Elysian The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Brewed by Elysian Brewing Co.
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Seattle, Washington USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Tumbler

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THOUGHTS: It wasn’t as good as I thought it was going to be but, dear lord, it tasted just like my mother’s homemade pumpkin pie. Surprisingly light and easy to drink for a pumpkin beer this big. Definitely like pie made from fresh pumpkin, not canned pumpkin. Hid alcohol incredibly well. Great in that it tasted like actual pumpkin pie, but a little off from great pumpkin pie-like beers. Not quite sweet enough or malty enough. Just because something tastes good, doesn’t mean it’s a good beer. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a hazy, light golden orange with a small, off-white head that mostly diminished. The aroma had moderate caramel malts and roasted pumpkin; light sour pumpkin; pumpkin pie spices; slight alcohol; pie crust; fresh pumpkin pie. The initial flavor was moderately sweet and ever so slightly bitter and sour; while the finish was heavily sweet, and lightly acidic and bitter with an average duration. There was fresh pumpkin pie, meaning fresh pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices; sour pumpkin, slight alcohol and pie crust. The light to medium body was leaning toward medium was a little dry with fairly fizzy carbonation and dry finish. It went down extra easy.

Bomber, enjoyed on the last night in my first house. Pours light pumpkin orange and gold, with a 2-finger yellowy/beige head. Aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg, pumpkin, pie spice, and brown sugar. The flavor is cinnamon and sugar, pumpkin pie, and spices. Light carbonation, with a thick mouthfeel. Tasty. [1137]

From bottle. Hazy golden color. Intense pumpkin flavor with the nutmeg and spice of a good pumpkin pie. Great alcohol kick. One of my all-time favorite pumpkin beers.

So unique in that this beer screams pumpkin seeds where as the competition relies so heavily on spices. One of my favorites. Way to go Elysian! ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle from brewolf...thanks Michael! - Pours light amber with a thin off-white head. Nose is similar to Night Owl, though strangely dialed back a bit. I would expect the imperial version would be over the top, but the clove isn’t so spicy here and there’s no ginger to speak of. The cinnamon comes through the most. The spice comes out a bit more in the taste, it’s pretty dry and spicy with a pumkiny base. A touch of sweetness balances it all out. A little thicker body than Night Owl, but still on the medium side. Pretty good stuff for a pumpkin beer, but not really my favorite style. Glad I got to try it!

Solid beer. Pours orange. Somewhat sweet and rich. Smells of pumpkin pie and finished with spices ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

22oz bobmer from a mix bomber 4pack purcahsed at Spirits Brick. Poured a decent looking thick cloudy orange body with an average sized creamy off white head that lingers nicely. Aroma is more on the spice side than the pumpkin side, notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, light vanilla exract, toast and some roasted pumpkin. Fuller body with average to stronger stingy carbonation that has hadrdly any hint of the 8+% ABV. Flavor of very dry toast, old harsh nutmeg and cinnamon, dry roasted pumpkin, paper, old dry vanilla. The best thing about this beer is the hidden ABV if you’re into that sort of thing.

Draft at Tattooed Mom. Pumpkin colored pour with nice bright white foamy head. Feels like a reduced and refined version of the Night Owl. Clean pumpkin spice flavors. Very nice balance of gentle caramel sweetness, floral hop bitters and nutty spice. Honeycomb. Thyme. Sunflower seeds. Surprisingly delicate notes. Very good. Best of the Elysian Pumpkin beers by far!

I bought this because of all the hubbub I heard heard and even though I am not a huge pumpkin fan I figured I might as well. Orange color, two finger thick head, fluffy. Smells very spicy, nutmeg cinnamon, the usual suspects, not bad. the flavor was more of the same but for a split second I thought I was chewing a piece of cinnamon gum like Big Red or something. This was much better than Night Owl and honestly this probably was the best pumpkin beer I’ve had to date. Sadly though I must still say it was not worth the $9 price tag. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 09-19-2012 02:43:25

Apricot colored with gingery aroma. Taste is the same with some minerality and a quinine note. Nothing special and not especially pumpkiny. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone