Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale - Smuttynose Brewing Company

chinchill

South Carolina

3.76/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Undated 12 oz bottle served in a pint glass. Slightly hazy amber color with a small but remarkably durable off-white head. Spotty scraps of lace are left on the glass.

Aroma: a bit too soapy/yeasty/musty, and has an out of place floral note. Pumpkin pie spices evident but not overdone.

Taste: excellent combination of beer, pumpkin and spices, with a fine sweet/bitter balance that starts mildly sweet and ends lightly bitter and earthy. Nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice linger on in the aftertaste. The spice load is significant but not over the top, allowing flavors of squash, malts and hops to shine through.

Mouthfeel: medium carbonation seems spot on; medium body; very smooth.

O: Despite an unattractive aroma, Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale is one of the best pumpkin ales I've ever had. Wish I'd bought more than one!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 22:36:49 | More by chinchill

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle, with bottle reading best before 03/11/2013, so I am a little late on this one, but I'm not gonna cry over it. Got this 6 pack on sale at my local beer store for $7.99. My second beer from Smuttnose Brewing Co., and I am a fan of pumpkin beers, so let's see what's up.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Semi-aggressive pour yields about two fingers of fluffy doughy off-white / tan colored head. The body is a light orange color reminiscent of pumpkin puree, with lots of bubbles rushing to the top, and a fair amount of sediment floating around. Fluffy, scattered lacing.

S - The spices take the front seat here, mostly all cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. Any actual pumpkin smell is firmly in the background. Some lemongrass & earthiness coming through, along with some faint floral yeasty notes.

T - Very lightly bodied, and lightly flavored also. Spices are again the most prominent taste here, but even they are faint and lacking in depth. Earthy pumpkin and some bitter hop presence.

M - Feel is smooth and creamy, with a bitter hop finish. Lightly bodied. Slightly over carbonated, in my opinion.

Overall, it is a simple, easy drinking pumpkin beer, but not one I would likely try again. There are many other far more flavorful / complex pumpkin beers to be had. I would maybe consider trying it again this coming autumn when it is released fresh.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale ---3/5.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 02:39:13 | More by mfnmbvp

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

2.83/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2

Appearance - pour begins a clear and bright amber. About two-thirds of the way, a clump of sediment hits the flow and clouds things up. Nice creamy manila head, good sticky lace all around.

Aroma - primarily cinnamon and clove, complements of pumpkin pie spice I imagine.

Taste - malty start, typical spices are nice and festive. The swallow turns rather bitter rather fast. Chasing out all sweetness, the aftertaste and finish are kind of harsh. The end stays dry and harshly bitter, not really what I would consider to be in the style. Not that a pumpkin beer can't have hops, but these dominate the malty, spicy side and undo the beer.

Mouthfeel - average body, plenty crisp and refreshing.

Overall - I have an outside thought that this bottle may have a rogue strain of something in it that is turning it dry and bitter some five months after Halloween. Best before 1/31/13, I could try a fresher sample this season.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 22:06:39 | More by brewdlyhooked13

UnderPressure

South Carolina

2.9/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bright orange, slightly hazy beer with a fizzy one-finger head. Some lacing.

Spices and sweetness in the aroma. I'm picking up some kind of minty or herbal spice I wasn't expecting in a pumpkin ale.

Heavy spice in the flavor. Too much, in my opinion. This is the spiciest pumpkin ale I've had. It's like I'm drinking a spice cabinet. But it does get more tolerable as you drink.

A nice light to medium bodied viscosity with pleasant carbonation with an average length spicy bitter finish.

Smuttynose beers are usually spot-on. But, the spice really ruined an otherwise great beer. Way too overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 13:36:42 | More by UnderPressure

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I poured this from a bottle into a stemmed ale glass. Initially I had about three fingers of head; that died down to a finger of foam. That finger held up for some decent retention.

Off the top you get the stock pumpkin ale smells of: nutmeg, clove, and pumpkin (duh). The flavoring is almost like pumpkin pie. There is even some crust smell. It is reminiscent of the Southern Tier version. The difference is that this one is sweeter and has less of the crust presence.

