Pumpkin Ale Week Begins: The First Two Selections

I've declared it pumpkin ale week. I've tried eight pumpkin ales and plan to type out my thoughts on each all week. By Friday I will have crowned the top pumpkin ale I've consumed this year. Today I give you the first two selections.

No. 8: Southampton Pumpkin by Southampton Publick House

Of the seven that I tried, this was the one I found the least satisfying.

Color: This beer came off as muddy to me. It's a shade of dark brown. Just like your grandmother's pumpkin pie after it was left in the oven about 20 minutes too long. I couldn't see through it at all. I was instantly reminded of the tone of the Monongahela River. The head is white and creamy, but fizzled out like a flat soft drink.

ABV: 5.5 percent (actually kind of low for a pumpkin ale)

Smell: With other pumpkin ales, I'm used to noticing scents like vanilla, spices, nutmeg, cinnamon and also pumpkin. I didn't even get a hint of pumpkin from this one. Just vanilla. It was pleasant, but when it comes to this style of beer, you should expect a plethora of scents that draw you to it.

Taste: I'll admit that he taste was a lot more inviting than the smell, but the beer seemed kind of watered down to me. Not enough pumpkin, spice or vanilla. From a beer with this dark of a color, it's really disappointing. I expected a lot more kick. I want to go home thinking about a beer I've had while I'm in bed later that night.

Overall Rating: 

I'm a lover of pumpkin beers, so just the fact that this is a pumpkin vaults it over a number of beers for me. I wasn't enthralled with this, but given the opportunity to purchase a case of it, I'd probably give in. I'm a sucker for pumpkin.

No. 7: Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin by Hoppin' Frog Brewery

This drink came as a pleasant surprise. It was one of those instances where a buddy pulls it out of the six-pack cooler and wants to try it.

Color: The Double Pumpkin was a huge step up from Southampton's in this department. It pours in the range of somewhere in between a gold and an orange. It's very clear. Not at all muddy or dark. Just looking at it brightens your day. The head is almost non-existent. Just a thin layer of white foam.


ABV: 8.4 percent

Smell: The strongest scent is a very pungent cinnamon. Behind that comes the pumpkin and nutmeg. Pleasant and appetizing.

Taste: The best way to describe the taste is to imagine how a game of dominoes is played. First comes the Cinnamon, your nutmeg and then your pumpkin. Most beers with this type of an ABV have a thick alcohol taste. The flavors do a very good job of hiding it until the aftertaste.

Overall Rating:  

As I mentioned earlier, this beer was a nice find and a pleasant surprise.I'm definitely open to trying it again. There's not really anything in it's build that turns me off from it. It looks and smells very appetizing and doesn't taste too strong or too watered down. This beer also passes the infamous "story on the bottle" test.