I don't think I'm going to go out of my way to pick up any more of these
pumpkin ales. None of them have been the stuff of legends. In fact, I'm not sure I really liked any of them very much. Even the ones that I gave
good reviews to, I was trying to grade them based on a pumpkin ale, not an enjoyable beer drinking experience. I'm just not sure pumpkin needs to be used to make beer. Well, let's see what these local boys have to say.
The beer pours a hazy pumpkin color. I'd like to use a different word for it, but this is legitimately pumpkin colored. As soon as I opened the can, I noticed that this had quite a bit of pumpkin aroma to it, and it appears that spices have joined the pumpkin, so at least there's going to be a little complexity to the beer. The head was not particularly full right off the bat, and it fizzles down to an incomplete covering akin to a very short snow flurry.
First sip is pumpkin, spice, and a little bit of skunk. I just bought this, and it is still September as I write this, but there is no date labeled on the can, but I don't imagine this should be skunked in anyway. Nevertheless, I'm tasting a bit of skunk. I don't like skunk in my beer, and I don't think I'm alone.
Tip in is mild carbonation with gentle pumpkin resting against vibrant spices. The middle is surprisingly drinkable as the pumpkin is so demure and the spices are vibrant without being caustic, but there isn't any more complexity to it than those. The finish brings bitterness and dryness to the end, and it is not particularly welcome.
Bottom Line: Not the worst pumpkin beer I've ever had, but still not good.
1.75/5
