / T- 4.5 / B- 4.5 / R- 4

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Finish:  4.5

Actually the brew has a nice crisp finish revealing some dryer characteristics that weren’t prevalent in the body, touches of pumpkin on the close and that’s about it–clearing the palate pretty swiftly. – Tim

Dry and forgettable. – Brittney

Right before the hoppy finish, I’m presented with the slightest touch of sweet malts.  It’s a crisp and clean finish with a little bite at the end. – Rick

M- 5.5 / T- 5 / B- 4 / R- 4

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Flavor balance:  4.5

 

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance:

The pumpkin flavor isn’t very prominent, but there are some sweet spices like nutmeg and cinnamon that are there. Somewhere. – Rick

Way more spice, the pumpkin is almost nonexistent. – Brittney

Spice dominates this ale, and while it offers an interesting perspective, the pumpkin is almost completely lost on me. If this was put out as a lighter autumn offering, it would be much more on point. – Mike

M- 4 / T- 5 / B- 4 / R- 2.5

 

-         Sweet / Dry balance:

The caramel malts and the honey notes add a nice bit of sweetness in the glass, and the crisp finish reveal a pretty solid cohesion in the product, it just serves a master that’s not up to the task on the other fronts. – Tim

I noticed that this beer starts sweet with the aroma and malts being dominant at the initial sip, but soon end up finishing dry. – Rick

M- 5 / T- 5.5 / B- 5.5. / R- 4.5

 

-         Multiple Drinkability?

This is easy as heck to drink, but sadly that seems to be more because the texture more closely resembles the near teetotaling American mass produced beers, than something that you’d want to return to for it’s own merit. – Mike

I’d personally pass on another round, but since this sorta falls under what I would consider a ‘light pumpkin beer’ you could probably knock back a sixer of this and not feel any pain or regret.  So take that as you want in terms of a recommendation. – Tim

M- 4 / T- 3.5 / B- 4 / R- 4

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Overall:  5.00

M- 4.83 / T- 4.92 / B- 5.08 / R- 4.83

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale – Smuttynose Brewing Co.

What can I say? Sometimes we just don’t agree with other critics. If the spirit of craft brewing was strictly an experimental process, we’d be all about this ale. It’s bold, defined, and exceedingly different. But we like to think there’s more to it than that, and bold or no, this one just misses the mark for us.

On another note, we hope you all are prepped for a fantastic holiday, and have a few p-brews stocked away for the big day. Due to the sheer volume of stuff we’ve got to cover, we’re going to have to extend this years coverage through the end of the month, but hang in there, because we’ve got a few rarer options to talk about, and hopefully, it will give you an incentive (and head start) to track them down next season!

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Name:  Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

Place of Origin / Brewer: New York, USA / Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin ale / 5.6%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  This particular ale opts for pumpkin puree over the raw pumpkin approach, and features it strictly in the mash phase. Traditional spices are then added to compliment the profile.

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Packaging:

You know what I dig the most about this very straightforward label?  It’s the photo of the pumpkin that has this “Farmer’s Market Homebrew” feeling to it, and the decision of the brewer to include the scientific name (Cucurbita Pepo) for the Field Pumpkin under it.  After that, Smuttynose imparts almost zero information about what’s in the bottle.  I like that duality of both science and mystery on display here!  – Tim

Our first photo realistic label so far, Smutty sports a pie pumpkin with a heckuva stem to it, along with a scientific species labeling of the squash pictured. Also featured is the company logo on the neck, a Harbor seal, and native resident of Smuttynose Island. – Mike

The image on the label looks more photographic than most of the drawn or “clip-art” images used on other labels.  Not much else is given to describe our beverage other than an “ale brewed with pumpkin puree & spices” squeezed in under a very generic Pumpkin Ale title. – Brittney

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Color:  5.5

Mustard and tangerine highlight this glass, giving it the reminiscence of fresh pumpkin rind rather than inviting ale. A single finger head also slowly dissipates to a thinner line, with an impressive amount of lacing. – Mike

Hazy orange like a soft field fog hovering just above the earth on an early sunrise in a pumpkin patch.  And, to literally top it off, we get a massive two-finger head with slow dissipation leaving clingy lacing all around. – Tim