This is a pretty good pumpkin. Much props go out to the folks at Smuttynose.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:07:19 | More by ummswimmin

SLeffler27

New York

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cloudy orange with a light sea foam head and no reportable lace. Carbonation within the oversized wine glass can be seen through a pale orange glow when put to the light.

Light pumpkin pie spices.

Light flavors tend more toward the bitter side than most pumpkin beers. The finish is long, with a light bitterness and much more pumpkin flavor than on entry, though still mild overall.

A medium body with soft carbonation and no alcohol.

This one is definitely suited to the rustic nature of autumn.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 12:19:55 | More by SLeffler27

silverking

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange with an off white head. Nice lacing. Smells like pumpkin pie and hops. Creamy mouthfeel, although It is a little overly carbonated. Pumpkin, spices, and a nice hop finish on the palate. I am looking forward to puchasing this again next year.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 19:15:51 | More by silverking

LeRose

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance on pour is a deep gold, very slightly hazy. About a quarter inch if foamy head that dropped quick to just a coating, but persistent and pretty heavy stickage to the glass.

Aroma was surprisingly hoppy, but with some nice pumpkin and spices, cinnamon, maybe nutmeg? Couldn't pick up any malty aroma underneath.

Taste was somewhat like an IPA, pretty decent hops, then a mini blast if pumpkin pie like flavor, minimal sweetness, bitter on the back end. Maybe a slight acidity note as well.

Mouthfeel to me was a but thinly. Some lingering aftertaste bordering on unpleasant.

Overall, it was a nice tasting beer, not as slammed with pumpkin pie flavors. More subtle than others in the category. Probably not in the permanent rotation,by a very nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 23:37:24 | More by LeRose

MaximalC

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a murky golden caramel color with a minimal white head that soon settles into patchy blotches. Aroma is vibrant, smelling of pumpkin spices, especially cinnamon, and pumpkin, along with some trace hop fragrance. Bright hop flavor is surprisingly dominant up front in spite of its meager presence in the nose. The pumpkin spices appear to clash with the bitterness of the hops, and the disharmony is distracting. There is also a wheat-like funkiness on the back end that I don't particularly care for. The carbonation is a little on the high side but still manages to facilitate a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. That, however, is not enough to offset the detractors in the flavor department. I was expecting better from Smuttynose, but I feel they missed the mark a bit with this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 01:29:57 | More by MaximalC

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a cloudy dark golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is dominated by pumpkin, some spice. Taste is very spicy up front, nutmeg, maybe some ginger, a bit of pumpkin at the finish. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall not bad, but I have had better pumpkin beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 05:58:23 | More by tone77

Treyliff

West Virginia

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A- pours an orange-copper color with just a bit if haze, foamy white two-finger head that reduces to a thin layer with good lace.

S- some raw pumpkin meat, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some sweet malt

T- sweet malt meets raw pumpkin flavor with notes of cinnamon and clove. Finishes with a bit of earthy herbal notes and a bit dry. This one definitely has more of a pronounced hop profile than most other pumpkin ales

M- medium body with just enough carbonation, superior drinkability, slightly creamy finish.

O- one of the better pumpkin beers that I've had, lots of flavors going on and more complex than most other examples I've tried

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 18:14:00 | More by Treyliff

jakearoo

4.48/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer had great drinkability, with its wholesome pumpkin pie flavor and it's smooth texture. Great local beer. Cheers!
When its fall time. And i need pumpkin. This is what i aim for.
Perfect crisp, pumpkin.
It like Gods Gift.

Great For The Stoner!

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 04:57:45 | More by jakearoo

tviz33

New York

3.65/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured in to a pint glass.

A- Pours a slightly opaque amber body with a half finger off-white head. Good lacing. More than most of the style.

S- Very sweet and fresh smelling. Pumpkin up front and a distinct hop undertone. The spice is there, but not dominating.

T- Does not follow the nose the way I expected it would. Earthy tasting hop flavors and a bit of a bread like character initially, followed by a brief pumpkin taste, finishing quite bitter.

M- Medium-bodied brew with ample carbonation. Finishes crisp.

