Pumpkineater - Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company

JackieTH

Minnesota

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

Review written from tasting notes.

Light anise on the nose with cloves and nutmeg. Taste has none of the anise I smelled. Summer squash/mashed pumpkin. Hint of nutmeg, allspice, cloves. The spices here really add nicely to the flavor and are not distractingly over-the-top. Nice clean malt. Medium body hold together well. Good level of carbonation is complementary. Overall was a tasty seasonal brew, would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 18:49:33 | More by JackieTH

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.99/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a deep amber color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aroma consists of cinnamon and cloves are quite dominant with light pumpkin and caramelized notes. Taste is a solid mix between some cinnamon and cloves notes with some good notes of pumpkin and caramelized malt. Body is full with good carbonation with no apparent alcohol. Solid interpretation of the style and somewhat reminiscent of Pumpking with less aggressive spicing.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 03:12:41 | More by Phyl21ca

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Burnt amber and crystal clear, with a few lazy bubbles finding their way to the surface. Two fingers of creamy head on the pour, but nothing more than a minimal ring around the glass after a rest.

S: Roasted pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, nutmeg & ginger and some sweet malts. The pumpkin is right there in the forefront of the scent profile as are the pumpkin pie spices. Noticeable absent is the yeast - that may be intentional, but doesn't detract from the smell.

T: Forward flavour of roasted pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices, with a hint of bitter hops, noticeable heavy on the star anise. Some rum notes on the back end, like a solid winter drink should be.

M: A little thin compared to the big flavour & smell, I hoped for something chewy & coating, however this feels crisp and clean and light. Some nice sparks of carbonation up front on the palate and just a suggestion of booze at the back end.

O: The smell and taste are definitely a strong representation of a pumpkin ale, however I find the mouthfeel a little thin. This wouldn't deter me from trying it again because the flavour and scent are so incredibly pumpkin forward. Maybe it's just me, but I think this might make a fantastic beer float!

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 03:08:27 | More by FondueVoodoo

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Amber colour, 1.5 fingers of off white head, some lace here as well. Nose is of cinnamon and ginger followed by a nice crisp malt, quite a bit of vanilla, pumpkin, clove and more spice all well integrated here and the nose is quite lovely. Taste is spicy with cinnamon, lightly bitter, vanilla, bits of a weird acidity too, pumpkin with a doughnut malty finish. Light-medium carbonation, medium body. Pretty good and the nose is wonderful but another 1L bottle of this is out of the question.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 12:58:28 | More by peensteen

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a nice cloudy deep orange color to it. It has a nice off-white head that dies down moderately and leaves little lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of pumpkin, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and sweet malts.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a some pumpkin, cloves, nutmeg, faint cinnamon, a hint of vanilla and sweet malts.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium/high carbonation with a very nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 20:14:05 | More by SebD

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

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

A 1L monster of a bottle with a swing top, part of the LCBO's fall release. Shared with my wife on Halloween after all the trick or treaters had finished their evening.

Poured into a nonic. Dark amber-copper in colour, hazy, nice cap of foam that receded into a fine ring. Certainly shows its gravity.

Nose is quite nice - big cooked pumpkin smell here, with some clove, cinnamon and caramel malt as well.

A tasty pumpkin ale indeed, again with the fresh cooked pumpkin allowed full opportunity to show off. The spices provide potent accompaniment: again, clove, all-spice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Not as malty or thick as I had expected, but certainly highly enjoyable.

While not my favorite pumpkin ale around (that distinction remains in the hands of Pumking), this was still a solid pumpkin ale, well worth the pickup - though at this volume and price tag I doubt more than one is in the cards for this year.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 02:06:38 | More by JohnnyBarman

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

4.6/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Howe Sound's"Pumpkineater"Imperial Pumpkin Ale @ 8.0% , served from 1L pot-stopper bottle , great for home brewing , even at the $8 to $10 range per bottle
A-pour is a burnt orange with nice size off white head , that leaves some spotty lacing along the stein
S-interesting combination of pumpkin pie spices (cloves , cinnamon , nutmeg and star anise)
T-wow , a boozy pumpkin sweetness seems to dominate this beer which goes down oh so easy
MF-good carbonation , great body , ya can feel that 8.0%
Ov-great imperial pumpkin ale , good thing it's only available seasonally , as I'd be a very happy but poor man , this beer topped my Pumpkin Ales/Beers list for 2010 and 11 , but has been replaced by Elysian-Dark O'The Moon this year

Cheers , LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 07:55:37 | More by LampertLand

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy burnt copper pour with a two finger, sort lived light tan head. Lacing is sticky.

Pumpkin right up front, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and brown sugar. There is a slight fig aroma.

