Shut Up Already

I feel like for the last week or so I've been yapping on about pumpkin beer. Maybe it's because it's actually time to consume said style of beer with it being October. Here in Pittsburgh, it's starting to actually feel like fall weather at times. It's been a bit cool, but still has a tendency to heat up in the peak of the afternoon.

What the Hell Did You Put in This?

This weekend my dad and I racked over our homebrewed pumpkin ale into the secondary fermenter. Last year the ABV came in at around 7.5 percent. I tried a sample of the batch we were racking and there was this alcohol burn. I asked what the hell he put in this the week prior. So, we did another gravity test which we ended up having to do a few times. It kept coming out at around 10 percent. We finally settled that this might be a higher ABV than last year's batch. More sugar come out of the pie pumpkins we used? Very possible.

Regardless, the color seems to have taken the same copper/deep amber as it did last year. We shall see how the overall flavor develops. As it sits now, this is looking like more of a two-glass beer and done type of thing.

You've Got to try This

Behold.

October also marks the beginning of something I hope to make an annual tradition. I don't partake in a lot of beer trades between other members of the beer community online. This is mostly in part to the massive collection I have under my kitchen table.

As a matter of fact, I was told last year that there was a beer that I just had to try in Saint Arnold's Pumpkinator aka Divine Reserve No. 9. I tried it and had to get into the fetal position. It was that good. This year I'll be reciprocating with the member of the Texas branch of the Brotherhood of Brew, a group all about trying and sharing different beers. that insisted I try the beer in the first place.

The beer was as black as night and had this amazing nutmeg-like aroma to it. it was just awesome. I'm getting the shakes just thinking about it. Can't wait to try it again. I remember it also having one of the more unique bottle caps that I've ever come across as well. I plan on keeping the cap this time around. Speaking of traditions, one of my favorite drinking nights is the night before Thanksgiving. I saved the bottle for that night last year. It's possible that I make that my official Pumpkinator night.

Beer Review: Saint Arnold's Pumpkinator (2012)

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: 10 percent

Appearance: Saint Arnold's Pumpkinator pours an extremely black color. Its color is very reminiscent of something such as coal or motor oil. In fact, I'd say this beer is darker than those two things. It appears really thick, almost like something chocolaty you can chew on. On the first pour of this bottle, the head was thin and weak. It has an off-white/beige color. On the second pour of the bottle it was a lot thicker and had better retention.

Smell: I openly admit that my sense of smell isn't the world's greatest (I wasn't ever able to pick up the smelly kid in grade school). Sometimes I struggle to pick up some aromas if they aren't strong. I'll tell you that I could pick up a strong scent of nutmeg when this beer was poured. I also picked up a decent amount of cinnamon and chocolate, which added a darker sense to this.

Taste: The nutmeg and cinnamon dominate the flavor on the front. There is also a strong hint of pumpkin on the finish after each gulp. I was reminded of the taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal some of us had as kids. When you get some of the chocolate/roasted notes as well, on the front, it's kind of like you had your Cinnamon Toast Crunch with some chocolate milk.

Overall Rating: 

Truly an excellent beer. I was thrilled with the strong aroma/taste of nutmeg and pumpkin. Also loved that this was a dark stout. This was sent to me via @BeerSamplers in the Texas area and is part of the local Brotherhood of Brew. He highly recommended this beer. I'm thankful he did. In case you didn't know, check out the bottom of this beer's cap!

I actually forgot he was the patron saint of brewers before trying this.

Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple is in Town

According to Blue Dust's Facebook page, Rogue's Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale is to be at the establishment as early as today. The post says that approximately five cases of the brew should be there. I'm assuming that these will be 22 oz. bottles that will be sold out of the cooler. Carson Street's Smokin' Joe's Saloon already has bottles in its coolers as well.

I've heard both good and bad things about this infamous Rogue beer. I'm told that it's amazing as well as that it doesn't live up to the hype. I'm tempted to swing by Blue Dust this week to see if I can snag a bottle of it for myself.

*New tenant in the racks...Rogue Voodoo Doughnut!
— Smokin' Joe's Saloon (@smokin_joes) November 13, 2012

I'm growing an interesting collection of brews that I'm intending on trying the night before Thanksgiving. I've procured a bottle of Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and had a bottle of Saint Arnold's Pumpkinator sent to me as a strong recommendation. I think a bottle of Voodoo Doughnut might just make next Wednesday a fantastic beer sampling night.

Big Brews to Release on October 15

Save the date! October 15 has been stuck in my head over the last week for two reasons. The first being the release of Saint Arnold's Pumpkinator on tat day (this according to @Brewsamplers whom I follow on Twitter). The second being the release of Troegs Mad Elf, according to Beer Street Journal.

I'm pretty excited at the chance to try the Saint Arnold brew due to the fact that I'm obsessed with trying different pumpkin ales. I'm just hoping I can actually find it. It's looking like a trip out to Regent Square to visit the infamous Beer Cave for me.

As for the Mad Elf, I tried it for the first time last year and wasn't the world's biggest fan. I want to give it another chance, as I've always hoped that it was a bad batch that I came across last Winter.