Pumpkin Beers 2013: The Finale!

OK,  This is my last word on commercial pumpkin beers (at least for this season!)  For the past two months I have been slogging my way through as many pumpkin beers as I can, reviewing each to the best of my ability.  Please check out my previous posts on the matter if you haven't done so already. My total (pumpkin) head count was 35, 37 if you count both versions of the homebrewed Pumpacolypse Brau. Over the season of this strange experiment I have discovered a few things about said pumpkin beers. 

1) Quality: Like other beer styles, the majority of them are mediocre, with a few being disgusting and a few being amazing.  The old bell curve strikes again!  Having come into this experiment believing that I loved the style, I was a bit surprised at how many of the beers didn't really do it for me!  I've stated before that pumpkin beers are very polarizing: people love them or hate them.  I'm wondering if the haters may have tried some of the nasty beers and are basing their hatred on this. 

2) Spicing: This is really the key to the style.  My favorites of the season had recognizable spicing, but erred on the subtle and balanced side.  Too many of the beers I tried were over the top spiced and ended with a harsh bitterness that was off-putting.  So if you are going to try this yourself use a light hand on the spices.  Nutmeg dominates when combined with the other pumpkin pie spices of ginger, allspice, clove, and cinnamon, so maybe cut that down a bit to get a better rounded spice mix.  Top choices for doing this well were Wasatch, Brooklyn Post Road and Town Hall Petunia's.  Also some of the beers I tried had strange additional spices like lemongrass and cardamom--with varied results.

3) Malt:  The best of the beers were ones in which there was a malty backbone to balance the potential bitterness from spices and pumpkin itself.  ESB, Octoberfest, and Imperial's were all the best base styles for these.  I enjoyed a couple of the porters, but the roast malt astringency tended to exacerbate the bitterness from the spices.  Best of these was Town Hall, Terrapin Pumpkinfest, and Pumking.

4) Pumpkin:  Most pumpkin beers have little to no recognizable pumpkin flavor.  Some of the beers I tried had no actual pumpkin in them at all.  The few that I felt had true pumpkin flavor where Southern Tier Pumking, Terrapin, and Indeed Sweet Yamma Jamma (OK yam, not pumpkin for that one!)  From my own attempt at pumpkin beer, (tried before spicing,) I did get a hint of pumpkin flavor, but not much considering the huge amount of pumpkin we put into that beer!

5) Weird:  I enjoyed trying some different styles of pumpkin beer, like sours, cider and shandy--just to mix things up.  There is only so much you can say about the flavor of nutmeg and malt when judging pumpkin beers!  However, none of these unusual beers scored very highly in my final tally. 

6) Overall favorite?  Town Halls Petunia's Pumpkin, due to perfect balance of malt, mild spicing and easy drinkability.  Glad I have a growler of this in fridge right now!  Second place was actually The Punkacolypse Brau that Mike Lebben and I fought so hard to create.  Having tried so many commercial examples I was frankly shocked at how well this beer turned out.  I want to try brewing it again next year with a bit less pumpkin and a lot more rice hulls!

Crazy Mountain Rocky Mountain High Pumpkin Pie Beer: That is a mouthful!  Located in Vail Valley, Colorado this is a brewery I haven't really heard much about prior to this.  I had this beer the other night on draft at The Happy Gnome with a charcuterie plate prior to a Laphroaig tasting upstairs. 

Aroma: Nutmeg up front, followed by pumpkin and a hint of caramel.  Slight apple or pear ester to it.  Cinnamon as it warms up.
Appearance: Orange to copper color (but it was dark in the restaurant!) Medium sized white head that persisted well.  Small bubbles.  Excellent clarity with no haze.
Flavor: Malty but not overly sweet, a bit of caramel in flavor.  Strong nutmeg and allspice flavors really dominate this beer.  Medium body, but the residual harsh astringent and chemical burn from the spices make this seem to end thin.  Like sucking on a clove or allspice berry this has a tongue coating medicinal burning to it, even after done with the sip. 
Overall:  I like the aroma and initial taste, but that lingering harsh finish kills this for me.  Simply too much spice that isn't in balance with the base beer.  3/5.

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin:  This brewery has been around Minnesota for a few years, but honestly has not really had much presence in the beer scene.  No special events, few rare beer releases, and what I see as a basic lack of support in this market.  Every once in a while I'll pick up one of the beers with mixed results--sometimes I love it (Tiny) and other times I don't (Double Simcoe).  This beer clocks in at 8% ABV, and is made with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. 

Aroma:  Rich nutmeg and cinnamon on first whiff.  On deeper inhalation I get a lot of sweet sugar and some carmelized malt.  Hint of fruity pear and apple as swirled.  Slight earthy notes as it warms.
Appearance: Deep ruby in color.  Very clear with no haze.  Medium fine off-white head.
Flavor: Maltiness up front (unsurprisingly).  A hit of nutmeg and cinnamon after the initial malt bomb.  The finish fades to a strong cardamom flavor and astringency that stays with you.  Because of this the beer ends very dry and almost puckering.  There is some real pumpkin hiding in there.  Also some of the fruity esters from the aroma come through as it warms up.  Body is medium.  Very slight alcohol warming present.
Overall: The first sip is appealing, but the finish is just so harsh that this is difficult to keep drinking.  This is one that (to me) isn't worth the calories.  2.5/5.

Southern Tier Warlock: A pumpkin Imperial stout from the fine folks who brought you Pumpking!  I wanted to have both of these beers at the same time, but with both being higher alcohol beers, deemed it unwise.  So we tried this out after dinner, as a desert unto itself.

Aroma: Powerful roasted pumpkin flesh and vanilla at first, reminding me very strongly of Pumpking.  Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg all play about in the aroma.  The combination of pumpkin with ginger and vanilla reminds me strongly of pumpkin pie with gingerbread crust.  Smells very sweet.  No hop aromas.  Very little roast malt.
Appearance: Deep brown with ruby highlights, not as opaque and black as most Imperial stouts.  Large tan head that is persistent.  Fine bubbles and lacing on glass. 
Flavor: Sweet vanilla and pumpkin/malt up front--like pie!  This initial sweetness fades to a ginger and alcohol heat on the palate finished with a mild roasty finish.  A slow updraft of nutmeg and cinnamon with lingering vanilla at end.  As it warms I get some lemon zing that might be hop character.  There is a definite bitterness to the beer, seemingly from hopping.  Medium bodied.
Overall: A very interesting beer, getting higher marks than expected due to its uniqueness.  I don't get as much of the dark malt and roasty notes that I expect in an Imperial stout and was a bit disappointed in that.  It seemed like a regular pumpkin beer brewed with a little debittered black malt to add color without flavor...like a schwartzbier.  The lemon and ginger really made this taste more like a gingerbread cookie than a true pumpkin beer.  Worth a try.  4/5.

Lakefront Pumpkin Lager:  This is a fun beer from Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, WI.  I tried this last year when in town for my cousin's wedding and really liked it.  I'm happy to say that we now get Lakefront beers in Minnesota and I found a bottle at the Four Firkins.  They did put out a 25th anniversary Imperial version of the beer this year but I never found one to sample. 