M- 4 / T- 6.5 / B- 8 / R- 4.5

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Aroma:  7

Initially it smells sweet with overtones of nutmeg.  Then, the sour pumpkin notes start to work their way in creating a nice mixture. – Rick

Earthy raw pumpkin, sweet caramel, spicy nutmeg, smooth vanilla and a touch of musk are the main points I’m getting with a quick hinted finish of woody citrus.  It’s almost as if they have infused the beer with the 1972 perfume Jovan Musk for women. – Brittney

M- 7.5 / T- 6.5 / B- 8 / R- 6.5

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Mouth feel:  5.5

The refreshing part is that it is not another medium to heavy bodied beer that coats your mouth with a syrupy sweetness.  This one is slightly lighter, crisp, and bitey.  Its active carbonation excites the palate and the dryness brings warmness to the tongue.  – Brittney

I was taken aback by the abrupt mouth wide tingle that seems to mask any flavor at first.  It’s heavily carbonated and the bitterness leaves my tongue dry. – Rick

M- 6.5 / T- 5 / B- 7.5 / R- 3

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Tasting notes:  5

There’s an intensity and bitterness here that I can only describe as oaky and earthy, with the hops playing a grand slam role in the profile. The effect tends to regulate the pumpkin more to the vegetable realm, but in all honesty, the intensity of this brew’s foundation doesn’t seem to have any intention of playing the dessert game, thereby letting the spices play a similar bitter mash up on the senses. – Mike

The beer doesn’t hide behind the spices or the pumpkin.  Of the spices I taste mostly nutmeg and some cinnamon but I also taste the raw earthy pumpkin and the sweet caramel smoothness.  The hops are very prevalent and bring a slight floral, citrus note into the mix creating a very distinctive pumpkin beer option. – Brittney

The sweetness in this beer is minute under such a dry and bitter body that I did not expect.  It’s also a little tart and sour from the pumpkin puree. – Rick

Wow…that was not what I expected from a fall ale!  With no warning on the label, this bad boy is astringent and bitter as sin.  It would appear that these guys have crafted a hoppy, citric beer, that is way more in line with Smuttynose’s IPA offerings than with what the general consensus would call a ‘pumpkin ale’.  It’s floral with notes of oranges and grapefruit that have been dusted with dashes of nutmeg and cinnamon. – Tim

M- 5.5 / T- 4.5 / B- 7 / R- 4

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Finish:  5

Clean, crisp, and peppery, there’s yet another unusual aspect to this beer, that seems to want to dance the floral and earthy IPA dance, leaving the malts a bit in the dust. – Mike

Long and dry, with the grapefruit carrying the torch to the bitter (literally) end.  I’ve had some dry IPA beers in my day but this one damn near needs a chaser of water to help get it down.  – Tim

M- 5.5 / T- 4.5 / B- 6.5 / R- 4

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Flavor balance:  4.5

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance:

What pumpkin there is in the nose is lost in the body and only hints on the close.  The spice is even superseded by the hoppy bitterness. But, as the initial shock wears off you do get touches here and there.  I guess what I’m saying is that neither the pumpkin nor the spice are predominant over the citric notes. – Tim

The pumpkin puree that is used in the making of this brew leaves it too sour and dry to be able to find any spices. – Rick

M- 5.5 / T- 4 / B- 7 / R- 2.5

-         Sweet / Dry balance:

A traditional pumpkin flavor is lost here, leaving the ale to be overly bittered and sour, and any sweetness is out of the question. – Rick

It’s dryness is only broken by a brief moment of respite on swallow, where the malts finally make an appearance, before plunging back into a liquid orange pit never to be heard from again. – Mike

M- 4 / T- 3.5 / B- 6 / R- 2

-         Multiple Drinkability?

One or two would probably be my limit.  It has good flavor but the dryness is super harsh.  – Brittney

Overall this beer is complex, intense, and intriguing as hell. That said, it’s certainly not for the faint of heart, or the casual pumpkin seasonal approach. Smuttynose has crafted something here for those that take their beer style preference seriously, and have no tolerance for traditional pumpkin offerings. That said, it seems to be of more value to me as a sense of showmanship, than a seasonal session ale. – Mike

Hop heads might just adore this, but with a lackadaisical approach to balancing the pumpkin and spice against the citrus and floral profile, I’d have to ask why you’d even chose this beer over your favorite IPA….unless you just wanted to be ‘festive’. – Tim

M- 6 / T- 4 / B- 6.5 / R- 1.5

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Overall:  5.42

M- 5.67 / T- 5.17 / B- 7.25 / R- 4.00

Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale – Blue Moon Brewing Co.

