Boxcar Pumpkin Porter - Starr Hill Brewery

sommersb

Tennessee

3.23/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 10-15-2012
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, twist-cap
Glassware: Balloon glass
Purchased: Single from Midtown, Nashville

Appearance: Black and opaque, capped with a nicely sized tan head. Very good lacing and head retention.

Smell: Sweet, dark malts, with some fruit/citrus character. I also get some sour and tart aromas.

Taste: Toasted malts and coffee flavors you'd expect are in this porter, but there is also the sourness as noted in the nose. I really don't taste any pumpkin or pumpkin spice traits.

Mouthfeel: Has a smooth and creamy texture and medium-to-high levels of carbonation. Body is medium. The finish is dry and combines roasted and smokey malts with some tartness.

Overall: This is an odd beer -- not what I expected based on the description of a pumpkin porter. I got some porter qualities, but no pumpkin, and then there was the unexpected sourness. The sour quality wasn't bad, but I don't think it was supposed to be there -- my guess is that this batch/bottle got infected by a bug.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 03:34:21 | More by sommersb

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -8.8%

05-12-2013 17:28:36 | More by mikeburd1128

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

2.25/5  rDev -31.6%

04-29-2013 01:12:17 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

blackie

Virginia

3.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a: deep brown in color, served in a wide chalice, head thin and short lived

s: pumpkin spice - nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove in particular, over a decent base porter aroma that carries dark roasted grain and some dark bitter chocolates, smooth and lacking any char, the combination reminds of sweet wooden tobacco boxes, some sweet toffee and maybe a buried ginger aroma, a bit underwhelming at first but more welcoming as it warms

m: lightly carbonated, body a lighter medium, maybe a touch thin to finish

t: aforementioned pumpkin spices, roasted grain with a touch of soured wood, some sweet toffee flavor, earthy, not quite up to par with the aroma, but decent

o: a little sloppy and/or gratuitous use of spice imo, not the best style application, but a drinkable effort overall, doesn't really combine to make it worthwhile

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 04:52:02 | More by blackie

jagada

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +14%

03-16-2013 05:12:50 | More by jagada

Cyrion

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%

03-02-2013 23:09:51 | More by Cyrion

pivoichamiz

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%

02-04-2013 00:28:47 | More by pivoichamiz

jjd315

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +36.8%

01-20-2013 20:33:52 | More by jjd315

Mattyb79

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -24%

01-02-2013 01:50:53 | More by Mattyb79

dmk91

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -1.2%

12-31-2012 04:40:41 | More by dmk91

SFC21

New York

3/5  rDev -8.8%

12-31-2012 03:10:42 | More by SFC21

BeastLU

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%

12-27-2012 22:36:53 | More by BeastLU

MrBoh

Maryland

3/5  rDev -8.8%

12-23-2012 05:53:56 | More by MrBoh

rvajohn

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -1.2%

12-19-2012 14:35:57 | More by rvajohn

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -1.2%

12-17-2012 22:23:30 | More by stereosforgeeks

cliff1066

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -1.2%

12-16-2012 23:30:00 | More by cliff1066

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A- pours a dark brown with just a hint of light coming through, good size creamy tan head with good retention and just a bit of lace.

S- pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin gourd, it smells very similar to a regular pumpkin ale. The only porter aroma I notice is just a bit of roasted malt.

T- the taste pretty much follows the aromas. If I was blind tasting this it would almost seem like a pumpkin ale. The finish leaves just a bit of chocolaty roasted malt on the linger but not much.

M- light body, low carbonation, slightly creamy finish, mouthfeel seems a bit thin for a porter.

O- I was a little dissapointed in this one. Porters and pumpkin ales are two of my favorite styles but this beer didn't mesh them very well. I've had home-brew pumpkin porters that blow this one out of the water.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 03:15:43 | More by Treyliff

bigbutter

Virginia

3/5  rDev -8.8%

12-07-2012 00:44:47 | More by bigbutter

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I have had a pumpkin stout already and it was pretty lackluster. I have some hope for this porter despite the low rating.

A - Really fizzy and what little 1/4 inch of off white head I got fizzed into nothing. Not a great start. Color does seem to be a fairly dark brown. Almost pitch except for the base with a mild red hue.

S - Very inviting I get my spice (cinnamon and nutmeg) yet the porter seems a bit muted only giving me a mild roast.

T - Kind of mediocre. On one hand it's a very lacking porter, mild chalky yeast and almost not chocolate. On the other hand it doesn't have near the amount of spice that I smelled.

M - Thin and lacking.

Overall I can confirm this is an average porter with mild (if any) spice. Pass on it if you can.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 01:05:49 | More by DrDemento456

dexterk1

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%

12-01-2012 00:27:45 | More by dexterk1

cackalacky

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%

11-25-2012 04:39:26 | More by cackalacky

Brian15

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -1.2%

11-25-2012 02:44:43 | More by Brian15

Mojoman8561

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -24%

11-18-2012 13:25:00 | More by Mojoman8561

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Virtually black bodied beer, with a small beige lacing ring. Looks just like a schwarzbier.

S - Fall spices, nutmeg and cinnamon. Prevalent like in an imperial pumpkin beer, and tangled with the porter nuances. Dark, roasted malt, with a burnt/coal scent.

T - A mild dash of those fall spices, blended nicely with dark malty porter. Toasted black malt, a dry grain sweetness. The amount of spice is perfect, not overwhelming. The robust, toasted malty porter is rich and smooth.

M - Medium bodied and drying, the rich and bitter black beer feels smooth with the soft fizzy carbonation.

O - A really nice combination here. I'd say this tolerable amount of fall spices in this roasts brew is perfect alone or with a nice meal, on a cold day.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 03:30:29 | More by BeerForMuscle

VTWicked

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +36.8%

11-11-2012 01:12:20 | More by VTWicked