Aroma: Surprise!  Nutmeg and cinnamon, with a light ginger aroma after some deep sniffs.  Mild pumpkin aroma as swirled.  Some sweet malt.  No hop aroma. 
Appearance: Light orange in color.  Brilliantly clear and sparkling.  Small white head with fine bubbles, mostly from the nucleation site on the bottom of my glass.
Flavor: Malty but not overly sweet, more like a Vienna lager.  A good mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger that is not overwhelming but does stay with you after the sip.  No astringency.  No hop flavors.  Finish is crisp and lagery with a hint of pilsner malt.  Mouthfeel is a bit light.
Overall: Not a bad beer.  I like the crispness of it and the well balanced spices.  3.5/5.

 

 

 

Jack-O Traveler Shandy: This is a shandy, half lemonade and half beer.  The Traveler Beer Company jumped into the scene a few years ago (possibly on the coat-tails of Leinie's Shandy) and has started putting out some seasonal varieties.  I believe that this company is owned by Boston Beer Company, but it does not say so anywhere in their on-line information (then again neither does Angry Orchard).

 

Aroma: Lots of ginger and lemon in the initial aroma.  A light nutmeg aroma arrives as this is swirled.  Sweet and tart battle it out on the nose.

Appearance: Deep orange in color.  There is a slight haze, but not much.  Large off-white head that persists well.

Flavor: A tart lemon flavor fades to a sweet classic pumpkin pie finish.  I get nutmeg at the back of the tongue and a dry sweet-tart finish.  No hop at all.  Mouthfeel is just a bit more than light.  The spicing is perfect--bringing out the pumpkin pie flavors well.  As it warms though, this beer gets a bit flabby and loses its edge.

Overall:  A good experiment that I didn't think would work.  Better than expected, and refreshing.  Drink it fast, though because it is best cold.  3/5.

 

 

 

 

 

New Belgium Pumpkick: This is a new seasonal offering from the always experimental New Belgium Brewing Company in Colorado.  This is an unusual beer that is made with pumpkin juice, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, lemongrass, and cranberry juice. 

 

Aroma: Malty sweetness blended with nutmeg and allspice.  There is a tart zing in the aroma like lemon and grape tannin.  A bit of fruitiness, perhaps from hops.  As this warms I get more cinnamon.

Appearance: Deep gold to nearly orange in color.  A very mild haze is present.  Large white head that sticks around.

Flavor: Maltiness up front, but not really sweet.  There is a tart finish from cranberry and lemon that dry the end of this up.  A mellow nutmeg and cinnamon are left at the end.  Excellent balance between the sweet malt and the spices.  Not much true pumpkin picked up.

Overall:  This was a nice way to end my experiment in pumpkin beers.  This one has some unusual flavors, but everything is so well balanced that it rises to the top of my list.  4/5.





Punktastrophy: The Redemption!

Early this fall season I published a post about the cursed pumpkin brew that Mike Lebben and myself attempted to create on the night of the Harvest Moon.  Follow this link for a recap of our epic brewing adventures.  Though told in over-the-top style, everything in that post truly happened, and it seemed that the disgruntled pumpkin gods were against us.  Mike continued his overseeing of the 10 gallon batch of Imperial pumpkin ale over the following month. 

Mike served his spiced version of the tainted brew to thirsty parents on Halloween from a giant pumpkin with a spigot.  Take THAT disemboweled pumpkin! 

I finally had a chance to visit Mike at his Wandering Eye Brewery for an official tasting of the beer.  Let's just say I was suitably impressed with the results, especially considering how many things went wrong with our process that could have resulted in a terrible beer! 

First I had a taste of the un-carbonated and un-spiced ale my from my half of the batch.  Remarkably after as much pumpkin slurry as we had in the wort, this sample is crystal clear!  A deep orange in color to nearly brown.  In the aroma I noted an earthy or peaty smell with a hint of maple syrup.  The flavor was sweet without being cloying and had a lot of real pumpkin flavor.  I sensed a subtle maple flavor at the end of the taste.  I was very excited about the blank canvas I now had to work with! 

Mike next  poured me a sample from his kegged and spiced version for a comparison.  Here is my official review along the same lines as the other pumpkin beers I have been blogging over the past two months.

Mike's Harvest Moon Imperial Pumpkin Ale: 

Aroma: I get strong nutmeg and ginger in the initial whiff of this beer.  A more restrained cinnamon comes out with swirling, mixing with a bit of apple ester to give a spiced apple cider aroma.  No hop aroma noted.  Some sweet malt and very subtle maple is also gleaned from this sample.
Appearance: Very deep orange to nearly brown in color.  There is a slight haze which is most likely chill haze based on the crystal clear room temperature version I sampled prior.  Not any hazier than the other commercial pumpkin ales I've tried.  This sample had very little head when poured, but I could rouse some fine white head with swirling.
Flavor: Somewhat sweet and very malty up front, but not cloying in the least.  Some melanoidins giving a toasty flavor.  I can pick up distinct ginger, allspice and nutmeg in the flavors.  This ends somewhat dry with a slight astringency that is tempered by the maltiness.  Slight alcohol warming as it goes down, but pleasant not distracting.  Medium mouthfeel.  I do pick up true pumpkin flavor in this beer, lurking in the background behind the spices.  No hop flavors. 
Overall: A remarkably balanced beer, especially given its troubled past.  A high alcohol beer, this has a pleasantly malty mouthfeel and warming finish suitable to the cold nights in Minnesota's November.  A bit more carbonation would be welcomed, and is easily fixed by putting it on more CO2.  Mike did a great job with the spicing, (making a tincture of spices in vodka) and it really enhances the pumpkin flavor rather than overwhelming it.  This is in my top tier of pumpkin beers that I have tried this season!  4.25 out of 5 (down from 4.5 due to low carbonation.) 

Next up is my version:

Eric's Pumpacolypse Brau:  I picked up my half of the batch from Wandering Eye Brewery and took it home very carefully!  Tasting the un-spiced base beer was very interesting--I could really pick out the pumpkin flavor, as well as a hint of the dark maple syrup that had gone into the fermenter.  I made a tincture of Penzey's spices including cinnamon, allspice, clove, powdered ginger and nutmeg, soaking them in some cheap vodka that I usually use to fill my airlocks.  After 24 hours in the booze, I ran the whole mix through a coffee filter and into another sanitized jar.  I then slowly added this to the kegged (but not carbonated) beer, tasting as I went.  When the flavors seemed right I finished kegging the beer and put it on gas to carbonate.  The result was right where I wanted it, but I had reserved some of the tincture in case the flavors faded once it was carbonated.  Based on my likes and dislikes from all the commercial examples I've tried, I went for a minimal approach.

Aroma: A subtle mix of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon.  Sweet malt and pumpkin flesh is strong after the initial zap of spices.  A hint of maple syrup and caramel. 
Appearance:  Just a tiny haze in this deep orange colored beer.  Carbonation was a bit light, but brought out a fine white head with swirling.
Flavor: Similar to Mike's version (obviously) in malt forward notes.  I do pick up the maple flavor, but on the back of the tongue.  The spicing is mild, but I can pick up nutmeg, clove and some ginger off the bat, with cinnamon trailing behind.  Medium bodied with some pleasant alcohol warming effect.  A mild astringency at the finish, but balanced well with the maltiness.  Carbonation is still not completely where I want it, but still higher than Mike's version.
Overall: Similar to Mike's version, but spices are a tad less prominent.  I really like this beer and managed (to my wife's chagrin) get through most of the keg at my birthday party.  4.5/5

I am very impressed with the way this beer turned out, in the face of its troubled past!  I would love to do this one again next year, with some changes in process.  First off, cut down the pumpkin a bit--just too much in there.  Increase the rice hulls to a ludicrous amount.  Cut the recipe from a 12 gallon to a 10 gallon to leave more room for additional rice hulls, water, etc.  This batch really overwhelmed the capacity of Mike's system the way we did it. 

