Wolaver's (Organic) Pumpkin Ale - Otter Creek Brewing / Wolaver's

fo5s

District of Columbia

3.1/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle into a tumbler. No dating on the bottle - disappointing.

A- pour is clear. light amber. Solid 1-finger head, carbonation flowing from the bottom - looks good.

S- allspice comes forward, with maybe some nutmeg supporting? Aroma is definitely there, but not overpowering.

T- fake pumpkin. Sweet, liquid allspice here - fairly 1-dimensional. Despite the description, this isn't half bad, but not a lot going on either. Really needs some more (other) spices to balance the allspice.

M- crisp, goes down smooth. Body is done right.

D- gets a bit sticky towards the end of a 12oz. A pint would be no problem, but anything beyond that could get tedious.

My initial impression was that this surpasses the consensus B- it has received, but about halfway through the bottle I got sick of the fake pumpkin flavor and more or less agree with the crowd on this one. All in all not impressed with this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 07:09:28 | More by fo5s

gskitt

New York

3.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a cloudy, hazy deep orange, thin head, many bubbles with little lacing.
S- Might be the best part of this brew, comes in strong with pumpkin pie spice and cloves and nutmeg. Smells like a pumpkin pie.
T- Not bad, just missing something. Does have the requisite pumpkin flavor, some earthy flavors emerge with malts coming through at the end.
M- A wee bit tacky, has a bit of an aftertaste I didn't care for.
D- Not a bad beer to enjoy on a fall afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 22:34:18 | More by gskitt

WorldWideStout

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Typical orange and amber body with a bone-white head that dissipates fairly quickly.

S: Banana, pumpkin, a bit of vanilla.

T: First taste is that of sweet vanilla, but it is soon drowned out by pumpkin and nutmeg. I remember tasting cinnamon when having this before, but I'm not detecting it this time. Nothing new emerges towards the end, though the vanilla does make a brief resurgence. The aftertaste is somewhat metallic, though it only lasts for a second or two.

M: Perhaps a bit overcarbonated. Fairly light.

D: Asides from that brief aftertaste there are no offending flavors, and the low alcohol content and light body would make it easy to drink a few or more during a session.

A pleasant enough beer, just not remarkable in any way. When I had this in a large pumpkin beer tasting I hosted, I do remember it seeming somewhat simple, and the metallic taste coming out a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 05:46:42 | More by WorldWideStout

pandashaver

New York

4.08/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This pumpkin ale pours a beautiful deep orange hue, with a 1 inch head that quickly fades to a thin ring. It's nice to look at and makes me want to taste it.

The smell is way more than I expected from a non-imperial pumpkin. Mostly nutmeg/allspice like pumpkin pie, buy also some actual pumpkin.

Tastes just like the nose. Balance definitely tilts toward spiciness, but not overwhelming. A bit more actual pumpkin flavor and it'd be a perfect easy drinker.

Very full and satisfying on the palate, not watery at all, and has some thickness/stickiness.

I could drink this on a fall night, and enjoy quite a few of them. Reasonable pricing, unlike most organic foods. This was $9+tax for a sixer - not bad.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2010 04:31:48 | More by pandashaver

ngeunit1

California

3.33/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Reish-brown color with a hint or orange. Little bit less than a finger of head when served that did not last very long.

S - Smelled of pumpkin and other related spices, most notable cinnamon, but not very strong.

T - Pumpkin taste all the way through, but not too strong. Melds in the middle with common pumpkin spice flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg, but overall a bit bland. Leaves a bit of pumpkin aftertaste which was mostly pumpkin.

M - Smooth with light carbonation. Light-medium bodied. A bit too smooth, bordering on watery.

D - Fairly easy to drink, but also is not all that much to it. Tasted like a fairly simple beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 04:46:28 | More by ngeunit1

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A new pumpkin ale for me to try, let's see how it goes.

A 1/2 finger fluffy head fades somewhat slowly over mostly clear toasty orange slight reddish-brown hue beer.

THe nose has some pumpkin, light spices, lighter than I expected, some light pale malts and hints of a creamy malt aroma.

Taste drops off a bit, as more pumpkin and spices come through. Some pumpkin flavor, but not a whole lot, then more spices, typical nutmeg, cinnamon, and pumpkin spices. The spices are def tolerable though, much better than some pumpkin beers that just go overboard with spices. Some creamy malts, pale and light crystal malts. A slight bitterness coming through, and I also get a bit of diacetyl bringing hints of a buttery taste, as well as a funky bitter taste. Starts semi sweet and finishes still somewhat sweet, with some lingering spices, a little bitterness, hint of salty flavor from the spices, and a bit of the diacetyl stuck on the tongue.

The mouth is lighter bodied with decent carbonation.

Drinkability is OK, but not the greatest, drinking well for abv and smooth lighter body, but the spices and diacetyl linger a bit too much too.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 01:01:00 | More by jlindros

Homebrew35

Connecticut

3.23/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a two finger head that goes to nill in 10 seconds, a big flop in my book. Color of the beer is an awesome clear golden.
Smells sweet with cinnamon and nutmeg, just ok.
Tastes sweet then transitions to pumpkin pie spices and finishes wet and neutral, just a touch of balancing hops.
Light body, medium carbing I could only drink two of these during a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 21:29:49 | More by Homebrew35

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a amber orange color with moderate plume of white head. Scent is mild, with hints of light carmel malts and pumkin pie spices. Taste brings the tastes of a light brown ale, modest amounts of spicing and a somewhat soapy like quality. Lighter side of medium bodied, very fizzy carbonation. A lower quality pumpkin ale with muddled flavor profile and some off notes.

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2010 19:33:42 | More by rfgetz

BeefyMee

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pumpkin beers seem to fall into two categories: those that taste like pumpkin and those that taste like pumpkin pie. This one falls somewhere in between, leaning a little more towards pumpkin pie with its spiciness. Cinnamon dominates and some other spices like nutmeg mingle with the actual pumpkin flavor. This one is a little underrated with the BA community. A pretty solid pumpkin ale that has an incredible mouthfeel and is very drinkable, not to mention it's organic which is always a plus. Check it out if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 18:22:10 | More by BeefyMee

Mosstrooper

California

3.48/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into 16oz Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden-orange-amber color with a small off-white head that dissipates quickly, but leaves behind a respectable amount of spotty lace and a bunch of floating foam.

Smell: Some sweet malt and pumpkin, but a lot of cinnamon- a bit unbalanced.

Taste: Begins with sweet and vegetal pumpkin and some spiciness, finishing with strong cinnamon notes.

Mouthfeel: Lighter body with sharp carbonation and a refreshing finish.

Drinkability: Not a bad beer, but it could definitely use some more balance in all areas. Some more head would be nice, the flavor and smell are a bit too cinnamon-heavy, and the mouthfeel yields a bit too much carbonation. Still, this isn't anything to really complain about and has its place in the fall.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 01:20:52 | More by Mosstrooper

metter98

New York

3.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: The beer poured clear amber in color with a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface. There is no visible carbonation.
S: There are moderate aromas of pumpkins and other spices in the nose.
T: Flavors of pumpkins in the taste aren't quite as strong as their smell in the aroma. The spices start to become stronger as the beer warms up.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and very smooth on the palate. There is a light amount of carbonation.
D: The beer isn't that difficult to drink but doesn't quite match up to some of the other types of pumpkin ales.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2010 02:58:11 | More by metter98

BigMike

Pennsylvania

2.17/5  rDev -36%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A: Orange copper golden color. Clear with very minimal amount of head.

S: Very light in the spice department and no detectable pumpkin.
Small amounts of cinnamon and nutmeg. A touch of caramel and not much else.

T: I get sour cinnamon. No sweetness and small bitterness. No pumpkin once again. There's a funky flavor that I can't put my finger on but it's unpleasant.

M: Weak watery and flat. Not much else to say.

Overall: Not a pleasant beer by any stretch of the imagination. Little spice and no pumpkin to be found. This is the worst pumpkin beer I've had. Definitely don't reccomend.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2010 01:12:21 | More by BigMike

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate magazine Vol. II Issue IX:

Apparently, this is the first ever organic pumpkin beer, using organic pumpkins grown at Golden Russett Farm in Shoreham, Vt., owned by Will and Judy Stevens.

Pours a cloudy burnt-orange color with a crowning, slightly off-white head that settles to a nice, creamy lace with some stick. Aroma is soft with a dominating allspice that's intoxicating and full of holiday memories. Creamy mouthfeel; fairly light-bodied, crisp around the edges with a dry foundation. Nice semi-bitter sour notes from the spicing and hops provide a quick snap. Hint of pumpkin starch with a thin layer of maltiness. A dusting of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg with a slight gingery bite--your typical pumpkin pie spices. Touch of vegetable squash as things warm with an emerging herbal character. Finish is quite dry and dusty, and the spices stay embedded in the palate for a while.

The spices aren't overwhelming and the dryness makes for a drinkable brew; however, we like a bit more meat in our Pumpkin Ales. And, by that, we mean we'd like more of the pumpkin flavor pulling through--this is a pumpkin beer, after all--along with a bit more of malty backbone to provide some more depth, character and balancing sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 17:22:59 | More by BeerAdvocate

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip pint: Finger of creamy white head that drops to a frothy coating over a rusty orange body, hazy with bright, brass highlights.

Smell has a lager-like character, aqueous, a little mineral musty, though with a definite pumpkin & nutmeg character. A little brown sugar sweetness.

Taste is bitter & dry, like fermented honey or sugar, with some baking spices toward the end & a middle of lightly toasted pumpkin. Aftertaste is dry, too -- some vegetable & mild ginger. Some good, some not-so-good elements.

Medium-light body, dry toward the end.

Like I said, some good, not not-so-good. The flaws are fairly minor, though, & overall this is tasty enough to that I would be happy putting away a few if there were no alternative.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2010 21:28:35 | More by OneDropSoup

josefnewsong

New York

4/5  rDev +18%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is one of the most pumpkin-ey pumpkin ales I've tried. It's sweet and spicy, with strong pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon flavors. It isn't the best beer in the world, but it has the big flavor that I feel pumpkin ales should have. This might just be what I drink during Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 21:21:38 | More by josefnewsong

philbertk

Washington

3.55/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Otter Creek Brewing Company--Wolaver's Brewing Company Wolaver's certified organic--Will Steven's Pumpkin Ale--Ale Brewed With Pumpkin & Spices--USDA Organic--2009 12 oz. Bottle. 5.35% ABV. 30 IBU's. (3.75 / 5.0) Rich dense lacy lasting pumpkin white head. Fizz hazed clear bright thinnish amber orange color. Rich pumpkin all spice nutmeg hidden hop front. Dry sweet mild toasted pumpkin spice caramel mild fruit smooth amber ale body. Tangy balanced nutmeg spice end. Aged smoothly! Well made, but unexceptional. Sampled 9/11/2010. 6-Pack $8.99.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 21:26:38 | More by philbertk

Nole87

Vermont

4.7/5  rDev +38.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had a few samples at the Otter Creek Brewery in Middleton, VT and enjoyed it so much I took a growler home with me!

One of the best pumpkin ales I've had (especially for an organic).

Taste- very sweet, more like a pumpkin pie than many other pumpkin ales. You get traces of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and maybe some vanilla but the pumpkin is still able to shine.

Smell- Great! A full bouquet of pumpkin pie type spices, leading one to believe it will be stronger than it really is.

Appearance- Smooth and amber. Obviously filtered which is odd for an organic beer but very helpful for this one.

Mouthfeel- Light carbonation, goes down smooth but I would prefer it to be maybe a little heavier. The one benefit to its surprising lightness though would be its easy drinkability.

(Speaking of) Drinkability- Great for a fall seasonal. I"ll probably throw down most of the growler tonight and need to head out for another. Flavorful but not overbearing, with a light enough feel to make you say "I could use one more..."

I know the sweeter, pumpkin pie type fall ales aren't for everyone- but if your on the hunt for a fall seasonal this is a must no matter what!

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2010 23:54:27 | More by Nole87

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +18%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a nonic.

Pours an orange colored brew with a one finger thick foamy white head that disappears fairly quickly into a thin, wispy lace.

Smells of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, pumpkin and mild hops.

Tastes nicely spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and pumpkin. Not overdone, has a good, solid flavor that is satisfying for a pumpkin ale. Tis the season.

Mouthfeel is crisp and nicely carbonated.

Overall a very tasty pumpkin ale. Go grab a case if you can.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 01:40:02 | More by ujsplace

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Nice hazy, rusty, orange with beige-white head.

S: A lot of pumpkin with cinnamon and nutmeg, slight buttery smell.

T: Malty pumpkin, with spices as the backing, opposed to the opposite in too many pumpkin beers. Sweet, bot not overly, so has a nice balance.

M: Nice carbonation, thin to medium body, though.

D: Good, not sickening taste, solid drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2010 03:39:31 | More by mostpoetsdo

BeerPhan86

New York

3.83/5  rDev +13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Friends from Vermont brought this one. I had it a year or so ago and remember it tasting somewhat sour and tart, but they seemed to have fixed that issue.

A - Pours a hazy golden orange with a thin white head that dissipated quickly. Nice lacing though.

S - Your typical pumpkin ale spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) and a nice squash smell. Fairly malty and sweet smelling.

T - It's really quite good. Pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and hints of brown sugar up front. Slight hop bitterness at the end. Very well balanced.

M - Thin bodied with moderate carbonation.

D - Very sessionable and easy to drink (we almost finished a 24 pack between the 3 of us!).

Overall, this is a solid pumpkin ale in my opinion and while there are better versions out there it is worth a try. Light, well balanced and flavorful. They have corrected the sour taste it had last year too!

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2009 03:16:56 | More by BeerPhan86

Amalak

New York

3.25/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had this out of a bottle.
A- It's orange, light and clear, with some bubbles and a good foamy head with some lacing.
S- Dull, bitter, alcohol scent to it.
T- Kind of a tart pumpkin taste. Its got some bold cinnamon in there. The spice is strong. It's a solid effort. You'll like it if you like pumpkin ales, but not one of the best.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2009 16:29:16 | More by Amalak

BeerNinja007

New Hampshire

2.63/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

12oz single, $1.69 from the Lebanon Health Food Store. Poured into a chilled O'Doul's pint glass.

Clear honey colored brew with 1 finger of dense eggshell head that leaves nice lacing behind. Aromas of cinnamon and clove spiciness, orange and lemon citrus, thick with light and medium colored malts. In a blind smell test I would call this distinctly Belgian. Taste is disappointingly empty. Muted spice and citrus notes, malts also very faint. Some spiciness lingers in the finish. Hugely lacking on the palate. Carbonation is a little too robust. Mouthfeel is moderate in thickness. Not exciting to drink due to lack of taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2009 01:19:41 | More by BeerNinja007

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

120z Bottle.
A - pours with a white, two finger head. Lacing is thin and extremely sticky. Clear body. Upward carbonation. Copper in color.
S - pumpkin. Cinnamon. Nutmeg. Notes of grainy sweetness.
T - pumpkin. Dry nutty malt. Hints of brown sugar. All the taste is up front. Thins out by the finish leaving a subtle pumpkin sweetness.
M- mild fizziness. Light to medium body. Slightly gritty.
D- a well crafted pumpkin brew. I'd drink another.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 00:58:58 | More by u2carew

donniecuffs

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a clear orange color into an American pint glass, with one finger of bright white head that didn't lace at all. The aroma was one of pronounced cinnamon and nutmeg; reminded me of warm pumpkin pie. However the flavor tasted like a watered-down version of the smell. However, the texture did mitigate the lack of flavor; the medium body was creamier and more smooth than expected. I definitely wouldn't be opposed to sessioning this, but there are better examples of pumpkin ale out there.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2009 16:56:03 | More by donniecuffs

allengarvin

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a 12-oz mug, this slightly hazy copper-colored beer features a quickly-fading head and little lacing. The nose features some sweet caramel with a the appropriate pumpkin pie spices. Nutmeg is prominent, with cinnamon also very notable. The taste is especially spicy, which is fortunately what I look for in a pumpkin beer. There's a lot of clove & nutmeg. It's fairly dry, but the spices hide any hop flavor that might be present. Body is a tad thin and watery.

Not too bad of a pumpkin beer, though hardly the best on the market.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2009 00:31:10 | More by allengarvin