O- This one tastes more like an actual 'beer' than the likes of a Pumking. It is far from liquid pumpkin pie, but is still a solid beer. That said, I would still choose a Pumking or Horseheads Pumpkin Ale over this.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:23:25 | More by tviz33

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very hazy golden orange to amber in color with light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a quarter finger tall light beige head that quickly reduces to a medium sized amount of very thin film, a small patch that is slightly thicker, and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices including nutmeg and cinnamon.

T: Light amounts of malty sweetness with some hints of caramel. There are moderate to strong flavors of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices (including cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice). Moderate amounts of bitterness are noted towards the finish and they linger for quite a while.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Pretty enjoyable though the spice flavors are a little more dominant than the pumpkin (making it seem slightly out of balance) and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 00:50:27 | More by dbrauneis

jslice99

New York

4.1/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance- Pours a hazy shade of orange with a small white head that fades away quickly.

Smell- This beer smells great. Frshly made pumpkin pie scent with pumpkins as the dominent smell. You also get nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon.

Taste- The taste is more on the spicy side with a slight hop bitterness at the end. You also pick up some pumpkin sweetness. It's pretty well balanced.

Mouthfeel- Very smooth and easy to drink.

Overall- The smuttynose pumpkin ale is a good pumpkin beer. It's easy to drink and well balanced. You couldn't go wrong picking up a six pack.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 05:43:56 | More by jslice99

bnes09

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +26.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Magnificent transparent orange color. Pours a thick, creamy head receding to a long-lasting film over the liquid and around the edge of the glass. Patches of lacing stick for the length of the drink.

Brilliant aroma of wild flowers, pine cones, autumn leaves, pumpkin and fresh cinnamon.

Flavor starts with a mildly bready malt backbone, smooth and subtle. Then turns to the hops to provide a sharp, leafy, citric, pine-like bitterness that adds the perfect balance. Pumpkin flavors and cinnamon lie in the background only coming out when the hop flavors calm down. Exceptional balance overall.

Lighter side of medium body. Solid carbonation. Crisp, dry finish from the hops.

A true masterpiece among pumpkin beers. Tastes like autumn in liquid form. A must try for any beer enthusiast.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 03:53:36 | More by bnes09

CleJB

3.63/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Smells just like a pumpkin beer when you open it. Good consistency, and tastes great when you take a sip. A little bit of a bitter aftertaste, and a little more spicy tasting than it smells. Overall a good pumpkin ale. Definitely a tier below Great Lakes Brewing Co. (Cleveland), Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale, and Souther Tier Pumpking Ale. I would rate it just above Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 00:58:34 | More by CleJB

kenito799

New York

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ox bottle poured into a pint glass

Hazy medium amber brew with lovely lacing. The aroma is full on cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, with a citrus undernote from some aggressive hopping,
Interesting on the palate, quite aggressive bitterness married to the pumpkin pie spice. I would call this a pumpkin IPA. The mouthfeel is fairly refreshing and I think overall the effect is pretty nice. That is to say, I will happily drink more than one of these (unlike most of the pumpkin/spice brews out there), and it would actually be great with pumpkin pie at the end of Thanksgiving dinner.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 01:35:36 | More by kenito799

isdash

3.65/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Deep cloudy amber, couple fingers of head stick around and leave a distinct line of lacing with every sip. Smells delicious -- pumpkin spice is strong but doesn't overwhelm the bready, slightly toasty base. Tastes briskly dry, crisp without much carbonation. The pumpkin is surprisingly subtle until the aftertaste.

I'm not a big vegetable-beer guy, but this is definitely the best pumpkin ale I've tasted. I think the key is the subtlety of the pumpkin and the dry, well-balanced base.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 00:12:40 | More by isdash

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Bottle poured into standard nonic.

A: Pours a hazy orange color. Very cloudy. Virtually entirely opaque. A moderate white head sits on top but dissipates quickly.

S: Typical "pumpkin, cinnamin, and nutmeg" on the nose. Very standard for the style.

T: Taste profile begins with malt sweetness and pumpkin. Cinnamin present in the middle. Definite all-spice, and a good deal of natural pumpkin flavor as well. A very pronounced thrust of pine bittering hops on the back end lend some great character.

Not nearly as sweet as many other examples of the style. And I'm digging that about this beer.