Pumpkin Beers: Imperial Punk!

In this issue I continue my slow slog through all the pumpkin beers I can get my hands on!  I've made my way through a large portion of my stash and will continue to chip away at it.  I'm getting to the tail end of the pumpkin beer season and some of these are no longer available at the store, (and some are from outside our distribution area anyway,) but keep these reviews in mind for next year's batch!  First up a couple of Imperial pumpkin beers!

Sam Adams Fat Jack: This is Samuel Adams' Imperial pumpkin beer, clocking in at 8.5% ABV.  Made with 28 pounds of pumpkin per barrel as well as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice.  They make note of smoked malt in the recipe as well.  This is unusual in that the brewery makes a regular pumpkin beer as well: check out my review of Harvest Pumpkin ale here.

Aroma: This beer has a strong malty aroma with a hint of nutmeg.  There is a subtle smoky note melded with a mild cinnamon.  Overall not as aromatic as many of the pumpkin beers I've tried.
Appearance: A deep ruby color with excellent clarity.  Pours with a huge off-white head that seems to last forever. 
Flavor: A pleasant malty sweetness at the start that settles into an off-dry, almost roasty finish.  I get some nutmeg and a bit of ginger, but pretty subtle.  There is a somewhat creamy mouthfeel.  I also get a bit of alcohol warming down the back of the throat.  Light cinnamon and smoky notes as it warms. 
Overall: This was much better than expected.  I don't pick up much pumpkin, but the malty backbone and creaminess of this beer is very nice.  The spices, dark malts and smokiness add a lot of complexity to this beer and makes you want to keep trying it.  I know you will be shocked by this, but it goes very well with pumpkin bisque (I used the last of my organic CSA pumpkins for this!) 4 of 5 rating.

Southern Tier Pumking: Another Imperial pumpkin ale at 8.6% ABV, probably the first of the style that I ever tried.  I have noted some variation year to year-with last year's being overly bitter and hoppy for my tastes. The bottle verbiage makes a big deal about the pagan roots of this Halloween and pumpkins, and is a fun read.  No mention of spices on the website or the bottle, but I can sure taste some in there!

Aroma: Powerful malty nose with a perfume-like vanilla and pumpkin-flesh aroma intertwined.  I actually smell pie crust!  Perfumy fruity esters present and a whiff of alcohol.  Possibly some nutmeg as it warms. 
Appearance: Light orange in color with crystal clarity.  Large white head with fine bubbles that lasts for some time.
Flavor: Strong malt that was noted in aroma, but not cloyingly sweet.  I get some hop flavor and bitterness in this beer.  The mouthfeel is medium, but the taste ends with a slight astringency from pumpkin and hop.  I do taste vanilla, nutmeg and cooked pumpkin.  Some alcohol warming as it goes down. 
Overall: Probably the best showcasing of the actual pumpkin flavor I've tasted.  The pie crust flavor really takes this to the next level.  The sweet flavors are well balanced by bitterness.  I really like this one!  4 of 5.

O' Fallon Pumpkin Beer: We used to find O' Fallon on our store shelves in Minnesota, but I haven't seen them in a long time.  I can't say I ever loved the one I tried, but they had a ton of unusual fruit beers.   I picked this up along our trip to Alabama.  5.6% ABV, and uses pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves per the website.  Interestingly also uses white wheat in the grain bill.

Aroma: Sweetness with a cooked corn aroma.  Smells creamy.  Hints of nutmeg and cinnamon.  Green apple as it warms.
Appearance: Dark gold in color, but not quite orange.  Large and fine lacy white head.  Slight haze.  Head does not persist long.
Flavor: Very sweet start.  Strong apples and cinnamon like old fashioned baked apple sauce.  Nutmeg trails after the apple pie flavor.  Light body but has a strange mouth-coating effect.  I taste corn in the flavor as it warms.
Overall: This beer tastes very corny, which combined with the slick mouthfeel is likely DMS from poor fermentation or incomplete boil.  My wife said it best: "This tastes more like a cider than a beer."  2.5 of 5, and both of us dumped it after it warmed up a bit.

Pumpkin Beer Extavaganza

I will get through all these pumpkin beers before November is out!  I WILL!  Here is the next batch, some are available around here and a few are gleaned from my recent travels outside of Minnesota.  I'll also talk about some non-beer pumpkin drinks...

Harpoon Pumpkin UFO:  Harpoon is a brewery that opened in Boston back in 1986, and has been making craft beer ever since.  This is actually the first beer I've ever tried from them, since they have no distribution in Minnesota.  Per the website, this is a beer made with German Munich and Vienna malt, and the brewery makes a big deal about it being unfiltered.  Pumpkins and unnamed spices round out the recipe.
Aroma: Nutmeg, cinnamon and actual pumpkin abound in the aroma.  No hop scents.  I get a slightly fruity ester profile that accentuates the sweet malt.
Appearance: Copper in color with a slight haze (as promised).  A bit of sediment despite smooth pour.  There is very minimal head to this beer and what is present disappears quickly.
Flavor: Sweet maltiness with a medium body.  I get some nutmeg and possibly vanilla in the middle of the taste.  As it warms up I taste pumpkin flesh and a hint of ginger.  Balanced to the malty side and lacks the astringency I see in many pumpkin beers.
Overall: A very well balanced beer.  This comes off as malt balanced but not overly sweet, with some pumpkin pie spices present.  Some complexity here, and I get a true pumpkin aroma and flavor to the beer--one of only three I've found so far in my tastings.  Low carbonation hurts it a bit.  I would happily drink more of this if I could find it!  4 of 5 score.

Redhook Out Of Your Gourd Pumpkin Porter:  This is a seasonal offering from Washington's Redhook Brewery.  Per the website: "Out of Your Gourd Pumpkin Porter is dark chestnut brown in color and is made with pureed pumpkin. Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger are added to the whirlpool and maple syrup is added during fermentation. This full-bodied, rich roasty porter makes you want to eat turkey and watch football, or build a bonfire." 
Aroma: Nutmeg and cinnamon up front.  Some roast malt is present, but not extreme.  Some sugar and sweetness noted.  No esters or hop aromas.
Appearance: Opaque dark brown to nearly black in color.  Has a fine tan head that is easily roused.
Flavor: Roast malt and a hint of sweetness up front.  Fades to a ginger and nutmeg finish with a slight astringency.  Not a lot of malt in the flavor, and the body seems thin.  No real pumpkin flavor.
Overall: I like the concept of pumpkin porters, but this one falls short to me.  The spicing is not heavy handed, but the astringent finish and light body hurt this one for me.  I'd like a bit more residual sweetness and mouthfeel out a porter.  3 out of 5.

