



I will be taking a short break after this pumpkin beer review to cover Oktoberfest beers, seeing as it is roughly the season for such drinks. I still have quite a few more pumpkin beer reviews to publish, though, and I think near the end I may hold some kind of contest to entice viewership and to reward some lucky individual with a few of my favorites. Sit tight while I figure that out though, and read on for some more fermented wisdom, or check out my first and second pumpkin beer reviews if you haven’t seen them yet.

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‘PUNKIN ALE’ – DOGFISH HEAD – Pumpkin Ale – 7.00% ABV (Eye Choir’s Choice)

Appearance: Poured a transparent amber with a two finger, eggshell head. There is a small amount of carbonation visible. 4/5

Smell: A wealth of fermented pumpkin as well as some mild allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla spice notes, as well as apple and raisin fruit notes, and caramel malt with sugary rum undertones. Very pumpkin-forward yet still balanced. 4.5/5

Taste: A moderately bitter and slightly tart punch in the beginning, which really brings out the pumpkin, which proceeds to a mild-moderate sweet finish which accentuates the brown sugar and slightly nutty flavors. Overall surprisingly mild, but not without a well-developed array of traditional ale flavors. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, with a very smooth, almost creamy mouthfeel. There is mild carbonation as well as a mild alcoholic heat which is only really noticeable after getting through a good amount of it. 4.5/5

Overall: Does a good job of letting the pumpkin shine through, while still managing to bring in characteristics from a brown ale style. And still, entirely sessionable 4.5/5

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‘PUMPKINHEAD ALE’ – SHIPYARD – Pumpkin Ale – 5.10% ABV

Appearance: Poured a light, transparent orange-gold with a one finger, off-white head. A small-moderate amount of carbonation is visible. 3.5/5

Smell: Intense potpourri-like spice aroma, predominantly cinnamon with a little allspice and clove, and maybe coriander. Hardly any malt aroma and certainly no pumpkin aroma is tangible, though. 2.5/5

Taste: Cloyingly strong pumpkin spices with a small amount of bready malt, but disappointingly, no pumpkin. Moderately sweet with a small amount of bitterness. Very inelegant, not good at all. 2/5

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and borderline watery, with moderate carbonation, and no alcoholic heat. Finish is not particularly long. 2.5/5

Overall: Way too much spice, and not even a hint of pumpkin flavor. Not completely undrinkable, but certainly not good. 2.5/5

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‘PUMPKINFEST’ – TERRAPIN – Pumpkin Lager – 6.10% ABV

Appearance: Poured a transparent red-orange with a one inch, off-white head. There is no carbonation visible. 3.5/5

Smell: Bread crust malts and lager yeast with a faint spice aromas such as cinnamon and nutmeg and some mild pumpkin as well. There are virtually no hop flavors present though. A little on the weak side, but actually well-balanced. 3/5

Taste: Somewhat sweet though the malt is well attenuated, with a light hop bitterness at the end. Some of the spices come out more with the bread flavors, such as a spicy ginger as well as a little brown sugar. Very clean and light, with a long finish. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with a bit of a watery mouthfeel, but smooth nonetheless. Low carbonation and virtually no alcoholic heat. 3.5/5

Overall: Very light, and perhaps too light on the pumpkin, but the subdual of the pumpkin and spice flavors let the core Oktoberfestbier style take the lead. 3.5/5

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IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE – WEYERBACHER – Imperial Pumpkin Ale – 8.00% ABV

Appearance: Poured a transparent, moderately dark red-orange with a one finger, eggshell head. No carbonation is visible. 4/5

Smell: Strong spicy aroma with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and a fantastic, almost minty cardamom. There is also a strong mix of caramel malts with pumpkin flesh, over a mild grassy hop aroma. Very assertive. 5/5

Taste: Moderately tart and bitter, which enhances the spice palate quite a bit. Fairly dry, with an interesting nutty malt finish which is still augmented by the spices. Unfortunately, much less pumpkin flavor than would be optimal. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Very full, moderate to heavy body with milder carbonation and a healthy dose of alcoholic warmth. The smooth, dry finish complements the flavors nicely. 4.5/5

Overall: Very spicy, with a unique palette which complements the malts and mild hops well. A little light on the pumpkin taste (though certainly present). 4/5