Whether or not you’re a fan of some of the larger produced seasonal ales, I have to take a minute to give them a little bit of credit where credit is due. While I understand that the smaller brewer has to rush and struggle to get the product out there in time for a season, and then quickly move on to the next, it’s certainly nice to be able to walk into a store around the end of the fall season and find the seasonal beers that were meant to celebrate the associated holidays. We’re more than aware that there’s been a lot of hub-bub on this topic, and it’s a tough call for us, particularly since we have limited resources to cover so much ground when the beers are released. Still, it’s nice to know you have a fall back to go with that pumpkin pie when you walk in the weekend before Thanksgiving, and for that, we have to say kudos.

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Name:  Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale

Place of Origin / Brewer: Colorado, USA / Blue Moon Brewing Co.

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin Wheat Ale / 5.7%

Specialty Prep / Individuality: Crafted with autumns bounty of vine ripened pumpkin and flavors of cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. Then brewed with a touch of wheat for a smooth, lightly spiced finish.

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Packaging:

Maintaining the traditional Blue Moon label with its wood-cut styling, this seasonal bottle adds a burnt orange color to the mix and replaces the standard pine trees from the ubiquitous ‘Belgian White’ brew with a field of harvested pumpkins under a soft baby-blue sky.  Once again as a mass produced ale, branding doesn’t stray far from what the good folks at Coors have been pushing for the better part of a decade and a half. – Tim

It seems that once a brewery reaches a certain amount of popularity, the labels all tend to read the same and look very similar, throughout styles and even between different brewers.  This is no exception.  It’s just a quick color scheme change with a pumpkin thrown in for good measure. – Rick

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Color:  6.5

A decadent orange – brown that brings the word MALTY to mind for me immediately, with a gently bubbling base that keeps an eternal hairline head on it. However, it does seem to be quite on the clear side, contrary to it’s non seasonal heritage. – Mike

My pint poured crystal clear, glowing amber in color and mildly bubbly. An initially airy head started heavy, and quickly dissolved away to no more than a thin layer of lacing. – Brittney

M- 7 / T- 6 / B- 7 / R- 6.5

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Aroma:  4.5

Rich gourd on a spicy bouquet carry over to a malty sweetness and add a definite fall air to this brew.  – Tim

Light on aroma, an earthy pumpkin is almost noticeable beyond a strongly present waxy malted wheat beer. – Brittney

Nutmeg defines the olfactory profile of the spices here, along with a touch of floral wheat and barely perceivable perfumed clove. – Mike

M- 4 / T- 6.5 / B- 5 / R- 3.5

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Mouth feel:  5

At first it’s light, crisp, and refreshing.  There’s a foamy tingle over the tongue.  But, after a few more sips it becomes dull and uninspired. – Rick

Smooth with middling carbonation, a slight medium body that could be a little thin for some–compared to more robust fall ales–but I found it unexpectedly fuller than I was anticipating considering I’ve drank a couple hundred Blue Moon’s in my day. – Tim

It’s medium bodied as can be, with a citric acid astringency that doesn’t seem to be as downplayed as I would expect of the branding’s other offerings. – Mike

M- 5 / T- 5.5 / B- 5.5 / R- 4.5

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Tasting notes:  5

Actually, not nearly as sweet as I had expected, this ale seems to focus primarily on the dominance of the earthy gourd quality of the pumpkin, which is nicely complimented by the wheat, though doesn’t appear to be as floral as the nose would imply until much later on the tongue. This seems to create a bit of a beer chameleon effect for me though, as it’s hard to peg the shifting palate. Some might call it complex, but to me it’s a bit more clash. – Mike

I’m struck by how different this beer is from a archetypal Blue Moon beer. With bready malts, a blast of caramel and a lot (and by that I mean, too much) allspice in the mix it’s really not what you’d expect when you see an established label pop into the marketplace and take on a micro brew challenge.  And while I appreciate deviating from the norm, I still feel like it’s also missing the floral/citrus notes and natural wheatiness that I want when the label says “Blue Moon”.  However, it is a brew that is generally trying to get your attention and wake your taste buds up and so they get bonus points for that. – Tim

