Cape Ann Fishermans Pumpkin Stout

Brewed by Cape Ann Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Gloucester, Massachusetts USA

Serve in Lager glass, Tumbler

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UPDATED: OCT 14, 2007 Bottle. Nearly completely dark brown with a medium-dark brown head. Nose of chocolate and roast with the roasted pumpkin note a bit subdued, but certainly present. Rich roasty flavor up front, more pumpkin and cream in the middle, and then comes a shot of rich, syrupy and then chalky chocolate, coffee and light pumpkin. I think this is probably the best use of pumpkin you could imagine for a stout - present but not overwhelming - complementing the stout characteristics rather than distracting from them.

Wow, I can’t believe I’m the first to rate the bottle version. The great thing about this beer is that it is so balanced. The pumpkin flavor and spices complements the delicious stout taste, and while you know you are drinking a spiced stout, it does not overwhelm. In addition, I must give credit to the label’s design on the bottle. I love that ghostly black figure steering the ship :)

Tap at Brewtopia. Black beer, thick brown head. Aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon and molasses. Smells like my mom’s molasses cookies. Some earthy yeast underneath a slightly tarry roastiness. Flavour of light pumpkiny spice and a bit of pumpkin but the finish is of chicory, molasses and light roast. The spice tends to dominate the malts, but it’s still a tasty pint. Ap 4 Ar 7 Fl 7 Pa 3 Ov 14 Tap at Barcade. Got to try a full pint this time and I thought differently enough to warrant an addendum. I should add that this pint was a gift from the bartender (this never happens in Vancouver!). Pitch black with a thick brown head. Aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice over a lovely roasted barley aroma. In back is the same sweet molasses and roast that I picked up the first time. Great flavour, a bit of pumpkin pie spice mixed with molasses malt sweetness and a touch of chocolate as well. There is also some pumpkiny herbaceousness in both the aroma and flavour. Warming really increases the malt component bringing forth bitter chocolate and toasted malts with blend very well with all of the pumpkin pie spices. Beautiful beer.

On tap at Ginger Man - nice opaque ebony with lasting head. Light on the pumpkin, but the spice comes thru in the nose and the lasting taste. Roastiness was also light, but pleasant. Could have been a little more ooopmh in both pumpkin and roast.

UPDATED: OCT 1, 2007 On tap at David Copperfields. Pours a very deep brown, almost black, with a cream colored head. The aroma is surprisingly perfume-y, with an herbal note and a slight indication of flowery pumpkin. The flavor is slightly herbal as well, with a light perfume-y pumpkin spice suggestion. There’s a late roasted, smoky malt creaminess and has a light bitter finish. Different.

UPDATED: DEC 26, 2009 Tap at Brewtopia beer festival. I was excited to try this beer ever since I heard it was coming out. Not a big fan of pumpkins but this to to be the perfect blend. Well it pours black with a almost gray colored head. Aroma is very present with definite pumpkin spices in conjunction with a sort of flavored down stout. I think the combo is nice because the roasted aspects of the stout don’t contend with the pumpkin. A bit thin on the body and a slightly sweet aftertaste with pumpkin resemblance. Low bitterness. 8/4/8/3/15.

12oz bottle in a Lindener Spezial glass. Small head, still grayish in color. While I mention this in the first rating, the thinness of the beer really gets to me. Also, the there aren’t enough stout characteristics for me anymore. The pumpkin character is too much without being balanced off by something else. So basically, I no longer like the structure of the beer too much. Not sure if it a tap to bottle difference, a time effect, or just my tastes changing. 7/3/7/3/14.

Tap @ Cape Ann Brewing Co. Pours a deep, dark black that you cannot see through with a light tanning creamy head on top. Nose is roasted grain. Jeremy at Cape Ann took time out of his day to discuss the brewery, their other offerings, and sample me on this brew. I am not a stout person, but the sweetness of the pumpkin in conjunction with the roasted coffee flavors were quite nice. I did not really sense the spices in the blend, but all in all, a very nice beer and experience.