Pumpkin and cinnamon. Not over the top spices like some, this focuses on the pumpkin than the pie tastes. Nutmeg, brown sugar, vanilla and some digestive cookie notes resembling pie crust.

Light to medium body, good carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 02:07:10 | More by korguy123

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer is dark amber in colour, reddish, with a small-moderately sized off-white head. Head dissipates relatively quickly.

Lots of pumpkin in the nose. Expected pumpkin-pie like spices are prominent as well, cloves, nutmeg. On the sweet side. Certainly has a pumpkin pie aroma.

Taste has pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. Spices are prominent, but there is a good pumpkin base. Malty. Nice flavour, quite yummy.

Medium bodied, quite malty. Carbonation is a bit high, but pretty good.

Overall, a very well done pumpkin ale. Definitely a good one if you are into the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 00:37:34 | More by jrenihan

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

(3.5) A: Rich dark amber coloured with a healthy foam head that swiftly recedes to a ring. Satisfactory lacing down the glass.

(4.0) S: Caramel, butterscotch, gingerbread, pumpkin, nutmeg, dark fruits including ripe plum, and orange peel. Mmm. Enticing. Smells like every type of fall/winter season baked good together in aroma form.

(3.5) T: Similar to aroma with lots of spices and butterscotch-like malt coming through. I’m also a little surprised at the level of hoppyness in this with quite a fruity flavour. Good but I feel something isn’t quite balanced (maybe too hop forward or an off spice mixture) or perhaps the cross-country trip might’ve done it or maybe I'm just going crazy.

(3.0) M: Lighter bodied with a lower carbonation. Thinner and less oily/chewy than expected. Good bittering components from the spice come through.

(3.5) D: Aroma was full of varying flavours with some complexity but the taste didn’t quite match that level in my opinion. Would love to try more from this brewer and will be scanning the shelves for their other offerings.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 22:50:08 | More by Digimaika2

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pumpkineater looks like it's already eaten a few - this beer looks like semi-digested pumpkin and all the colour and clarity you'd imagine that to have. And if that image doesn't sound very appetizing, then good, I've done my job because what's in the glass certainly doesn't look overly tantalizing. Giving off little highlighting, it looks muddied. It's also pathetically flat; not even an upright pour could produce lasting bubbles.

You'd have to use a microscopic amount of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and anise for the aroma to smell like anything other than those spices. Indeed, this is a spicy, savory amalgamation of all the above (no one ingredient stands out above the others) that conjures thoughts of ginger cookies and pumpkin pie. It also manages a distinct gourd-y note, like fresh-cut butternut or acorn squash (it's also brewed with real pumpkin).

While there is a bit of cinnamon heart taste, I feel as though I'll be flossing strings of pumpkin flesh from my teeth instead of cinnamon bark. Surprisingly, maple-y squash flavour holds its own. That's not to say, mind you, that the chai-like profile of clove and nutmeg aren't appreciated - they certainly are. Even the anise is present in small quantity (provided you know to look for it). Quite a nice balance. I suppose it's a draw then.

While I wouldn't tinker with the spices, I would up the malts. Refreshingly, for a higher gravity beer there is little (if any) alcohol noticed. However, the other side of that coin is that it also drinks much thinner than a beer of its strength should. The flavour suffers most; it all but dissipates within seconds of swallowing and only a brief memento of the chai note is retained. More biscuity, toasty maltiness would help prop the beer up.

Any knocks that I might have about Howe Sound Pumpkineater have little effect on my overall enjoyment of it. Although a wee thin, it's still a fully loaded pumpkin ale that finds balance - and that's not an easy thing to do. Now, whether it's worth the price tag ultimately depends on how much you care for pumpkin ales; it will suit casual pumpkin ale drinkers but it might not suit their budget. I don't regret splurging on it one bit.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 22:06:48 | More by biegaman

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1L Bottle from the Ottawa LCBO for 11$

Appearance - Clear copper colour with an average size fizzy/frothy beige coloured head. There is a lot of carbonation and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes but then it was gone completely.

Smell - Malts, cloves, all spice

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel, and pumpkin. There is also some all-spice, clove, and a bit of a smokey/peat like flavour. It ends with a malty spicy aftertaste.

Overall - Good not great.. I will say that it is fairly drinkable. Given the size of the bottle, this is a good thing. It's a decent seasonal beer.. It's no pumpking though.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 16:43:12 | More by spinrsx

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 1L, stoppered bottle.

Pours a deep amber-orange color, slightly tan head a bit. Thick sheet of lace, foam lasts the entire glass.
Smell has lots of the noted spices, clove and nutmeg for sure.
Taste has a good malt base with some pumpkin elements coming through. The pumpkie pie spices are in the flavor, but not so overpowering that they take over too much. Cinnamon becomes more dominant as it starts to warm up. Alchol is pretty well hidden, but also gets a bit more boozy as it warms. Rich, full bodied flavor and mouthfeel. Low carbonation keeps it creamy and smooth.
Overall, one of the better Pumpkin Ales out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 00:31:46 | More by BigBry

BGDrock

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: great look - deep red mahogany, raspberry juice colouring; fine, thick head on the pour, but it diminished in a few minutes to non-existence

Aroma: scent is like fresh pumpkin pie with some sweetness and even brings to mind flaky pastry

Taste & Mouthfeel: spice flavours are great, blending so well that one particular spice doesn't stand out - it's just a unified medley; warming and comforting, almost like there's some heat to it, no doubt aided by the alcohol content which is faintly noticeable; medium body and silky texture, but the low carbonation is damaging to overall enjoyment; toffee and syrupy sweetness matches the spice in a good way, but the way it lingers in the finish and the affect over time makes it a little overbearing

Overall: on all accounts this ale is a hit at first glance - look, smell, and taste - but falters as time goes on; increased carbonation and managing the sweetness would go a long way to making it a great beer

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 23:25:22 | More by BGDrock

Mit

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange colour with a decent lasting head.

Smell was somewhat muted as I had a stuffed nose...I was getting some sweetness from the malts and higher abv. but that's about it. Very faint pumpkin odour...

Sweeter tasting as we can expect from the higher abv....pumpkin...pumpkin spice....reminiscent of a pie of more savoury pumpkin pie with a slight warming finish.

It's thicker but not as thick as you would expect an 8%er....kinda dangerous actually....

overall this is a slightly different path than some of the other Pumpkin ales and it's not unwelcome. Very nice to have a pumpkin warmer on a chilly fall day.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 02:31:04 | More by Mit

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Rutager for this one.

Poured from a 1L bottle and split with my wife.

Appearance: Pours a deep amber-orange body which affects the color of the head a bit. Thick sheeting coats glass as i swirl it and very good retention.

Smell: Chunky pumpkin pie , low carbonation.(the gelatinous part), nutmeg, sweet spices. Rich and pleasing.

Taste: Has that meaty pumpkin flavor, bit of cinnamon in the finish that grows a bit as it warms. Rich, authentic flavor. Well spiced without feeling like a whole spice bottle was dumped in.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, silky, low carbonation, real pleasant.

Overall: A winner and my favorite pumpkin ale so far!

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 16:47:49 | More by papat444

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from wordemupg, 1L into a tulip. 2011 bottling.

Browned orange with an offwhite head. Good retention, OK lacing. Nose of cloves, cinnamon, banana and pumpkin flesh. Some caramel and brown sugar like sweetness. Taste has cinnamon, banana, clove and pumpkin again, with alcohol interwoven. Sweetish finish, and some bitterness. Medium body, carbonation was a tad high initially. A good pumpkin ale, but not on Pumpking level.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 20:43:11 | More by liamt07

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a medium somewhat cloudy orange-copper amber with a half finger medium white head. Light aroma of pumpkin with light sweet malt and light spicing. Flavor of roasted pumpkin, light sweet malt and some spices. Somewhat dry and a touch sour finish. The flavor is not as robust as other pumpkin ales, but pleasant. The finish takes away somewhat from an overall positive impression

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 04:24:36 | More by LiquidAmber

maclean25

British Columbia (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought this 1L bottle at a liquor store in northern BC.

It pours a creamy, light brown head. The body is cloudy and has a copper colour. In the smell, I detect caramel, sweet fruit salad and yeast.

The taste is very similar to pumpkin pie. The spices dominate the flavour: nutmeg and cinnamon. I recognize some clove taste. I also get some ginger and molasses, but those are not listed in the ingredients. Definitely more spice than pumpkin. It is balanced well with hops, it has medium (maybe low) carbonation and a medium body.

Overall, I liked it a lot, though it is the first pumpkin beer I've had. I already went back to get more and recommended it to others. I couldn't help but compare it Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Lattee which I always found had an awkward balance between the pumpkin spices and espresso. This beer, by contrast, has an excellent balance between the pumpkin spices and the beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 02:57:03 | More by maclean25

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

1L swing-top bottle poured into a 20oz nonic.

A - Just over two finger of carbonated tan head. The beer has sort of a medium amber-copper hue with some reddish hints as well. No real head retention beyond the first minute, and no lacing at all.

S - Pumpkin pie, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a generous amount of clove. I'm certain can smell coriander and as well as a lot of banana. A touch of booze and... chocolate?...