To preface, I really, really wanted to like this one.  Blue Moon is my “grocery store” beer of choice.  Much to my dismay, I feel like they were trying to go for the “earthy pumpkin” end of things and not the “sweet spiced pumpkin pie”.  On one hand a smart move for a beer that is known for a clean crisp flavor and finish, on the other hand, it doesn’t end up well.  The spices are lost and the earthiness of the “vine-ripened” pumpkin is easily mistaken for the malt of the wheat beer. – Brittney

It has a good wheat profile, but that is the most dominant aspect here, leaving no room for any spices to really stand out, except maybe the clove.  It may be a good fall “harvest” beer, but it fails to capture the essence of pumpkin. – Rick

M- 5 / T- 6.5 / B- 6 / R- 3

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Finish:  5

I’m left with a small bite and overall lackluster pumpkin flavor.  It does go down smooth, but becomes a little too cloying about halfway through the beer. – Rick

The allspice and clove seem to play in a way that comes across unpleasantly sour to me , more like something has spoiled, than something intentionally brusque on the senses. It does eventually resolve to a more classical dry wheat finish though, which helps a little. – Mike

M- 4 / T- 5 / B- 6 / R- 4.5

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Flavor balance:  4.5

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance:

There is no hiding that pumpkin takes precedence over spice here.  It’s even implied in the description on the bottle. – Brittney

Blue Moon gives some good gourd, and I welcome that the pumpkin is distinct enough in the mash to be notable.  But, the allspice dominance pretty much nuked my palate leaving very little room to identify any other players in the game. – Tim

M- 5.5 / T- 5.5 / B- 6.5 / R- 2.5

-         Sweet / Dry balance:

It’s dry and tartly like an English prostitute. – Mike

It leans on the dry side and shies away from being sweet at all, which is not appealing here. – Rick

M- 3.5 / T- 5 / B- 5 / R- 3.5

-         Multiple Drinkability?

Sadly, this just makes me appreciate the better qualities of a regular Blue Moon a lot more, and comes off as a heavier offering with less appeal than it’s sister brew. – Mike

This is a good inoffensive beer, I’d kill a few off with some food or at a really smoky bar where I don’t care too much about really savoring a brew. – Tim

Only by the fact that there really isn’t anything to hate about it nor anything to like, and you’re probably sitting there with the rest of the six pack. – Brittney

M- 3 / T- 6 / B- 5.5 / R- 1.5

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Overall:  5.08

M- 4.83 / T- 5.83 / B- 5.83 / R- 3.83

Ichabod Pumpkin Ale – New Holland Brewing Co.

I have to admit, I’m excited to try this one. It’s been staring at me from the back of the fridge for a few weeks now, and anyone that knows my family closely, knows that we’re kind of obsessed with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (isn’t Tim’s picture up there rad by the way?). Suffice to say, from my dad reading it to us every Halloween as a kid, to the amazing animated Disney version, and yes, even the questionable Johnny Depp movie ( My brother particularly likes it for the sheer decapitation factor, and of course, the Walken), suffice to say, it’s a big deal that has imprinted on me, and always pops into my head (and quickens my pace) when crossing old wooden bridges.

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Name: Ichabod Pumpkin Ale

Place of Origin / Brewer:  Michigan, USA / New Holland Brewing Co.

Beer style / ABV%: Pumpkin Ale / 5.2%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  Combining malted barley, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, this brew is designed to compliment pairings of roasted poultry, root vegetables, peanut sauce, and caraway.

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Packaging:

Washington Irving’s tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hallow is one of my favorite American short stories–on that point alone I’m predispositioned to dig on this packaging with its representation of the pumpkin-headed specter astride his spooky steed. – Tim

Creepy and classic like most things should be this time of year.  The images on the label stay true to its name with only a slight mention of pumpkin ale.  The tiny statement on the front of “Ale brewed with pumpkin and spices with spices added” makes me think this might be a little heavy on the spice end. – Brittney

If Washington Irving’s classic tale was an animated series designed to creep the hell out of Saturday mornings in the 90’s, this label would surely be the perfect nightmare inducing adversary, complete with haunting glow and a red eyed steed. It also seems to imply we might be drinking a beer made out of his head, which explains why that pumpkin looks pissed. – Mike