Terrapin Pumpkin Fest: This is a brewery out of Athens, Georgia that has been putting out flavorful craft beers since 2002.  I picked this up in Alabama at Wish You Were Beer.  Made with real pumpkin, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Aroma: Plump real pumpkin aroma!  Sweet malty notes, followed by nutmeg and cinnamon.  No hops noted.  A hint of ginger as it is swirled.
Appearance: Deep gold color with a slight protein haze.  Rocky off-white head with large bubbles at edge of glass.  Very persistent head.
Flavor: Sweet and malty at first, but ends off-dry and very drinkable.  Not a cloying sweetness at all.  Strong nutmeg/allspice and ginger flavors after the first malt hit.  Cinnamon flavor trails behind but distinct.  I do taste pumpkin flesh and ends with a subtle astringency that I've come to associate with real pumpkin.  Medium mouthfeel, almost creamy.
Overall: A very good Octoberfest beer, that is well balanced in its own right.  The malty sweetness plays well with the spicing and evens out any of that astringency from spice and pumpkin.  Very drinkable!  4/5.

Woodchuck Pumpkin Cider: This is one of the "Private Reserve" series of seasonal ciders from Vermont's Woodchuck Hard Cider.  Sj loves the Granny Smith variety and that is her go-to drink of choice with many foods.  Most of the other varieties we have had from this large cidermaker have not been as much to our liking.  Seeing this one on the shelf prompted us to grab a bottle and see how it stacked up to the pumpkin beers we have been working our way through.
Aroma: Sweet cider apples, but mostly smells like baked apple pie.  Strong cinnamon and maybe some allspice.  Grape bubblegum as it warms.
Appearance: Deep orange color (this cider uses caramel coloring for that effect).  Almost no head.  Pettilant, with very mild carbonation, noted with swirling.  Excellent clarity.
Flavor: Very sweet apple that reminds me of cinnamon apple pie.  Possibly a hint of ginger burn at the finish.  No pumpkin flavor noted.  Not incredibly complex.  Cloyingly sweet on the tongue and makes me want a sip of water afterward.
Overall:  Way, way, way too sweet to be drinkable.  Mellow warm pie spice but more like apple than pumpkin.  We didn't finish this...not worth the calories. 2.5/5.

Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin: I'll admit, I wouldn't be caught dead buying a six-pack of this.  My beer geek friends would disown me.  But the kind waiter at Old Chicago let me have a sample of it, so here it is on my list.  It is from a small sample glass and that may have affected aroma a bit.
Aroma: I get nutmeg followed by sweet caramel and then a hint of allspice.  Some corny aroma mixes with some fruity pear and apple esters.  No hop aroma.
Appearance: Deep gold in color with crystal clarity.  Fine white head, that seems to last.
Flavor: Fruity sweetness up front, followed by flavors of allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg.  No real pumpkin noted.  The apple and corn flavors make this taste more like apple pie.  Creamy mouthfeel, but ends somewhat flat.
Overall: Not a lot of complexity, but has the proper mix of spices.  Not as bad as I thought it would be--I've had worse this season.  I'm dying a little inside by giving this a 3.5 out of 5.

Halloween Round-Up and Unusual Pumpkin Beers...

In my effort to try and review as many pumpkin beers as possible this Fall, I have dug deep into the cellar this week and discovered some dusty treasures within.  We will start the show with a couple of sour pumpkin beers--at least they are different!  I will admit that I had a cold for tasting the first three on the list, and that could have influenced my senses a bit (especially aroma) and is partly why I chose powerful beers to try at this time.

New Belgium Kick: This is 2012's sour pumpkin ale made as a collaboration between New Belgium's Kim Jordan and Elysian's Dick Cantwell (also see my review of He Said by Cantwell.)  It was made with 75% ale with pumpkins and cranberry juice, and 25% ale aged in wooden barrels.  I couldn't find out if there was any wine or booze in the barrels.  I tried this ale last year at a brewclub meeting and really hated it, but kept my bottle hidden away in the hopes that it would improve with age. 
Aroma: Sour as anything!  Layered with acetic (vinegar) sourness and wild yeast sourness.  There is a musty forest floor aroma as swirled.  No spicing noted.  Some pineapple aromas as it warms.
Appearance: Deep golden color with a slight haze.  Small white head with large bubbles.
Flavor: Sharp bitterness up front and a strong sour zing.  I taste the pineapple esters from the Brettanomyces.  Tart cranberry and an astringent earthy note.  This has a very thin body and ends dry and raspy on the tongue. 
Overall:  I'm not a huge fan.  There isn't much to this other than SOUR!  Lacks complexity that I look for in sour beers and I don't get much pumpkin through that tartness.  I do like it better than last year (dumped) but still didn't have more than half a glass before I let it go.  A bit disappointed with New Belgium and Dick Cantwell for this one--it should have been amazing based on most of their other projects.  2.5 of 5 final score.

Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela: Jolly Pumpkin is a small craft brewery out of Dexter, Michigan that specializes in barrel aged beers.  Due to distribution issues the brewery recently pulled out of Minnesota and we can no longer find these amazingly complex sour beers in our area.  Strangely, it took them years to finally come out with an actual pumpkin beer.  La Parcela is that beer, made with pumpkin, cacao and spices.  I dug deep in the cellar for this one finding a bottle from Batch 610 circa 2010. 
Aroma: Fairly strong tartness is noted first.  I get earthy notes of a freshly tilled garden (but in a good way).  Brettanomyces horse-blanket aromas meld with a mild dry cocoa and nutmeg or cinnamon.  Some pear and apricot fruity esters are present as well.
Appearance: Deep gold to almost ruby in color, with no haze.  This beer has a huge fine off-white head that never seems to fade. 
Flavor: A very sour beer!  Light body that fades to a bone dry finish.  I get some earthy beet-like flavors as it warms (pumpkin?) combined with brett character that leaves a leathery, almost dirty character.  Mild nutmeg flavors.  Some oak tannins present.  A hint of bitter chocolate in finish.
Overall: This is balanced to the very dry and sour side.  Not much spice here, but that may have faded in three years since it was brewed.  The sourness likely has increased over time as well.  This tastes more like a gueuze from Brussels!  3.5/5.

Summit Unchained #5 Imperial Pumpkin Porter:  This was Summit's 5th foray into letting its brewers try out unusual recipes on a smaller scale.  This edition was dreamed up by brewer Nate Siats and included Sweet China Cinnamon, Jamaican Allspice, Powdered Cassia Buds, Ground Nutmeg, Ginger Powder, Ground Mace, and Ground Ceylon Cloves.  Released in October of 2010, I found it to be too bitter for me.  I left a few bottles in the cellar (more by accident than anything) and discovered them recently, lurking behind some bottles of Bigfoot.  A happy surprise!
Aroma: I get some molasses and boozy dark rum notes up front.  Some nutmeg and cinnamon are present and s spicy almost chili pepper note on the nose.  Strong semi-sweet chocolate aromas as it warms.
Appearance: Very dark brown with slight ruby highlights at edges of glass.  Fine tan head that fades quickly.
Flavor: Complex roast and chocolate flavor, mixed with a molasses and licorice root off-sweetness.  Medium bodied, but ends pretty dry.  Some oxidized sherry-like notes add complexity.  Spicing is mellow with just a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon.  There is a slight boozy warming note as it goes down.  As this warms up I get more coffee notes and an earthy astringency that may be due to the pumpkin.
Overall: This is tons better than it was last year--almost a different beer.  Age has added smoothness and complexity to this unusual beer.  I sipped this on Halloween night in front of a fire, while sneaking chocolate from our treat basket.  If you have any of these hiding in your cellar--drink them now! 4 of 5.