T - Pumpkin spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove, as predicted. Not much sweetness. Banana and unripe orange can easily be made out. A little actual pumpkin flavor here and there. Slight warmth from the alcohol in the finish. Some light earthy hops linger in the finish too. Robust malt character overall. Some sugary caramel malt appears as well, but doesn't do much to sweeten this ale up.

M - Low-to-mid carbonation, light-to-medium body. Pretty straight forward here.

D - I'm beginning to think these pumpkin ales aren't all they're cracked up to be. This one was decent, but I probably won't be buying it again. Pretty good flavor, but the unripe fruit gave this one sort of a tart feel to it.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 02:28:39 | More by Converge

Dawkfan

Alberta (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Towering 4 finger white head consisting of very tiny bubbles. Retention is good for a high abv pumpkin ale, lacing is below average though. The color is a slightly hazed copper orange.

S- Pumpkin and light biscuit malt aroma, the spices are here but muted somewhat. If you leave your nose in it long enough it does start to smell like pumpkin pie.

T- Really sweet upfront. Not getting much pumpkin until midway through, it's met at the end with the traditional spices and booziness. Doesn't really shine until after it's left the mouth.

M- Medium body, light carbonation. Seems a little flat to me.

O- I enjoyed the warmth this gave off, really suiting for the time of year.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 00:39:59 | More by Dawkfan

tonyf55

Alberta (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 1L pop-top bottle into a pint glass

Visual (4): Foggy orangish amber color, medium clarity. Off-white head which was very active early (2 finger head) but dissolved to a think film. Little visible carbonation, weak lacing.

Aroma (3.5): Light spices, hints of nutmeg. No real pumpkin scent. Smells malty, almost toasted. Alcoholic undertones at the end of the scent.

Taste (3.5): Initial sweet flavor, that blends into a light bitterness at the end that sits in the palette. Alcohol is evident, typical of an imperial ale. Flavors are not overpowering but rather soft. Nutmeg, clove present, but pumpkin flavors seem to be hidden.

Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium body, with a rather light watery texture. Lively on the tounge, with a lasting back of mouth moderate to heavy alcoholic feel.

Overall (3.5): A very drinkable imperial ale, but any pumpkin flavor seems to get lost behind alcohol tastes and mouthfeel. I enjoy seasonals and this spiced beer does offer something a little different.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 03:29:47 | More by tonyf55

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle half pint at Bar Volo takeover. About an average pumpkin beer. Attractive orange colour, with little head. A good spicing, ginger, cardomon, cinammon, white pepper. Decent drinkability. Spicy nose, average mouthfeel, appropriate understated carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 14:10:32 | More by northyorksammy

ChrisCage

Alberta (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A- Orange in color with copper hues lingering about. There is a big bold head that is three fingers thick and eggshell in color. Very nice retention, eventually settling down to a thick layer over the brew itself. The carbonation is very mild looking as it slowly rises to the top. There is also modest clumpy lacing on the side of the glass. Very decent looking overall!

S- There is a distinct sweet, malty pumpkin aroma. This is followed by some mild spiciness (cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon)....pie spices! I didn't notice any real hop bitterness on the finish, but there is a slight boozy aroma....I guess being 8%, it's a little hard to hide.

T- The pumpkin flavor is there, but doesn't overpower and isn't as sweet as the aroma lets on. The spices are present as well, but again, aren't overpowering. Everything is nicely balanced out between the sweetness of the malt and a clean tasting bitter finish. Also of note, the alcoholic presence is modest on the palate, which is a good thing!

M- I found this to be medium in body and very creamy....it's almost like a micro-carbonated beer, and I think this characteristic does wonders for the style! The flavors, in my opinion are very much allowed to shine!

O- This is a very fine pumpkin beer and I highly recommend it! It's smooth, flavorful but doesn't make you feel like you loaded your mouth with candy, and well balanced. I feel that this exemplifies what a fall seasonal is all about!

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 17:14:07 | More by ChrisCage

elricorico

Alberta (Canada)

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

Clear brown orange in colour with a very healthy beige head that sticks around for a while.

Smells like pumpkin pie, I even swear that I smell some whipped cream on top. Smells delicious.

Taste doesn't quite live up to the smell, though it is pretty good. Rich pumpkin pie flavours, solid amounts of spice and sweetness. There is a slight medicinal harshness right on the front of the tongue that detracts slightly from the overall effect.

Body is fairly full, with plenty of carbonation. Seems to work pretty well.

Good beer, comes in a 1L bottle that is more than enough though. I'm satisfied before the bottle is finished.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2010 03:55:07 | More by elricorico