doppelmeup (51), Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA
Jun 10, 2008
This is like pumpkin pie in a bottle! This should be the standard from which all other pumpkin ales are measured, IMHO!
Poured a deep, pumpkin color into a pint glass. Not a great head, and minimal lacing. Very nice coloring.
Aromas of pumpkin pie spice and fresh pumpkin. Allspice predominates with side notes of ginger and cloves. Not much in the way of hops or malts, but I wasn’t really expecting any of those aromas.
Taste was exactly what I would think a pumpkin ale should taste like. Mild spiciness with pumpkin flavor, but not overly sweet or cloying. Just an overall nice flavor. Without a doubt the best pumpkin ale I have had.
Light, slightly fizzy mouthfeel keeps this beer refreshing, yet it still has a rich, full body. A beer of this style could risk being slightly overpowering, but Cottonwood balances the flavors and mouthfeel perfectly, IMO.
Very drinkable pumpkin ale. An excellent brew for the Fall when evenings start cooling down. I drank this with a bowl of beef stew and it was an excellent choice of beverage. Highly recommended.
 lithy (247), Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Oct 13, 2008 Sampled at the 12th Annual Knoxville Brewer’s Jam. Cloudy copper orange with a thin ring of off white head. Cinnamon, powerful nutmeg aromas. Moderate body, light pumpkin pie flavors. Pretty solid but bordering on being too thin.
Immy (1588), Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
Oct 12, 2008 12 oz bottle. Hazy amber with a tight tan head. Nose is full of fresh pumpkin, lightly spiced with nutmeg and hints of clove and ginger. Very pumpkin pie flavored, which is nice - many try, but few hit it on the nose like this. If the body was a bit richer, this would be an amazing dessert beer. Still, a good seasonal brew.
Magjayran (1159), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Oct 10, 2008 When I think Pumpkin beer, I think Cottonwood. Every year I buy 2 or 3 six packs of this one. It’s the first pumpkin beer I ever had and it defines the style in my mind. Much sweeter than other pumpkin beers. I get strong notes of cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the obvious pumpking and allspice. Creamy mouthfeel. Attractive orange color. I think I’ll open another.
Oakes (6979), Miami Beach, Florida, USA
Oct 4, 2008 Amber colour with a slight haze. Big nose of pumpkin, nutmeg and a little clove. Sweet palate, very spicy. Quite dessert-like even for a pumpkin beer with lovely sugars, pumpkin accents and smooth but assertive spicing. Nicely rounded example.
Beershine (1440), Miami Beach, Florida, USA
Oct 3, 2008 Bottle, at Charlotte airport. Warm, hazy autumnal hue. Lots of nutmeg and pie filling in the nose. Slightly fizzy but not too bad. Goes through a lot of flavors. Starts off with pure pumpkin, then passes through a layer of spice, and ends with a dollop of cream. Sweet and spicy both. A pretty darn good job.
|