A nice spooky illustration of the infamous headless horseman brandishing a menacingly evil looking jack-o-lantern in one hand, as he guides his ghostly steed with the other.  You can tell right away that this pumpkin ale is just a little bit different from the others. – Rick

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Color:  7.5

 Beautiful antiqued lace foam draping down the sides of the glass ever so slowly, to compliment the burnt sienna (yeah, I went there) sea glass coloration. This definitely isn’t headless. – Mike

Dull amber-brown and slightly cloudy, it doesn’t have the usually orange glow of some of the spiced ales that we have visited thus far. – Brittney

M- 8.5 / T- 7 / B- 6.5 / R- 7.5

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Aroma: 6

Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Clove all come on the nose almost immediately with the cinnamon leading the charge. Further back in the pack, an air of fresh pumpkin is met with a noticeable zing of sharpness portending an impression of the hops-forward drink to come.  – Tim

This pumpkin ale pours a great deep amber, almost brown in a molasses like quality.  Great lacing is left behind by the frothy head that quickly settled after the pour.  Very appealing in collaboration with the aroma. – Rick

This sucker smells like it’s soaking in nutmeg, and has a rather pungent hop aspect to it. I do get a hint of the barley malt as well, but more as a sense of fleeting charred sweetness. – Mike

Getting most of our usual three, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin dominate the very slight nose on this one.  The only unusual quality of the aroma is the pumpkin smells baked, if not slightly burned. – Brittney

M- 4 / T- 6 / B- 6.5 / R- 7

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Mouth feel: 6

There’s a great presence on the pallet from this one right off the bat.  It delicately dances between medium and light bodied while settling across the tongue with a nice tingle. – Rick

Just on the cusp of medium bodied with a hint of wateriness and medium carbonation.  To be honest, I expected more zip from this brew.  I was expecting a bang but all I got was a whimper. – Tim

The experience of the mouth feel on this one is quick and to the point.  The carbonation really expands in your mouth.  It’s very smooth, has excellent crispness and ends slightly dry.  – Brittney

M- 4 / T- 4.5 / B- 7 / R- 6

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Tasting notes: 5.5

As predicted, Ichabod is hoppy and bitter but not flowery like an IPA, this is a surprisingly citric and vegetal ale with notes of grapefruit along with cinnamon and nutmeg and bready malts. The pumpkin is more subdued but the undercurrent of flavor is there.  The spice level is more restrained than I’d imagined it’d be based on the bouquet.  However, it all rubs me the wrong way.  It’s not a traditional fall ale, with none of the expected sweetness and, yet despite the outburst of hops it’s not floral enough for me to appreciate it as an IPA. – Tim

Well this is an interesting approach. Dry and vegetal, but with a definitive spice presence, I really don’t get even a touch of sweet out of this brew, but more a glimmer of vanilla cream sans sugar and white tea. It’s certainly intriguing as a curio, but I have to be honest and say, while it’s certainly innoxious, it’s unfortunately because it comes off rather benign. – Mike

It looks full bodied but tends to taste more like a medium bodied brew with a nice addition of bitter hops.  I don’t expect to get this good of a beer with a fairly low ABV, but I was pleasantly surprised. – Rick

I was hoping for a little more complexity with this.  I especially would have liked to taste a little more of the slightly burned aroma that I picked up on the nose, I feel like it would have given Ichabod a little more character. – Brittney

M- 3.5 / T- 4.5 / B- 6 / R- 8

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Finish:  6

Cinnamon whisps away with an unexpectedly clean and at once foggy feeling, leaving just a slight bitter facet to the end of a swig. – Mike

This one starts with the sweet aroma, and ends with the nice bite from the hops.  I also notice just a slim hint of actual pumpkin at the very end just to cap off this ales experience. – Rick

Long, bitter, bone dry finish with a lingering tartness that I find intriguing but not overly satisfying. – Tim

M- 5 / T- 5 / B- 7 / R- 7.5

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Flavor balance:5

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance:

Unfortunately the unsweetened approach of the pumpkin here seems to get lost in the fold, leaving only a heavy hand of nutmeg against the beers foundation. – Mike

The hops overpower everything pushing the pumpkin and spice levels down so that they might balance against each other, but you’d never know it. – Tim

M- 3 / T- 4 / B- 7 / R- 6

-         Sweet / Dry balance:

This one is surprisingly on the dry side.  You would think with all of the spices that it might be sweet but it’s like the difference between cinnamon sugar and the cinnamon challenge. – Brittney

I keep wanting to think I’m catching a hint of some kind of brown sugar or something here. But the more I think about it, the more it just seems like the char off the bottom of a pot caramel was cooked in. – Mike

It’s a tad cloying, especially at the end of the bottle, but there’s a nice dryness from the hops that I find really help balance this minor drawback. – Rick

M- 3 / T- 4 / B- 6 / R- 7.5

-         Multiple Drinkability?

