Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin

Brewed by Heavy Seas Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Baltimore, Maryland USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

Location: 22 oz bottle from Gilly’s, 11/16/09

Aroma: The aroma has some of the nice pumpkin spice and other spice characteristics I like in this style
Appearance: A mostly clear orange color with a thin lasting head, and light, drippy lace
Flavor: The taste is also lots of spice malts with a nice hop backing, spice is more cinnamon and nutmeg then pumpkin
Palate: The carbonation is pretty high for this beer, the mouthfeel is pretty nice, and a bit dry, and a bit of alcohol feel
Overall Impression: This is a pretty good Pumpkin beer, but my main complaint is that the pumpkin spice is not as predominant as I would like it to be. That is only a minor compliant though, as I did enjoy this beer. As winter beers start to show up more, and this style is less available in stores, I can already tell I’m about to start missing the pumpkin beers. This is a quite good one.

Enjoyed from a 22oz bomber in a tulip glass. The beer pours a medium to slightly dark amber color with a small head that quickly disappears. The nose and palate are strikingly similar to Weyerbacher’s Imperial Pumpking Ale, to the extent that the two are essentially dead ringers for one another. Lots of nutmeg, cinnamin, and a touch of store-bought pumpkin pie spicing. Hops are irrelevant and note noticeable. Malt makes an appearance, but is unfortunately vastly overshadowed by the spicing. Overall, this can’t hold a candle to Dogfish Head’s Punkin or Southern Tier’s Imperial Pumpking, but it is a nicely done seasonal that belies its strength.

650 ml bottle
I am always game for a new pumpkin seasonal so as soon as I saw this on the shelf (reasonably priced no less) I picked up a bottle. It took a while to get through but the payoff was worth it.

Aroma / Appearance - Mildly carbonated with a orange hue the color of the setting sun this glowed brilliantly. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and a squash character gave it some depth but nothing too rich. As with any solid pumpkin ale the aroma of warm pie filled the air.

Flavor / Palate - Strong and spicy the kick settles down after a while. Leaving a trace of nutmeg on the throat it hides the ABV dangerously well. Like pumpkin pie mixed into alcoholic form this is a well done seasonal.

On tap. Pours a dark transparent orange color with a very thin white head. Aroma is of pumpkin pie - completely pumpkin and spice. It is very smooth and the alcohol is quite hidden.

draft came with an amber color and a thin off white head. aroma has plenty of pie spices, light hops, and wet herbs. mouth feel is a little light and the carbonation on the low side. flavor as in the aroma is dominated by the spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, mild bitter hops, brown sugar, and some vegetable.

2009 Bottle - Thanks beachbum25! - Pours a hazy amber orange with a small white head...aroma is spicy grain, slightly vegetal, sweet malt...flavour is similar, pie spice, some pumpkin nuance, not really pumpkiny, mostly cinnamon and nutmeg, old grain and brown sugar...finish is lingering spice and a slight alcohol kick...decent...

Bottle from Crown#6. Pours cloudy/crystal dark orange with rising bubbles and minimal white head. Nose is slight pumpkin spice and some spicy hops. Taste is relatively smooth, slightly carbonated, slight pumpkin flavor and a decent amount of hops. A little odd overall, not my favorite pumpkin brew.

UPDATED: DEC 6, 2009
Name: Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin
Date: October 12, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Bullock’s
Appearance: hazy orange, wispy off white head
Aroma: big sweet pumpkin aroma with lots of spices
Flavor: sweet pumpkin and malt flavor, well balanced spices, light bitterness follows the spices
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ** /4

Bottle courtesy of BMan1113VR. Clear orange pour. Bit of a tart smell with some spice. If you think pumpkin then it will come out. Taste is spicy to say the least. The drying aspect of pumpkin is felt later on. Finishes with some autumn spice and dryness. Not bad.

22 oz. bottle pours cloudy amber with tight white head that leaves minimal runny lacing as it fades. Aroma is heavy with spice, not much pumpkin. Allspice, and cinnamon are prevalent. Moderately thin to medium body with a malty front, nutmeg and cinnamon middle and clove finish with an overall mild pumpkin-squash palate. The alcohol is not well hidden in the aftertaste. This is a heartier fall/pumpkin ale, but very little pumpkin comes through for me. As with many of the fall seasonals, this beer tends to display spicier notes than pumpkin, lending itself to better be called (IMO) a fall, or spice ale, rather than pumpkin. That said, this is a nice accompaniment to a sun-dried tomato marinated turkey breast stuffed with spinach, sugared walnuts and goat cheese.