The Pumpkin Reviews, Part 2

This is my wrap up of pumpkin reviews; yesterday’s post had three and today four more. Enjoy them while they last, the winter warmers will be showing up soon!

Name: Pumple Drumkin

Brewed By: Cisco Brewers Inc., Nantucket MA

ABV: 6%

Bottle/Draft: 12oz bottle

Purchased: Bangor Wine and Cheese

Pumple Drumkin poured a light amber color; the glass had an orange glow as light passed through it. Very clear with light carbonation, not much head on the pour.

Smells like a beer first and foremost. Malty with caramel or toffee notes. Hops are definitely noticeable. The smell of pie spice is there but very light.

Solid ale, nice malty, toasty flavors, almost resembles baked pie crust. The beer is clean and crisp with a dry finish. The pie spices are very light and don’t linger. There is a slight hoppy bitterness and just a hint of vegetal flavor that works well here. This is one of the few pumpkin beers I wouldn’t mind having more than one of.

Overall a really nice pumpkin ale; this one I would recommending to someone like myself who isn’t a fan of the style but it still has enough flavor to make it enjoyable for those of you that are fans.

Name: The Great Pumpkin Ale

Brewed By: Cambridge Brewing Company, Cambridge MA

ABV: 4.4%

Bottle/Draft: 22oz Bottle

This is a bottle of pumpkin ale you won’t find on the store shelves in Maine, This bottle was brought up from Cambridge, Mass, by my good friend Heather, the same person who brought me to Cambridge Brewing Company for an excellent sampler flight.

Pours a pale golden color, hazy in the glass, a foamy white head that settles quickly in a thin white film.

Pretty clean smell, no hops, maybe just a slight maltiness; the spices are the only thing I really notice. Cinnamon and nutmeg mostly, but they are not overwhelming.

This is a really crisp beer; the flavor is light and very up front. There is a pumpkin flavor which is a nice change; some beers of this style tend to be too heavy in spices to really pick up on the pumpkin. Not to say there aren’t spices in this one, the pie spices are here but just a quick flash of flavor that settles into the background. The beer finishes clean and dry.

Overall I’m really impressed with this pumpkin ale, it has all the flavors you expect but in a very easy drinking way, I don’t feel like I’m bombarding my palate with spices. If you can find a bottle while travelling or have a friend heading north from Boston, I’d suggest giving this one a Try.

Name: Fat Jack

Brewed by: Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams), Massachusetts

ABV: 8.5%

Bottle/Draft: 22oz Bottle

Purchased: Burby & Bates, Orono Maine

Fat Jack is one of Sam Adams limited edition brews. The label says they use “Over 28lbs of pumpkin per barrel”.

Pours a dark almost mahogany color, raised an off white head that settled quickly.

Smells very rich and malty, hints of dark fruit and caramelized sugars also, picking up some roasted pumpkin. There is a slight pie spice smell mingling in there and definitely some alcohol.

Starts off with a caramel sweetness and roasted malts, picking up some vegetal flavors and roasted pumpkin. The spices and a slight hop bitterness come in around mid-sip. The spices are actually a really nice balance here, not overwhelming. The alcohol is noticeable in the flavor but not in a bad way, definitely a warming beer. Flavors seem to linger, this could be tiring on the palate.

Overall a solid beer, higher alcohol lends itself to be a good beer to share. I don’t know if I would recommend this one to just anyone who likes pumpkin beers as it’s a bit more intense than the average pumpkin beer out there. I think fans of big beers will enjoy it though.

Name: Pumking

Brewed by: Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY

Bottle/Draft: 22oz Bottle

ABV: 8.6 %

Purchased: Bangor Wine and Cheese

Southern Tired Imperial Pumking is the biggest of the pumpkin beers I’ll be reviewing, weighing in at 8.6% alcohol by volume.

Pumking pours a deep amber color, hazy in the glass and raised an off white head that disappeared quickly, which seems to be the case with all of these pumpkin beers.

The smell of the beer reminds me the most of pumpkin pie, not the spice rack. Nutmeg, cloves and vanilla are noticeable with a hint of cinnamon. Not picking up any malt or hops in the nose.

Like the other pumpkin beers I’ve reviewed, this one is malty with no noticeable hop flavor. There is a nice bitterness that works well with the slight vanilla flavor. The spices are distinct but not overwhelming and seem to wash away after a few moments. The most noticeable characteristic in this beer is the heat. The alcohol is there in the taste and can be felt in your mouth and nose while exhaling, also a warming sensation in the throat and chest.

Overall impression of this beer is that it’s probably not for everyone. If you are a fan of the big, high alcohol beers this is probably what you’re looking for in a pumpkin beer. This is a great fall seasonal to compliment your warmest hoodie and an evening by the bonfire.

Cheers!

Chaddah

Links:

Cisco Brewers Inc.

Web: www.ciscobrewers.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CiscoBrewers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CiscoBrewers

Bangor Wine and Cheese

Web: http://www.bangorwine.com/

Twitter: @BangorWine

Facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bangor-Wine-and-Cheese-Company

Cambridge Brewing Company

Web: http://www.cambrew.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CambridgeBrewer

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CambridgeBrewing

Sam Adams

Web: www.samueladams.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamuelAdamsBeer

Southern Tier

Web: http://www.stbcbeer.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stbcbeer

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SouthernTierBrewingCompany?rf=403354249601

Chad Lothian

About Chad Lothian

Chad Lothian lives in Old Town, Maine. He is a craft beer enthusiast and homebrewer. Chad has travelled to brewpubs, breweries and brewfests all over New England.