Cisco Brewers Pumple Drumkin
The back story for this beer involves "a pumple named drumkin" (note to self: good band name), but that's where the fun ends. There's a horrific sour, metallic taste overwhelming the entire proceedings. And there's really nothing else going on. I'd almost think this was just a badly skunked beer, but Carly had a similar experience, as well as most everyone on BeerAdvocate. This is...bad.
1 out of 5 pumpkins
DuClaw Brewing Co. Mad Bishop
After 6 Virginia/DC area beers for OctoberQuest I, Mad Bishop is only the second for this year, and the first since Oct 3. Very little head to this Märzen, which went away almost instantly. Tastes pretty standard for the style, medium body. There's a little alcohol heat early, but it dissipates, leaving a mellow, smooth mouthfeel. Overall, pretty good, but nothing particularly worth writing home about.
3 out of 5 pumpkins.
Long Trail Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale
I had a weird hunch that this beer would be somewhat nondescript, and unfortunately I was mostly correct. It's a pretty standard, if unspectacular, pumpkin offering. The only thing worth noting is its weird little progression of tastes. Starts off sweet, turns slightly sour, and finishes with a burnt flavor in the aftertaste that lingers. Not exactly a taste you want to walk away with.
2.5 out of 5 pumpkins
Anchor Brewing BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red
Finally, a different seasonal style! This red ale poured very thick, with a cream colored head that stayed for quite a while, plenty of lacing all the way down the glass, and had a somewhat subtle ruby red hue. The substantial medium-full body is welcome change of pace from the month's other offerings thus far. The dry finish took a while to get used to, but halfway through I hardly noticed it. Points off for the supposed seasonal addition of maple syrup - if it's there, it's undetectable, rendering this just a good standard red ale.
3 out of 5 pumpkins
Dukes Tailgate III - Teepee Edition!
Lakefront Brewery Pumpkin Lager
This is the second pumpkin lager that I've very much enjoyed. Much like Terrapin's pumpkin lager, the mix of spices and pumpkin hold up well to the smooth, yet robust lager body. The sweetness doesn't cede to any off-putting dry or sour aftertastes. Two points make a line, so I'll definitely have to see if there are any other pumpkin lagers around to verify if that's truly my sweet spot.
4 out of 5 pumpkins
Thomas Hooker Octoberfest Lager
As I'm hitting the home stretch, this is a welcome solid offering. Two things set this Octoberfest apart from your normal equivalent. The medium-full body does have a bit more heft to it, but certainly not to its detriment. The other difference is the hop blend; the taste (and aftertaste for that matter) has a noticeably spicy hop kick, but again, it works with the mellow malt rather than against it. Definitely add this to your list of seasonals to give a shot.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins
New Belgium Brewing Pumpkick
This was another of the 3-4 I was really looking forward to this season. Despite my affinity for the vast majority of New Belgium's offerings, this is the second straight year in which their seasonal has been a head scratcher for me. The unique factor for this pumpkin ale is the use of pumpkin *juice*, cranberry juice, and lemongrass. I don't know if its the pumpkin juice as opposed to straight up pumpkin that's responsible, but this is a very thin-bodied pumpkin ale, bordering on watery. I'm sure some will like the light style, but for me it tastes very one-dimensional. Maybe if there was a little more heft to it, the cranberry would work better, but as it is, it feels like the individual ingredients are fighting each other. This one's disappointingly not for me.
2 out of 5 pumpkins
Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest
I'm once again in the position of trying not feel like an ass for arguing the merits of a beer from a brewery that was established in 1417. Very clean and smooth, obviously this is a wonderful Oktoberfest (coincidentally one of six allowed to be served at THE Oktoberfest in Munich). That being said, it's a unique flavor profile that doesn't quite appeal to my sensibilities. There's a nutty sweetness to it that I can only assume goes really well with a good grilled brat. Not quite as much on its own though. German Oktoberfests are clearly on a completely different plane in the Fall seasonal universe, but of them, this is not my favorite.
3 out of 5 pumpkins
Redhook Out Of Your Gourd Pumpkin Porter
Ah, my only porter for the season. I like that this is a nuanced brew. I get a big bold hit of coffee straight away, but then come the pumpkin and spices creeping in behind it. There's a faint bitter char aftertaste, but not overwhelming, and one that certainly makes sense for the style. Oddly, this is yet another example of a beer brewed with maple syrup that is somewhat evident in the nose, but nowhere in the taste. Small quibble aside, I'm glad I had this at the end of the month, because it definitely works as a late Fall/early Winter in-front-of-the-fireplace kind of beer.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins
Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
Well I saved the one I was most excited about for last, and it did not disappoint. As advertised, this beer absolutely does taste like pumpkin pie, but for my money, the body is the best part. It's medium-full, markedly robust, and makes it feel like you have a forkful of pumpkin pie in your mouth. The whopping 8.0% ABV is incredibly well hidden beneath the thick, complex, satisfying body. Right at the end, I almost thought I was going to catch that annoying sour aftertaste, but it settled in, and mellowed right short of it. I'm thoroughly impressed, and quite pleased that this was my lone six-pack purchase for the month.
4 out of 5 pumpkins