M: Light and sticky. Great dry finish. Carbonation is maybe just a tad low, but not by much.

D/O: Very high. The emphasis is on "beer" in the style "pumpkin beer" here. Definite spices of the season, which is nice, but a good malt backbone and great hop profile are the stars of the show here. I'd buy this by the case.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 22:26:05 | More by psuKinger

aleric

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Caramel orange. 1-finger white head. Moderate lacing.

S - Yeast, light malt, a bit of cinnamon, and what I came here for... pumpkin.

T - Mild hops and honey. The pumpkin teases at first, then becomes more apparent as the beer warms up. Cinnamon and nutmeg add texture throughout and later at the back of the throat, and floral hops linger at the roof of the mouth.

M - Medium and a bit sticky on the finish, typical of a pumpkin drink. Light carbonation.

O - I found myself dangling the glass upside down to catch the last drops on my tongue. This is a deliciously well-rounded beer that never forgets that it is first and foremost a beer and not a pumpkin latte. I'll be stocking up for winter.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 00:12:06 | More by aleric

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass at fridge-cellar temperature.

L – Pale amber color with a big 3-finger bubbly, frothy white head. Excellent retention and awesome lacing. Clear with a good amount of bubbles. Perfect.

S – Bready and grainy malt, lots of pumpkin, and lots of cloves and nutmeg. Has all the usual pumpkin beer aromas, but the base beer characteristics are apparent, too.

T – Starts off sweet with some pumpkin but nearly immediately shifts toward a grainy and spicy taste with bready, grainy malt, lots of cloves and nutmeg, and some cinnamon. It finishes with a bitter earthy, floral hop finish. Once again, base beer characteristics are apparent.

F – Light-to-medium-bodied with good carbonation, a crisp but creamy mouthfeel, and a spicy, bitter, and slightly dry finish. A lot of flavors linger, but floral hops linger the longest.

O – This is a really nice pumpkin beer that accomplishes something that not many pumpkin/fruit beers do – it has a very strong presence from the base beer. Many fruit/vegetable beers are overloaded with their respective fruits/vegetables and the things that actually make them beers are left by the wayside. Not so with this one. Grainy, bready malt is apparent in the aroma and taste and earthy, floral hops are certainly apparent at the finish of the taste and mouthfeel. The pumpkin and spices serve to add to the beer, not replace it. Smuttynose did a really nice job with this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 23:45:21 | More by BlackBelt5112203

Tone

Missouri

3.58/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy, copper color. 1/2 inch head of a white color. Great retention and good lacing. Smells of citrus hops, slight pumpkin, spice (all spice, clove, and nutmeg). Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. There is a strong dryness from excess spice. Fits the style of a Pumpkin Ale. Tastes of strong spice, citrus hops, slight pumpkin, and slight sweet malt. Overall, good appearance, aroma, and body, but the blend is overtly spice-centric.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 14:36:02 | More by Tone

RWLawman

North Carolina

3.13/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a cloudy orange color, with a very thin head that retains well.

S - Smells of pumpkin, spice, and malt.

T - Hints of pumpkin, malt, and then dominated by hops at the end.

M - Pretty light, but good carbonation. Smooth finish.

O - Pretty good pumpkin ale, reminds me of an IPA. Top 3 in my pumpkin beer experience so far.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 01:11:52 | More by RWLawman

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.13/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Samuel Adams pint glass.

A- pours a golden-orange , slightly hazy body with a 2" cream colored head that leaves some nice medium-heavy lacing. As a matter of fact, this beer is just about the same color as the pumpkin on the label, and for that, +.5 for appearance. Very fitting.

S- freshly baked pumpkin pie. Nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin.

T- I get some pumpkin, caramel, nutmeg, cinnamon upfront and it finishes with a nice hoppy bitterness that balances out the sweetness. Excellent balance.

M- medium carbonation and body. Crisp and refreshing

Overall, this brew renews some of my faith in pumpkin beer. You don't get that over-the-top pumpkin-bomb taste, but it's still delicious and well balanced. Nothing artificial tasting here, which I get with a lot of pumpkin brews. Well done, worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 01:57:22 | More by gcamparone