Swag from Hoppy Halloween!

I figured that in addition to drinking pumpkin beers, I should have some Halloween wrap-up as well.  First, I wanted to show off my swag for winning first place in the stout category at Hoppy Halloween with my perrenial favorite Olde Meconium Imperial Stout.  The guys at the Prairie Homebrewing Companions have been running this competition for 16 years now and really know how to put on a show.  I have yet to get out there for judging, but one of these years I'll make it.  They create different amazing ceramic beads for their medals, and I put entries in each year just to win one!  They also give out some of the best prizes I've ever seen at a competition.  I'm very excited about my swag this year: Pimp Deschutes track jacket; Jack Pine Glass (I contributed to Pat's Kickstarter and wish him much success); Honeycomb wood to put in a beer; bat shaped shuriken; and more!

A night out on the town!

I also wanted to give props to the crew at The Four Firkins for hosting cool Spooky Fancy Friday event at the store the day after Halloween.  Alvey was dressed up as a zombie Beer Barron; Ian as a disturbing Cat In The Hat; Doug as a distinguished English gentleman (who stayed in character all night); Michael as Heisenberg (I apparently need to watch Breaking Bad); and Bryan as a demented version of The Flash!  Sj and I dressed up in our steam-punk outfits for the event...because who wants to miss an opportunity to get dressed up? We talked Anna and Matt into joining us as well: Anna dressed up in her finest 80's gear (as if she was old enough to remember the 80's!) and Matt as Robin Hood--Man In Tights!  We sampled many fine beers including Jeff Williamson's Summit Unchained Bier de Garde and the newest Snowstorm from Schells.  We also sampled the disturbing Rogue Beard Beer that was inocculated with yeast from John Maier's beard.  Tasted Belgiany...

Once we had socialized and sampled enough we headed over to McCoy's Public House just down the road and had a wonderful dinner.  We were the only people dressed up in costume, but Bar Manager Nick Collins did not bat an eye!  He's good people. Having been sick on Halloween itself, this night out was a fine way to make up for it.  I still felt a bit off my game, but on the mend, and being with a lot of friends helped.

Even More Pumpkin Beers!

In this post I continue my self-assigned goal of tasting and commenting on as many pumpkin beers as I can get my hands on.  I'm running later into the season than expected due to a lot of travel (see my entries on a trip to the South, and upcoming write-up on Chicago) and other business. 

Brooklyn Post Road:  This is a seasonal pumpkin beer from Brooklyn Brewery.  They have quite a bit of info on the website, including food pairing options.  Hopped with English hops, it comes in right around 5% ABV.  It looks like they only add nutmeg instead of the usual mélange of pumpkin spices.

Aroma: Spicy notes up front, mostly nutmeg.  I get some malty to grainy character.  Not as aromatic as many of the beers I've been trying.  No hop aroma.
Appearance: Suitably orange in color with excellent clarity.  There is a fine bright white head that fades very quickly.
Flavor: Not a sweet beer, comes off as dry throughout the taste.  Subtle to nearly absent spices in the flavor--hint of nutmeg and possibly cinnamon.  I get a tingle from spice on the tongue.  Has a bit of herbal astringency, coming off as medicinal but not overwhelming.  No hop flavors. 
Overall: Not a bad beer.  Very drinkable, but the body is a bit light.  Not a ton of spices here, but present.  This may be a good gateway beer for those who don't like pumpkin beers since it is very restrained. 

He Said:  This is a collaboration between 21st Amendment and Elysian breweries.  Elysian is known for making several pumpkin beers, and I've actually been to the brewpub during their Great Pumpkin Festival (where they put something like 12 or more pumpkin beers on tap.)  The two brewers decided to each make a different 8.2% ABV pumpkin beer and release a 4 pack of cans containing two of each.  There is a bunch more info on the link above.

The first I'll review is the Baltic Porter, brewed with pumpkin, Vietnamese cinnamon, and caraway seed. 
Aroma: Strong anise aroma, followed by some sweet cinnamon.  I get a woodsy or herbal note as it warms.  A bit of roastiness and some malty sweetness as well.
Appearance: Deep brown in color with ruby highlights--not totally opaque.  Fine tannish head, that fades fairly quickly.
Flavor: Very strong spicing up front--gingery, liquorice or anise (probably the caraway, but I didn't know that was an ingredient at the time...)  Some earthy, almost vegetal or peaty flavors.  Ends somewhat roasty and dry, almost burnt coffee--more like a dry stout.  Not much body in here for such a big beer.  I get a bit more sweetness as it warms up.
Overall: A bit thin and dry for a Baltic porter.  The combination of roast and spice with thin body lead to an astringent finish that I don't love.  Spices are very strong in this one.  3 of 5 rating.  I wanted so much more from these guys!

Second up is the Belgian Tripel brewed with pumpkin, tarragon and galangal (Thai ginger.)
Aroma: Mild banana and clove phenols from Belgian yeast.  Mild herbal ginger character, but restrained.  Some sugary sweetness present.
Appearance: Deep gold in color with a slight haze.  White Belgian lace on the edges of glass, but fades soon after the pour.
Flavor: I get sweet malt and sugar up front.  Nutmeg or clove flavors mixed with herbal allspice/or anise.  Body is light to medium.  This beer ends dry but not astringent.  I do get some minimal pumpkin flavor/earthy finish as it warms.  Spicing is very subtle in this one.
Overall: A nice tripel first.  The quiet spicing plays well with the esters and phenols from the yeast.  A well balanced and drinkable beer to pair with fall foods.  4 of 5 rating.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead: Made with 2-row English pale, malted wheat and light Munich malt, as well as Hallertau and Willamette hops.  Uses an English ale strain.  I don't find any note of which spices are in the beer, so will have to trust my senses! 
Aroma: Lots of ginger in the nose, followed by strong cinnamon.  Some fruity esters combine with the spices to make this smell like apple pie!  Possibly some vanilla.  No hop aromas.
Appearance: Light gold in color.  Fine white head that fades quickly to edges of glass and then gone.  Perfectly clear.
Flavor: Hints of cinnamon and ginger up front, followed by a mellow sweetness.  Ends with a somewhat flat and bland finish, though crisp.  Very light mouthfeel.  No hop flavors.  A bit of apple ester here as it warms up.
Overall: A pretty weak beer.  Little body and flavor here to work with, overwhelmed by the spices.  As Sj and I drank this we eventually poured out the last of it to make way for another beer.  2.5 of 5.

