Shiner Oktoberfest
Just like last year, we start out the month with a Marzen. Much like several other Shiner offerings, this one is a nice easy drinker. As much credit as I give for drinkability, I have to take some points right back though - I feel a Marzen should inherently have a little more body than this one provides. Still, reasonably enjoyable.
3 out of 5 pumpkins
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale
This is more of a pumpkin amber ale, as you can immediately tell from the color. The funny thing about this brew is that you get a good solid waft of pumpkin, and the initial taste of pumpkin and spice, but after a split second it gets buried by the amber-style malt. Pumpkin ales are truly a fickle beast. I'd drink this again, but it's not *quite* where I want it to be.
3 out of 5 pumpkins
Legend Brewing Co. Oktoberfest
What a pleasant pour! Rich dark amber color and a nice thick head. It has a smooth, malty mouthfeel with some lingering sweetness, but not cloyingly so. A fairly simple and to-the-point beer that's well executed overall.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins
Harpoon UFO Pumpkin
Sometimes good beers come from unexpected places. I wouldn't expect a fairly unique and delicious offering from a major brewery like Harpoon, but here we are. Right off the bat, this beer had an immense head (as you can see) that lasted well into drinking - it still had a half inch at the midway point. Also, I can't recall having had an unfiltered pumpkin ale before, so the hazy brown amber coloring was somewhat different. The mouthfeel was a sweet, liquid pumpkin pie-type flavor that went down *very* smoothly. Some might call such a pumpkin pie-y flavor profile a little hacky for a beer, but I very much enjoyed it. Just when I thought my review was over, at the bottom of the glass was a little present - little flecks of pumpkin and spice, another byproduct of the unfiltered beer. Going to be hard to beat this one!
4 out of 5 pumpkins
Dukes Tailgate Edition!
Narragansett Fest
"Hi neighbor! Have a 'Gansett!" I couldn't resist getting the Fall seasonal for what amounts to New England's version of Pabst Blue Ribbon. And for a crappy beer's Fall seasonal, it wasn't terrible! Fairly substantial body, fairly smooth. Actually tasted pretty decent with the bacon we cooked up on the grill. But let's be real here...
2 out of 5 pumpkins
Arcadia Jaw-Jacker
What a weird beer. Right on the label is a pretty nifty illustration of a blood thirsty pumpkin. So what's this beer brewed with? Cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. No pumpkin?! It tastes pretty much exactly as you'd expect - a pumpkin ale without pumpkin. If I had never had a pumpkin ale before, I guess this might be an interesting enough beer, but it just tastes empty and the spices almost make it taste a little soapy. Weird weird direction to take.
1.5 out of 5 pumpkins
Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen
The folks at Paulaner have been brewing since 1634, so they might know a thing or two. Each sip seems to get breadier and maltier than the last. That's actually a good thing, as I initially felt like this beer had a little sweet, alcoholic note not to my liking. It seems like it just grew on me halfway down the mug. I could put a few of these down.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins
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