3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20Taster at the taphouse. My server described this as based on a rye ale. The beer is certainly orangey in color. Has a thin head that’s gone as I pick this up for the first of my sampler tray. A light pie spice nose, balanced but not as pronounced as the Southern Tier Pumking I tried a little later. Taste is also lightly spiced, and not to sweet. A bit dry, in fact. I think I catch a little rye spice, though that may be because I’m looking for it. If it hadn’t been labeled a pumpkin beer, I might not have guessed it. Rather, I’d have said this is a nice spicy harvest beer.
2.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 11/20
UPDATED: NOV 27, 2011 Tap at Bier Stube in Moline, IL. Clear amber pour with almost no head. Nice pumpkin aroma. Taste is a little watery pumpkin and slight spice.
2.8 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Growler to a english pub glassFrom the brewery.Quick dimishing head to no head.Alot of clove in aroma and taste.THere was a nice initial breadiness with the head that dimiished into heavy clove aroma,there is some caramel roast sweetness and a little vanila maybe ginger but mostly heavy clove or allspiceIts just too heavily flavored with spice.Maybe a bit of coffe or black malt bitter.Heavy spice clove flavor,herbal tart bittering burnt carmel notes.Heavy clove bittering flavor isnt going over too well,seems like a beer that could have used some conditioning.
The herbal bittering makes it out to be like chewing on plants dipped in clove.Whatever harshness this is its leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
Its herbal burnt carmalized pumpkin.It seems to overtake any kind of taste of the beer or pumpkin,im going to have to go with this is another overspiced pumpkin.I was hoping for some mouthfeel or creamyness or body but behind all the spice may be some nice carmely breadiness.
2.7 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
On tap at Sippi’s in Davenport IA. Clear dark orange/brown pour, a little carbonation and a slight pumpkin aroma. Flavor is bitter pumpkin, no sweetness and slightly herbal on the finish. No bad, just not what I look for in a pumpkin beer.
2.4 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 9/20
On tap at Old Capital in Iowa City. Pours a deep, but clear amber body with a finger-width, creamy beige head that dissipates quickly and leaves a very light lacing. Aroma is a very spiced pumpkin pie. A very thin caramel sweetness, but way too much ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Flavor is exactly the same. A touch of watery sweetness and too much spicing. Thin body. Overall, I don’t know why I was hoping for more. They haven’t impressed me at all over the years, even after moving to Davenport.
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