Grand River Highballer Pumpkin Ale

growler from the brewery. pours orange with a small white head and little carbonation. aromas of nutmeg, cinnimon, peach, pumpkin and hops. it is basically liquified autum in a glass. a malt backbone provides the balance for the other flavours to cascade around in a dizzying display of delicious complexity. my wife simply stated "that is the best beer ive ever had!". I wont go as far as that but this is an excellent brew. the continued consistancy of steller top-notch products that come from this brewer and un-matched in this area. 5 for 5 so far! I cant wait for the christmas ale.

Growler straight from the brewery. Pours a nice copper colour, with a small beige head that almost has a tinge of orange. The aroma is of pumpkin pie, ginger, and hops. The taste is a blend of some spices and hops, not much in the way of malts. I find that the most dominate flavours seem to be ginger, clove and pumpkin, but you may find that the pumpkin only comes through at first in the finish and aftertaste. When it warms the pumpkin becomes more evident. The mouth-feel is smoother than the other GRB ales. I wish I didn’t have to travel so far to get their beers, but once again GRB has provided me with an outstanding beer, at a decent price. Unlike anything I’ve tried before.

Bottle: poured a clear deep copper color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and not much lacing. Aroma of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg are well balance. Taste is also a well balanced mix between some ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg with not much pumpkin per say abut a nice and easily drinkable caramel malt backbone. Body is about average with good carbonation. Very well done with great balance and easily drinkable.

2009-10-01. No notes. Much more mildly spiced than I remember the sample at Cask Days being, but I may be confusing it with something else since I don’t have notes below for that. Pleasantly quaffable, I look forward to more of this. Cask at C’est What

2007-10-XX. Draught at Cest What. Pint and a sampler. Orangey body with a smallish head, big fruity aroma like sweet orange with a hint of pumpkin. Sweet bready malt underlies a surprisingly bitter flavour. Modest ambiguous spice in the flavour - just a bit more noticeable in a second glass. Smooth average palate is lightly carbonated (3+). Very lovely and quaffable, but a touch less assertive in the pumpkin and spice department than I had hoped. Went back for more later. 8/3/7/3+/16-17

Fresh sample from the brewery: A shimmering dark amber-gold in color with a decent 2 finger white cap Aroma is distinct and interesting...you get spice (cinnamin/nutmeg) over some fruity esters ( peach-strawberry) and a nice whiff of crystal malt that carries the musty botanical tones of pumpkin. Pumpkin is less defined in the flavor which is a very tasteful blend of spices and savory hops, bready-sweet malts with light fruit/pumpkin tones...all in a extraordinary balance where none over power the other. Finishes slightly bitter but pleasant. The 5.2% ABV makes this a satisfying and more substantial ale. A very decent ale and a good attempt for this brewer’s first specialty offering. My favorite ale from GRB so far.

[711-20070928] Tap @ C’est What 2007 FOSB (Toronto, ON). Very faint at first, aroma has light nutmeg or similar spice and spicy bits of fruit or pumpkin later. Clear, orange brown body with a quick bubbly white head. Allspice nutmeg throughout, mildly fruity flavour has a very nice light ginger aftertaste. Medium body. Well-blended. (7/3/7/3/15) 3.5

[2514B-20091002] Cask. Wonderful allspice pumpkin pie crust aroma. Clear, medium orange brown body with a long-lasting foamy white head. Floral allspice toasted pumpkin pie crust flavour. Medium body. Wow, great quality, couldn’t take a pint but awesome to try. (8/4/8/3/16) 3.9
(21st FFOCB @ C’est What; Toronto, ON)

Also had this at the C’est What? fall fest, and I have to concur that this is a good brew. Lovely orange colored pour with peach and pumpkin in the nose. Sweet pumpkin and fruit in the flavor, and a smooth finish. A nice fall drink.

A golden amber ale with a thin white head. Caramel malt aroma melds with light pumpkin spices. In mouth, a good crisp malt with a good balance of pumpkin spices, cinnamon, nutmeg. Medium bodied. On tap at Wellington Gastropub, 6.30$ pint.