 StompBrockmore (300), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Oct 20, 2007
Draught at The Rhino - came an amber shade with a white head. Aroma of caramel, pumpkin spice, sweet malt, sort of candy-like actually. Body is soft and delicate. Flavour is sweet with malt and caramel, balanced well by the spices (pumpkin, cloves, nutmeg, some cinnamon). Not as spice heavy as some American pumpkin ales sampled. This one is lighter - very sessionable in fact. The best of Great Lakes seasonal offerings so far.
Jan Primus (160), Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
May 23, 2008 Skeptically, I purchased a bottle from the LC last fall...ended up grabbing another 24 after sampling the first. This pured out a bright, transparent orange with ample white head...aroma was more spice than pumpkin. Flavourwise, I was worried that it would be too much pumpkin or spice but they did a great job here. The pumpkin was not overdone but easily detected, even by non-beer geeks...and just the right amount of spice/herb to balance things out. This was so drinkable that it become my session beer for about a month, last fall.
Lookin forward to the next batch.
Viper666 (402), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Mar 18, 2008 Bouteille 650ml étiquetée sous le nom « Great Lakes Brewery Pumpkin Ale », courtoisie de Hogtownharry. De couleur orange et claire. Nez épicé (cannelle, muscade, léger de clou de girofle, traces de pain d’épices et de gingembre), léger de grains de céréales et de citrouille avec des notes de biscuits. Moyenne-mince en bouche avec un pétillement moyen-bas mais croustillant ainsi qu’une texture légèrement crémeuse et aux notes huileuses. Goût épicé (cannelle, moyen de muscade, léger de clou de girofle, traces de gingembre) avec un léger goût de citrouille ainsi que des traces fruitées (citron) lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un léger goût de biscuits au pain d’épices (présent en arrière-goût jusqu’en finale) ainsi que des notes de céréales fraîches et de pain puis en finale l’on retrouve un léger regain de goût épicé (pain d’épices et muscade) avec des notes amères de houblon herbeux (herbe mouillée). Post-goût moyen, aux petites notes amères de houblon herbeux ainsi qu’avec un goût épicé (muscade, léger de cannelle et notes de pain d’épices) et un petit goût de citrouille.
jasonm (22), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Feb 5, 2008 Clear, orange color topped with a fingerwidth of off-white head. Moderate retention, no lacing. Nice pumpkin spice aroma, both sweet and savory, with cinnamon and nutmeg. Slight hint of pumpkin flesh and buttery crust. Taste is spicy pumpkin pie, although not as prominent as the aroma. Finishes with a dry, pilsner malt quality. Medium bodied with dense, prickly carbonation. A nice, well-rounded pumpking ale.
mabel (1246), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dec 27, 2007 [716-20070928] Tap @ C’est What 2007 FOSB (Toronto, ON). Bubblegum fruit and ginger aroma. Clear, orange brown body with a small medium-lasting creamy white head. Gingerale pumpkin flavour has a bit of allspice. Medium body is bubbly. Interesting, not too much pumpkin (which may be a good thing).
sstackho (198), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dec 16, 2007 (Rated earlier in November, but on the wrong "Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale" page!) 22oz bottle purchased from LCBO in Toronto for around $5. (I think the alternate "Double" listing comes from early kegs on draft. I don’t believe there is any intentional difference between the draft versions and the bottled version that does not say "Double".) Pours a light straw with lots of carbonation. Quite nice aroma of "pumpkin beer" spice. The first taste is tangy from all the carbonation. The wife comments that it burns her tongue. Flavour is a nice, typical pumpkin beer. Not mind blowing, but nice to at least have the option in this variety-starved province.
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