Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

12 oz. bottle from Wine Warehouse in Charlottesville. Best before March 09. Reddish-auburn pour with a medium head, good retention and nice lacing. Aroma is your typical spices, but not over the top, subtle pumpkin and noble hops. Taste is very much the same, though the spices take over quite a bit... clove, cinnamon... and lend a spiciness to the beer. A bit too much I’m afraid. Medium bodied and moderate carbonation.

On tap in New York City. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale is a amber colored lager ale with a small white head. The flavor is traditional with sweet malts and just enough pumkin spice hint to know that it is there. This is the first Pumpkin Ale I have ever tried, and was surprised at how much I liked it.

Thanks to Cheryl for buying this one. Not normally a big fan of pumpkin beers, but enjoyed this one. Some in the style just reek of pumpkin and brown sugary spices - there’s nothing subtle to them. This one was delicious, though. Balanced the maltiness with the pumpkin spice. Very pleasant on the palate - I had two. Will always remember this one fondly (which may have something to do with the fact that I was holding my 2-week old niece the whole time I drank the beers!)

12oz bottle from the grocery store across the street. This is the best Pumpkin Ale that I have tried for one reason: It tastes like pumpkins. The nutmeg and cinnamon flavors are present, but not overwhelming like most of the half-ass attempts at this style. Smuttynose rarely disappointments me. The finish has a hint of pecans and cinnamon. I’m gonna try one at cellar temp because I have seen it on cask recently. If you try one pumpkin ale this fall, try this one... unless you can prove me wrong.

This guy is WAY too hoppy for a pumpkin ale. The amount of hops in this beer dominate the aroma, the flavor, and the palate. Not unenjoyable, but the hops wash away any pumpkin flavor, or any cimmamon, nutmeg or anything else for that matter. Not a good example of the style.

Bottle. Aroma of those pumpkin spices and a grilled/smoked pumpkin/other things in the squash family backbone. Flavor continues to be squashy with a powdery spice background and texture. Unlike most of these pumpkin ales there are also enough hops to keep things from crossing over into the sweet spectrum. I thought it was quite tasty.

12 oz bottle. Nice golden pour, but the aroma tells the story of what is to come. Loads of cinnamon and nutmeg dominate the nose, masking any possible pumpkin flavor. The taste is a shock of spices that bubble on the tongue with a nasty, unpleasant bite. There’s also a mild hop character that’s inappropriate for the style. A poor example of a pumpkin ale. Cinnamon isn’t pumpkin. We are not fooled.

1 year old bottle. A hazy orange pour with minimal white head that befits the pumpkin aroma which has held up quite nicely over the year with pie spices cutting through the pumpkin character which I found rather strong. A light smooth body with heavy carbonation and distinct nutmeg and cinnamon dominating a nice pumpkin undercurrent.