I’d like to by bottles of this to have at parties just because it label screams “This is Halloween” to me over and over again, but I’m afraid someone might actually drink it.  It’s not a terrible beer.  Far from it.  But, it’s just too perplexing to try and decipher the intention of the brewer here. – Tim

I’d be curious to try this directly with the food pairings suggested or a sweet dessert, as that might certainly provide some depth to the intention of this brew. I end up for now though, underwhelmed and wishing for something a bit more exciting. – Mike

M- 4.5 / T- 4 / B- 7.5 / R- 8

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Flavor balance: 6.00

M- 4.75 / T- 5.17 / B- 6.67 / R- 7.41

Pumple Drumkin – Cisco Brewers

In the spirit of our recurring rhyme scheme pumpkin beer labels, we give you an ode to Pumple Drumkin:

Once in awhile you acquire a beer,

That decides it should drop it’s Halloween sneer,

But as cute as it is with it’s pumpkin faced critter,

It’ll knock your teeth in, ’cause those hops, man, they’re bitter.

Also, keep checking back frequently, because with Samhain just a little more than a week away, we’re gonna be getting hammered and hammering out a number of our more devious looking pumpkin beers, and saving the rest for turkey time.  That means more updates for you, and less sleep for me. But hey, you’ve earned it, right? Right?!?!

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Name:  Pumple Drumkin

Place of Origin / Brewer: Massachusetts, USA / Cisco Brewers

Beer style / ABV%:  Pumpkin Ale / 6.0%

Specialty Prep / Individuality:  Brewed in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Pumple Drumkin is a hop forward ale brewed with pumpkin and spices, dreamed up by a former baker to resemble pie crust. Cisco also has a great craft beer slogan worth noting, self proclaiming “Nice beer, if you can get it”.

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Packaging:

Complete with rhyming couplets and a pumpkin headed toddler looking thing, Pumple Drumkin wins points in my books for either great whimsy, or at least the best drunk slur inspired name to date. – Mike

This handicraft DIY label makes me smile.  It’s like a kid friendly beer, or rather I should more correctly say it makes me feel like a kid again.  A kid with beer!  – Tim

I’m not going to lie; the cute cartoon-ish imaging initially caught my eye.  Label me now, I don’t mind.  Part of the reason I love fall is Halloween, most of the reason I love Halloween is costumes and candy, kid stuff.  This label and silly name make me feel like a kid again.  It also has a cute little story about a Pumple named Drumkin to try and convince you that this beer wasn’t named by someone who had had one too many.  Also, beer is not kid stuff.  Please drink responsibly. – Brittney

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Color:  8

This ale is a sweet looking dark amber that glows in the light.  There’s a fair head on top that is almost creamy and very appetizing with decent lacing. – Rick

This has a gorgeous dark apricot color–the kind you see when you cut dried fruit in half.  I think the more that we review these pumpkin beers the more enamored I’ve become with foggy, unfiltered-esque ales.  There is mystery in there, like staring into a crystal ball awaiting the magical first sips to make everything clear again. – Tim

Slightly cloudy and amber to copper colored with a dull clarity and a head that stays put. – Brittney

M- 8 / T- 7.5 / B– 8 / R- 8

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Aroma:  7

Cinnamon and clove waft over a malty toffee pond, with a deep rooting earthen cloister of nutmeg and peaches. – Mike

In something of a rarity, the sweet herbaceousness of freshly cut pumpkin leads the pack, followed closely by the zip of allspice, earthy cumin and a touch of cinnamon on the close.  – Tim

The aroma is pretty faint.  I’m getting a creamy vanilla initially, pumpkin, and then some ale with a little spice at the end.  The aroma is setting the tone for a creamy well balanced brew.  – Brittney