Indeed Sweet Yamma Jamma:  This is the second year of this unusual yam beer from Indeed.  I really wanted to try it last year, but missed it before it was gone.  I was happy to find a can at The Four Firkins this year, and might have to try to find more!  Made with pulverized sweet potato and candied yams, as well as a mysterious spice mixture (per the website.)
Aroma: Sweet malt dominant, but has some earthy/musty notes.  Cinnamon and ginger, but subtle.
Appearance: Deep copper color.  Large off-white head that is very persistent.  Small bubbles.  Very clear beer.
Flavor: Very sweet initially with strong vanilla notes.  I get some cinnamon at the tail end.  I can actually taste the sweet potato or yams!  Ends off-dry but no astringency.  I get some caramelized melanoidin flavors.  Body is medium, with a pleasant creamy mouthfeel.
Overall: Very well balanced.  This beer reminds me of the marshmallow topped candied sweet potato casserole of my youth--in a glass!  I think this is one of the more characterful beers I've tried in the quest to drink all these pumpkin/yam beers.

Next Up: Drinking and eating your way through Chicago!

Pumpkin Beer Roundup

I had planned on doing pumpkin reviews every few days through the fall months, but travel and work have interrupted my schedule of release.  So I'll take this time to catch up on a few more pumpkin beers I've tried over the past week.  As I taste these, I find that my descriptions are often pretty similar--mainly because most pumpkin beers have a limited flavor profile...so if you get bored with my ramblings you can just enjoy the pictures!

Alaskan Pumpkin Porter:  One of the Pilot smaller batch series, this beer touts 11 pounds of pumpkin per barrel, as well as brown sugar, spices and hint of alderwood smoked malt.

Aroma: Subtle cinnamon, and nutmeg in the aroma.  I get brown sugar or molasses sweetness as well.  A light roasty or coffee aroma as it swirls.
Appearance: Deep brown to nearly black in color.  Has a slight haze and is nearly opaque.  A dark tan to brown head that is fairly persistent.
Flavor:  Up front spices (nutmeg and cinnamon especially) followed by a molasses or treacle sweetness.  Some mild roast, but not much of it here, leaving this more malty.  I might pick up a hint of smoke, but very subtle.  I get an allspice burn at the finish that is warming and pleasant.  Medium bodied, but ends off-dry.  No astringency in this beer, but has some light earthy notes in the finish.
Overall: Well balanced porter with a well blended mix of spices, where none are overwhelming but all are apparent.  I could drink this all day.  4 of 5 for final grade!

Dangerous Man Imperial Pumpkin Ale:  Going local, Sj heard that Dangerous Man had an Imperial pumpkin on tap and prompted me to drive to Nordeast for a try.  She loves pumpkin beers even more than I do!  Twist my arm lady... I don't know many details on this beer, but here are my impressions during a very loud and busy visit to the brewery taproom.

Aroma: Nutmeg and allspice are strong, but not overwhelming.  A powerful malty sweetness to the aroma.  Also has a hint of alcohol/spice sting on the nose.
Appearance: The color is a very deep orange with a minimal haze.  A fine white head is present, that fades fairly soon after pouring. 
Flavor: Very intense maltiness without being cloying sweet.  Reminds me of a light colored bock or Imperial Octoberfest.  Nutmeg and cinnamon in the flavor, but second fiddle to the malt and grain.  Some alcohol warming, but does not detract from the beer. 
Overall:  A very good version of an Imperial spice beer.  I'm not sure if there is actually pumpkin in it, but I suspect there is based on the haziness.  It reminds me a lot of Pumpking from Southern Tier, but a bit less aromatic.  This is one for sipping from a snifter in front of a fireplace.  4 of 5 for me.

Town Hall Petunia's Pumpkin Ale:  I'm not going to lie, this has been one of my favorites in the past few years since discovering it, so I may be biased here.  But I try to take that into account with my reviews.  Last year's was very good, but a bit more hoppy than expected.  This beer sells out fast, and growlers sold out within 2 days of release.  We were lucky enough to find that they had filled a few more growlers on the day we visited (though they were not on the board and Sj had to shed to tears to get them for us).  They should really make more of this.  I have also had a version in the past that was aged on cocoa nibs and was heaven in a glass. 

Aroma:  Subtle malt and grain aroma.  A hint of nutmeg, but not a lot of other spices to pick out. 
Appearance: Excellent clarity, perhaps the clearest I've seen yet.  Fine white head that fades quickly to the rim of the glass. 
Flavor: Like a crisp but malty Octoberfest.  Rounded flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger.  Ends smooth with a light sweet touch.  Has none of the astringency I've come to expect with this style. 
Overall:  While this is certainly not the most extreme or flavor-packed pumpkin beer I've had this season, it is the best balanced.  So far this is the best example of restrained spicing and a perfect base beer I've tried.  4.5 of 5 (I save 5 for things like Bourbon County Stout and Cantillon).  You must try this--even if you dislike pumpkin beers--it may change your mind.

Cisco Pumple Drumkin:  This is the first beer I have tried from Nantucket's Cisco Brewers (sorry Kyle, the name is already taken...).  I don't know much about the brewery and there isn't much info on their website--they seem to have snuck into our local beer market with minimal fanfare.

Aroma: Nutmeg and ginger are present along with an earthy almost rotting bark-like aroma.  Some maltiness present, but not a lot. No hop aroma.  Slight fruity esters as it warms.  Overall mild aroma for a spiced beer.
Appearance: Gold to light orange in color.  Has a fine but large white head.  Very good clarity.
Flavor: Initial malt flavor but lacking in sweetness.  Quickly turns to a bitter harshness.  Has a very thin body and ends with an astringent and metallic finish.  Not much spice is tasted beyond those off-putting flavors.
Overall:  This beer is not good.  To be honest it has the harsh and metallic flavors that I associate with old-style homebrew (before we really understood the need for fresh ingredients and sanitation...)  Sj and I had to pour this out after a couple sips.  Not a great start from this brewery, but I'd still try another of their beers before boycotting them.  Scores a 1 out of 5 for me.  Yech.

Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin:  This is Sam Adams' version of a pumpkin ale, and may actually be the first commercial example of this style that I ever tasted.  There is actually a lot of information on the website including a tasting video, tasting notes and good ingredient list.  Hopped with EKG and Fuggles, this beer's recipe looks like and English ale base with allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and actual pumpkin added.

Aroma: I get ginger, allspice and nutmeg in the aroma--all are distinct and I can pick them out at different times.  No hop aromas.  Has a light fruitiness--possibly yeast driven.  Malt sweetness is present.
Appearance: A reddish coppery hue with excellent clarity.  The beer has a thick white head and is quite pretty to look at.
Flavor: Malty up front, but not especially sweet.  Has a lighter body than expected but still has some malt going for it.  Cinnamon and allspice in the middle, but I don't get as much of the nutmeg that came out in the aroma.  Has a dry finish with a somewhat woodsy tang--but not overly astringent. 
Lingering notes of ginger after the sip is done. 
Overall: A well balanced beer, that has all the necessary ingredients and flavors needed for the style.  My only gripe is the light body.  This would improve with a bit more malt complexity and mouthfeel.  Like many of Sam Adams' beers this is a decent beer, but doesn't take any risks.  I will be trying the Fat Jack (their Imperial pumpkin ale) soon and it will be interesting to see how that one stacks up.  3.5 of 5.

Pumpkin's Vengeance!

Time for an update the infamous Pumpacolypse Brau!  And no, this one will not be done in over the top 80's horror writer style.  Oh, and apparently the crazy brew session from last post was actually done on the advent of the Harvest Moon.  No wonder things got weird!

