Elysian - Blight Pumpkin Ale

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

This smells more like an apple pie than a pumpkin pie. All you can smell (and taste) is cinnamon. Lots and lots of cinnamon.

I did not enjoy this at all. 

Evolution - Jacques Au Lantern

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Lots of allspice in the aroma, but it doesn't taste terrible in the beer. It actually works with the belgian yeast. I'd never get a six pack of this, but one is perfectly fine.

Southern Tier - Pumking

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

So I've had this once in the past, but apparently took no notes on it.

Aroma is a lot pumpkin spices (allspice and cinnamon). Taste is pretty good. Spices aren't overwhelming. Not too sweet. I guess I'd recommend it?

Stone/Bruery/Elysian - La Citrueille Celeste de Citracado

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Totally ridiculous name.

A hint of maple? Slightly lemony (or that might be from the hummus I'm eating). Not bad. Reasonable priced (for one of these Stone collaborations) at $5.

Does not taste like a typical pumpkin ale.

Oliver's - Freddie's Revenge (Cask)

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Slightly tart? Maybe it was the combination of the coffee. Molasses and a slight spice flavor. Just okay.

Epic/DC Brau - Fermentation Without Representation

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Fairly enjoyable. Slight pumpkin/squash taste (this may be imagined). Pretty sweet. Touch of vanilla.

Flying Dog - The Fear

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

I really like the label art. I'm susceptible to marketing.  A little bitter. Lots of all-spice.

This is pretty enjoyable. I'd get it again.

Sixpoint - Autumnation

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

This is not a "traditional" pumpkin ale. It is heavily hopped and would probably be mistaken for some sort of pale ale if not for the labeling.

Its decent enough.

New Belgium - Kick

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

75% pumpkin? The cranberry & associated tartness completely dominates this. The aftertaste is not that great. I'd pass.

Shipyard - Smashed Pumpkin

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

A vast improvement over the Pumpkinhead. The nutmeg is a little strong, but I like it.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
Its nice for a pumpkin beer because you can tell its a pumpkin beer, but its not as spice laden as Pumpkinhead, but i don't know if i'll want the whole thing because i don't like pumpkin that much. Doo Doo Doo Doo.

New Holland - Ichabod

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

My first pumpkin beer of the season. Pretty decent. The spices aren't overpowering or artificially sweet.

Souther Tier Pumking

Heavy Seas - The Greater Pumpkin

Hmm. This was very boozy. I couldn't really tell it was a pumpkin beer. It was just sweet sweet sweet. Not very good.

Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin

Not too shabby. I had my other pumpkin beer of the season a while ago so my comparison might be a little off. Its neither too sweet, nor too thin, nor too overly spiced. I think it tastes more alcoholic than most pumpkin beers, and maybe a little too much for me. Its certainly leagues better than the historically bad Shipyard pumpkin ale that is still seared into my memory.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
It smells fruity. Oo, it smells like a candle. It does not taste like a fruit or candle. Well, I don't really eat pumpkin things, so I can't say whether it tastes like pumpkin or not. Ooo oo. Maybe a pumpkin candle? I think I like my pumpkin beer with more spice. My thoughts on this pumpkin beer are going to be much longer than your thoughts [accurate].

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale

What the fuck, fall? Its only August. Next thing you know, Winter Ales will be available in September.

My first pumpkin ale of the season. Its actually pretty good. Not overly sweet. Nutmeg and some cinnamon are nicely balanced along with the pumpkin. I'd buy it again next year.

Beers Not Pictured

Rogue Brutal Bitter (Now "Brutal IPA")

Hmm. This is pretty drinkable. Not sure its a favorite or really wows me though. I probably wouldn't buy a six pack of this, but I'd get it on draft again.

weyerbacher hops infusion ipa
oooh. this is interesting. it has a slight sweet/honey taste. a pretty good ipa.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead

The highpoint of this pumpkin ale is the dude with a pumpkin-head riding a horse on the bottle.

Its pretty thin and doesn't taste a lot like pumpkin, it tastes more of cinnamon than anything else really.

Its not terrible because its not overly sweet, but I'm not sure I'd get it again.

Clipper City - Heavy Seas - The Big DIPA
The bottle states that it is a double IPA. It has a pretty high ABV (10.5%), but you can't taste it too much. Fairly sweet without a lot of hop taste though. For a double IPA, I'd like some bitterness to it. Eh, its alright. I'm not sure I'd get it again.

Apparently this is the first of some small batches that Clipper City is putting out. Hopefully the others will be a little better

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

Ah. Now this is more like it.

I was a little afraid that I wouldn't be able to find more than one pumpkin ale in our neighborhood, but a few of the stores were actually carrying the Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale.

Now, I've definitely had this in the past, but once again, I could not remember if it was good or not.

Thankfully, this beer was not terrible. It may have been a tad sweeter than the Post Road offering, but this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

The balance of pumpkin and spices was good. Even though its sweeter than the other I tried, there is some nice bitterness from hops still present.

I'd recommend it for anyone who wants a pumpkin ale and can still find it in stores (or just wait until next Fall...)

Official Joe Cooks Dinner and Stuff Beer Rating:
Smuttynose - Pumpkin Ale
3/5

Post Road Pumpkin Ale

I drink a lot of beer.

Not as much as I once did during my younger years (I still miss you, my dearest kegerator).

Anyway, I suppose I will occassionally review beers that I'm drinking, mainly so I remember to buy the good ones again (not that hard) and to not buy the bad ones again (this happens on occassion).

Unfortunately, this was one that I had bought in the past and couldn't quite remember how much I liked it (or didn't).

It's brewed by the folks at Brooklyn Brewery. The head quickly disappated. It had a good aroma of spices and such, as a pumpkin beer should. The taste was a little off for me though. I'm just not sure what its missing. I thought it had a little soapy (or metallic?) aftertaste. It's not as sweet as other pumpkin ales (Mandy liked this about this beer) so its drinkable with a meal.

I will not be purchasing again in the future. I'd stick to the Dogfish Head pumpkin ale if I could find it up here.

Official Joe Cooks Dinner and Stuff Beer Rating:
2.5/5