M- 6.5 / T– 7.5 / B– 7.5 / R– 7.5

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Mouth feel:  6

Very light, pretty watery.  The intense tingle from the carbonation really stands out here making each sip force you to take notice of this great brew. – Rick

It’s a pretty medium bodied beer with lively carbonation.  Each sip really expands in your mouth and then leaves with an almost dry moment after you swallow.  I wouldn’t consider this smooth; every moment it’s in your mouth it’s reminding you that it’s there. – Brittney

Its got a nice bit of body to it, that’s for sure. There seems to be a solid bit of astringency to it as well though, and while it doesn’t detract a whole lot, I feel like it’s distracting to the palate providing a bit more bite, than definition. – Mike

M- 4 / T- 6.5 /  T- 7 / R- 7.5

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Tasting notes:  6.5

The hops really spring to life in this one, giving it a nice bitterness. There’s a notable smoky quality as well, with a fruited pumpkin that comes out in the back-end. Not unsurprising, the clove tends to take over the spices a bit as we’ve seen with other brews, but I can pick out a bit of the cinnamon in particular. The rest seem a bit masked in the slightly sour foundation. – Mike

Pumple Drumkin has a great sweet aroma at first, then it really smacks you in the face with it’s spicy profile and dominant hops.  I think it’s a great combination that works well in tandem to balance this brew. – Rick

Pumple Drumkin is at its heart a simple beer, and that works both in favor of the ale and against it.  The bite from the bitter hops and floral notes make it a damn good brown ale, but the pumpkin and spice are swallowed up in the body and lost completely in the mix.  I struggled to find them, but in the end, I just had to determine that this appears to be a beer for people that like the smell of pumpkin beer but the taste of a brown ale.  Sort of a non-committal beer for a non-committal patron. – Tim

M- 6 / T- 4.5 / B- 8 / R- 8

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Finish:  6.5

There is brightness at the finish that is hard to describe.  I’m sure it has to do with the carbonation that sticks around and the spice that kicks into overdrive at the end.  Finally you are left with a slight dryness asking for another sip. – Brittney

Being an IPA fan I’m really loving the bite on this pumpkin ale.  That, combined with the great use of hops and spices really propels this beer to front of the pack for me.  The only thing I’m missing here is a little more sweetness. – Rick

Long bitter finish, the way a good brown ale gives you time to savor it, but for pleasant pumpkin spices settling into your throat on the way down, this one misses the mark.  – Tim

M- 5.5 / T- 5 / B- 7.5 / R- 8

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Flavor balance:  5.5

-         Pumpkin to Spice balance:

It’s a nice difference from sweeter brews, but it seems to let the spice run free with only a note of pumpkin in the finish blended with a tobacco note. – Mike

The bouquet on this pretty great smelling of pumpkin and spice, but the body is almost completely lacking in both.  So, I’d give it a 9 on promise and a 2 on execution. We’ll just call it a 4.5 for all-around. – Tim

This beer is very spicy but I like that it’s not too overwhelming on the palate.  Sadly, I don’t think there is enough pumpkin here to really stand out and is lacking a little sweet kick. – Rick

M- 4 / T- 4.5 / B- 7 / R- 5.5

-         Sweet / Dry balance:

This is definitely a drier option than a lot of the dessert styled beers we’ve reviewed but I think that’s the point. It’s not parching, but really rather adult and the more particular drinker may find this a nice option for pumpkin beer without hammering the sugar. – Mike

The ale seems to have a tiny bit of sweetness on the initial sip, but it finishes pretty bitter and dry.  There’s no tackiness or cloying aftertaste with this one. – Rick

M- 6 / T- 5 / B- 7 / R- 6

-         Multiple Drinkability?

Nothing is overpowering to the point of holding you back from enjoying a couple of these. – Brittney

I’m a big fan of this ale.  The way the hops commingle with the sweet aroma is very tasty, and makes for a unique experience. – Rick

If I liked it more than my usual assortments of Brown Ales I might consider giving this one another shot, but those of you that haven’t found a good brown might want to take a stab at this.  Otherwise, I think it kinds of fails as a pumpkin beer, so that diminishes my excitement about drinking more than one. – Tim

M- 3.5 / T- 4.5 / B- 8 / R- 6

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Overall:  6.58

M- 5.75 / T- 5.92 / B- 7.58 / R- 7.50