After we left our poor Mike Lebben (continuing a 3 hour sparge I believe) he had thrown a lid on the wort and gone to a much needed rest.  This is not standard practice, but hey everyone needs sleep so who am I to judge--I snuck out early after all. 

Here is the sludge left over after the sparge.  Perhaps too much pumpkin?

By 8:45 the next morning, like a proper trooper, Mike was starting to boil this hot mess into a foamy creamy pumpkin wort slurry.  He boiled for 60 minutes with a vigorous rolling boil.  There was only one hop addition (just over an ounce of Chinook at 60 minutes) for the whole 12 gallon batch.  This is to be a very malt forward beer.  Apparently there were no disturbances with the pumpkin gods for this part of the brew!

 

 

Near the end of the boil Mike added Irish Moss (for clarity...maybe we should have used a ton of this), Wyeast yeast nutrient, and pumpkin pie spice.  We kept the spice down a bit...we can always add more later if needed, but you can't pull it out once it is in there!

 

 

 

After chilling with his handy Chill Wizard system from Sabco, he oxygenated the beer well and placed it in an enormous 15 gallon glass carboy.  I've seen Mike haul this around filled with beer before...that man must be an X-Men mutant or something.  Final gravity was 1.068 (before adding the honey and maple syrup I believe.)  By day 2 this thing was fermenting like mad.  With about 20% headspace in the demi, this evil beast of a beer managed to fill the blow off tube, the blow-off bucket and then spill onto the floor--as if making one last desperate attempt to escape its captors.  But Mike was not to be beat this late in the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack'd Up, 3rd Street Brewing (Cold Spring):  This is described as an Autumn Ale, and does not actually contain any pumpkin.  It does have pumpkin spices however. 

Aroma: Tannic and earthy.  Hints of Cinnamon and Ginger.  No hops.  Almost no malt.

Appearance: Gold in color, lighter than most examples.  Fine white head that fades fairly quickly.  Slight haze.

Flavor:  Not very sweet, in fact not much malt flavor at all.  Ends very dry with a hint of spices.  Ginger stronger in flavor than in aroma.  Has a fairly notable astringent bite in the finish.  Might have some hop bitterness.  As it warms the astringent finish makes me not want to drink more, reminding me of soap.

Overall:  Not balanced enough.  It lacks body and complexity, more like a cream ale with a touch of spices.  The astringency is overwhelming for such a light beer.  I have yet to really like a beer from these guys, and this is no exception.  I try not to be a hater, but after tasting 5 beers from a brewery and not finding any of them pleasant to drink, I tend to give up.  I'd rate this one a 2 of 5.  I save 1's for outright infected beers.

 

 

 

New Holland Ichabod: This is one of the venerable craft pumpkin beers, first debuted in 1997.  I've had it before, but figured I'd try it out with all the rest this year. 

Aroma: Starts out with a strong nutmeg aroma, followed by some earthy pumpkin flesh.  There is some malty sweet grain in the background, but the spice dominates.

Appearance: orange to copper in color with a large off-white head.  There is a bit of haze to this one as well.

Flavor: Like the aroma, has a strong up-front nutmeg flavor.  The malt/grain sweetness arrives late on the palate.  This ends fairly dry with a bit of tannic astringency.  A bit tart and earthy.  As it warms I can pick out more cinnamon.  The body is a little thin for my tastes. 

Overall: A fairly well balanced beer.  I would like a bit more malt or body to this, but loads better than the Jack'd Up.  Not a ton of depth to this beer, but does have a real pumpkin taste.  I give it a 3 of 5.

 

Next Up:  My marinated musings on Autumn Brew Review as well as even more pumpkin beer reviews.







Pumpocalypse Brau: Cursed Brew Day

Lonely Road

On a late Autumn evening, after a long day's work, Eric Wentling gathered up his contribution to the upcoming brew--a quart of locally made maple syrup--and hopped into his Toyota Camry for the ride into the small town of Victoria.  Passing the newly opened Enki Brewing, he thought of the pleasant pale ale served there and began looking forward to the results of tonight's endeavor.  He and his friend Mike Lebben were to brew a beer that night, but not just any beer--an Imperial pumpkin ale to rival all others.  This was to be an epic monster of a beer, malty and packed with pumpkin and pie spices, with an extra kick of the maple syrup and honey to make this a true harvest ale.  The fading sun lit ruby highlights from the first few maples to change color this fall, and the long shadows raced by. 

Upon arrival Eric ran the gauntlet of hyperactive dogs and met Mike in the basement to prepare their soon-to-be infamous brew session.  The sun continued to sink as they began preparation: heating water, doing last minute calculations, and measuring out grains.  The two were blissfully unaware of an upcoming visitation of wickedness and evil, brought to bear on them by the silently screaming malevolent spirits of a thousand slaughtered gourds.  The first small hint at the horrors to come was when Eric noticed an inaccuracy in their ingredients.  Cans of sugared and pre-spiced pie mix glared accusingly at him from the counter top, taunting him with their lack of pure pumpkin flesh.  While he traveled back to town center to replace the ingredient, Mike continued to work on his tardy prep work.  They should have paid attention to these early signs, but continued about their business without a care in the world.

By the time of his return a bloated full moon began shine in the deepening darkness, bathing his car in it's baleful light.  Returning to the brewery, the water was up to temperature, and using Mike's  automated grain mill made short work of grinding the massive amount of barley called for in this recipe.  The two added the grain to the large mash tun and infused it with warm water, aiming for a protein rest around 120 degrees to help with some of the potential extra pumpkin proteins.  They then got to work opening seven cans of pumpkin puree, happily scooping out the thick gelee into a pot filled with warm water.  The Curse reared its head when one of Mike's can lids seemed to leap off track and slit his finger, promptly drawing first blood in this battle.  Gloving up in his creepy blue nitrile gloves, (like some homebrewing version of the villains from Firefly), to prevent a bloody brew, he kept on like a champ.  They both continued to ignore the warnings. 

They poured the glistening orange pumpkin slurry into the eagerly awaiting mash, turning it an unusual shade of auburn.  The first twenty minutes went according to plan, showing off the efficiency and sparkle of Mike's Sabco brew system.  Then the terrors began.  With a slow death-rattle, the recirculating mash gasped out its last breath.  Despite the thin mash and the excessive use of rice hulls to pad the filter bed of grain, the pumpkin settled into a thick block at the bottom the kettle, preventing all liquid flow through its barrier.  Just as this occurred, heavy footsteps rang from upstairs, signaling the presence of Others.  The ears of the dogs swiveled to take in this new presence and then they were off like furry rockets to fend off their home from that perceived evil.  Mike ignored the noise and continued to battle his system for supremacy--attempting to make that liquid flow and get the temperature up to its next mash step of 156 degrees. 

Luckily for them both, the new arrivals were Sarajo--Eric's lovely wife--as well as Matt and Anna Finnesgard.  The three of them happily helped to sample the Rogue Pumpkin Patch and Southern Tier Pumpking that Eric and Mike had been sampling prior to the vindictive stuck mash.  The mood lightened a bit as these friends added moral support to the continuing battle, but beneath the pumpkin orange surface of that mash lurked even more wickedness and pain.  Sarajo braved the dogs to head home, leaving the Finnesgards to hold back the darkness while Mike and Eric pushed the limits of the Sabco to its breaking point.  Settling in among the discarded and dangerous cans of pumpkin, the two distracted the dogs and took turns trying beers from Mike's large kegerator.  Mike continued to stir up the thick and sturdy mash, getting it to circulate for brief fits and starts before firming up into a copper colored brick.  More water was added.  Even more rice hulls.  All to no avail.  With a huge commercial keg filled to the brim with grain, pumpkin and water, there was no way to lift and dump it out either.  Mike continued to try syphoning out and blowing back through a tube to attempt to clear the obstruction.  At one point while attempting the latter maneuver, a great flatulent gurgle was followed by a huge molten bubble of goo that spattered three feet away to land directly into Mike's left eye, making a mockery of all his efforts.  While this was going on, the burner needed to be turned on and off repeatedly to keep a steady temp and burn the bottom of the not-recirculating mash, as well as constantly turning off and on the pump to avoid the terrible grinding sound of a cavitation

Around the time the two had finally arrived at their second mash temperature, came another suspicious entry into the home.  This time the heavy and sliding tread on the stairs wasn't the Finnesgards or Sj.  Looking frantically about for a weapon of defense (for the two protagonists were beginning to realize that something obscene and calamitous was upon them this dark evening), Mike found only his dripping wooden mash paddle--so like a cricket bat...

Alas the interloper was only Mark Glennon, another member of the local homebrew club, come to claim his prize medal from Byggvir's Big Beer Cup, and only narrowly avoided a paddle to brain pan.  Perhaps Eric should have warned Mike of his impending visit.  Now five strong, the party continued the endless battle against the pumpkin ale, fueled on ever more high alcohol beers and fear.  Always the fear. 

The sparge began.  The steps prior should have taken an hour and half, but had burgeoned into an evening-long slow crawl of nearly three and a half.  Now the two attempted to collect the sweet and pumpkin-rich fluid wort from the mash into the brew kettle, but were again plagued by compression and solidity.  Wielding in his paddle like a burly madman, Mike strained against this obstruction.  Sweat creased his furrowed brow, blood collected in his gloved hand, and his crimson left eye watered and weeped.  The Curse of the Pumpkins Past would NOT win!  Mike would drive his ailing body to the finish and force this ochre beast into submission.  Eric simply looked on in awe.  Soon, the rest of the party slowly disappeared, their absence barely noted during the legendary battle.  Had they tired of the show and simply left?  Or had something more ominous and sinister transpired?  We may never know the details, but eventually Eric and Mike were the only remaining combatants. 

The night loomed long and the following day's work was soon to be done.  Eric crept slowly away from the manically muttering and cursing Mike.  He faded to the periphery, while Mike stoked the fires and paddled his way through the endless brew.  With his partner occupying all the attention of the evil spirits, he was able to break the spell and escape the hellish pull.  Mike was left to his deranged work, unhinged completely by the events of the evening.  He madly punished his body and that mash for another three hours until all 15 gallons of wort was collected.  Exhausted, he threw a lid on the mess and collapsed to a troubled slumber, haunted by the melancholy cries of massacred pumpkins.

With morning light came clarity, at least for Mike if not for the murky orange stew that was to become the Imperial pumpkin beer.  For having struggled so mightily with the mash, too much proteinaceous material had made it into the final wort.  Re-invigorated, Mike fired up the burner...

Have Mike and Eric seen the end of the problems with this batch?  Despite the heroic efforts of both, with the final beer be worth the effort?  Or will the dreaded Pumpkin's Curse have the last say?  We will find out soon, my friends.  Soon.


Thanks for bearing with the purple prose, but I figured it was the only way to properly write up a brew session fraught with such troubles.  We chose to start with the Imperial Pumpkin Ale recipe from this month's Zymurgy magazine.  This recipe is a big one and also involves honey and maple syrup.  I managed to wrangle up a bunch of B grade maple syrup from a friend and colleague of mine who has quite the impressive syrup making facility on his property.  He has a great website with all sorts of info on syruping and sells his syrup locally under the brand Somerskogen Sugarbush.  I like the B grade syrup for cooking and brewing, as it has a more robust flavor and darker color that is normally seen as a flaw.  Syrup is a simple sugar and is nearly all fermented out when used in brewing, leaving little of the residual sweetness that one would expect with such a sweet and sticky product.  The carmelization of the darker syrup should have a bit more flavor impact though.  We will see!

Continuing my effort to taste a whole slew of pumpkin beers this fall I'll mention a few more I've had in the past few days, at least one of them during the aforementioned brew day.

Tyranena Painted Ladies:  The commercial description is pretty humorous so I'll include it here.  "The Painted Ladies Annual Fling celebrates the renaissance of downtown Lake Mills. Although named for the restoration of the many Victorian storefronts, some of the more adventurous women-folk added a playful twist and dressed as, well, painted ladies. Inspired by these bold and spicy women, we brewed Painted Ladies, a pumpkin and spice-infused amber ale. This fall, make sure you enjoy a fling with a few Painted Ladies."  The label includes some awesome tarted-up Victorian pumpkins to continue the theme.
Aroma: Sweet maltiness.  Definite nutmeg up front with hint of ginger and allspice.  An earthy note present as it warms, but not extreme.
Appearance:  Crystal clear copper color.  Large off-white head that is very persistent.
Flavor: Sweet and malty but not cloying.  As with aroma, the nutmeg is front and center, with an allspice/clove "burn" coming up last.  This has a slightly astringent earthy or musty finish, but doesn't detract from overall enjoyment too much.  I think that flavor is the actual pumpkin in the beer.  The spicing on this one is borderline too high.
Overall: Not a bad beer.  Probably the best beer I've had from Tyranena in a while.  I honestly had kind of written them off over the past few years after I'd tried a couple of duds.  This one is high on the spices, so if you hate them then you likely won't like this beer!  Scores a 3.5 of 5 for me.

Chatoe Rogue Pumpkin Patch Ale:  The description makes note of growing the pumpkins for this beer on Rogue's own farms in Independence, Oregon, then driving them to the brewery for the beer quickly after harvesting.  Interestingly my cousin works for the city of Independence.  Small world.  Not much info on the actual beer specs though.  I have it on fairly good authority that this batch may have been last year's release.  Also, this review was scrawled hastily upon a yellow sheet of paper with a fading pencil during our fight with the pumpkin beer.  So there.
Aroma:  Up front nutmeg, followed by ginger and cinnamon.  No hop aroma (strange in a Rogue beer, but OK for style).  Sweet sugary malt and a hint of honey.
Appearance:  Deep copper to nearly brown in color.  There is a slight haze to it.  A huge off-white head that is largely persistent.
Flavor:  Sweet maltiness throughout the taste.  Nutmeg and cinnamon are the dominant spices in this one, and come off present but somewhat muted or faded.  A subtle roastiness sets this one a bit different from many of these beers.  No hop flavors. 
Overall:  A bit bland and muddied, but not a bad beer.  Lacks complexity.  If this is indeed last year's batch the spices may have faded and left this one a little blah.  I do give it a 3.5 of 5 though, still drinkable and better than some others.

Next Up:  An update on the Punkacolypse Brau and reviews of more pumpkin beers than you can shake a stick at!  If you are bored in the mean time check out Sj's jewelry blog for a cool Autumn challenge she took part in HERE.