Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale - Smuttynose Brewing Company

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

Rukasu

District of Columbia

4.23/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pale orange and slightly cloudy with yeast (and spice?) sediment. Thin white head that lingers around the glass edge.

S - Very little smelly and very mild for a pumpkin. No overpowering artificial smelling pie spice smells, just a faint allspice note.

T - Mild allspice hints up front, never overpowering, with fruity yeasts, followed by a sharp hop bitterness through the swallow.

M - Fairly light for a pumpkin beer, medium carbonation that holds for a long time after opening. Could drink a couple of these in a night.

O - Behind DC Brau & Epic's "Fermentation Without Representation" this is THE best Pumpkin beer I've tried, and I hate pumpkin beers.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 00:01:43 | More by Rukasu

danronian

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well balanced and smooth ale. Pumpkin flavor and spices aren't too apparent when compared with other pumpkin ales. Smooth mouthfeel, dark orange color and mild carbonation make it go down smoothly.

One of my favorite autumn beers which I intend to buy more of before winter hits.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 21:06:20 | More by danronian

roadhouse

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This pours up a beautiful orange color just as you would expect a pumpkin ale to. It was nice in the nose with the usual pumpkin spices with a light sweetness. The taste follows and boy was this one crisp and refreshing. Fall in a bottle. I'm in Florida now but this took me back to the crisp Autumn of the north. This is the be-all-end-all of "normal" ABV pumpkin beers. I tried about ten different pumpkin beers this season and there was not even a contender to this. Look no further chaps, this one is it.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 18:37:41 | More by roadhouse

mscudder

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint.

A - A murky pumpkin orange. Topped by an ivory head. Above average retention and lacing.

S - Pumpkin puree, nutmeg, cinnamon, spices and a touch of orange.

T - Standard in all the usual flavors: pumpkin puree, spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and malts. The spices here are in rare form, being the dominant force. The puree is present with some assertion, all held together well by a sweet malt. Good stuff.

M - Medium body with average carbonation. Nothing amazing here.

O - Another good showing from smutty. Not the best pumpkin ale I have come across but certainly one worth my time.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 04:51:31 | More by mscudder

kneeland

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I picked up a 6 pack of this from Whole Foods to try a new pumpkin ale. Some of the bottles have more of a pumpkin flavor than others.

Overall this is a really good beer. Not a lot of pumpkin taste in my opinion, but a great combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.

The appearance is nice. A great golden orange color, with a decent amount of head (for a pumpkin ale).

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 00:54:02 | More by kneeland

PancakesbyMail

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bought at Beers of the World, Rochester NY. Tasted same day. Served in a bottle, poured into glass.

A: Great look, a hearty orange color. Foams up a good deal and leaves white lacings of head for a good duration.

S: Pretty faint, definite pumpkin smell as well as a hint of cloves and other pumpkin pie spices.

T: A good pumpkin flavor, though not as strong as the smell. As with smell, allspice and cloves sneak in at the corners but don't overpower it. Has a great "beer" flavor as well, unlike some other pumpkin beers.

M: Crisp, though flavors don't really linger. Pleasant without being particularly memorable.

O: A very good pumpkin beer. Not a huge fan of the style, but out of the ones I've tried this would be my favorite. Would certainly buy again next fall. Would have liked just a bit more pumpkin flavor, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 19:45:17 | More by PancakesbyMail

tdm168

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - clear orangish amber with a thin cap of white head that fades quickly

S - pumpkin, nutmeg, faint cinnamon, maybe some ginger

T - grainy, bitter, pumpkin, nutmeg

M - medium bodied, warm, crisp

The nose was good but the flavor was off. The flavor was far too bitter with a grainy maltyness. the pumpkin and spices are there but they're overpowered. In the end I'm disappointed

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 12:28:06 | More by tdm168

dexterk1

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Has a nice dark amber(almost pumpkin orange:)) color. Head was pretty thick and left some nice lacing.
Odor is spicy as one would expect from a pumpkin beer. Cinnamon and perhaps nutmeg.
Taste begins with a hint of floral and goes into spice. Ends with some spice(cinnamon lingers after). Has a pretty nice progression throughout. Mouth feel is crisp and carbonated. It has some weight that covers your tongue well.
Overall a solid pumpkin beer. It does not over do it with pumpkin nor spice.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 23:38:49 | More by dexterk1

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle from the Potsdam NY IGA for 2.75$

Appearance - Hazy copper colour with an average size fizzy/frothy off-white coloured head. I can't make out the amount of carbonation and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for around 4 minutes.

Smell - Malts, cloves, all spice, pumpkin

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel, and lots of all-spice/clove. There is also some pumpkin, but not as much as I expected and a graininess. It ends with a spicy clove aftertaste.

Overall - I'd like touch more sweetness and a touch less clove. Still a good beer that is well worth trying. I'd reach for something else next time though.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 00:02:03 | More by spinrsx

JimKal

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A deep cloudy gold with one finger of white head. The head stays for the whole beer and leave a nice lacing as you finish the beer. There is a constant stream of carbonation but the beer doesn't feel overly carbonated.

S: Doesn't seem to give off a lot of aroma.

T: You can definitely taste the pumpkin spice but unlike some other pumpkin beers I've tried this is not overly sweet.

M: I wouldn't describe it as very creamy as some have done but there is a smooth mouthfeel. As stated above,while there is noticeable carbonation it does not impact the mouthfeel.

O: I will never be a big pumpkin fan but this is one of the better one, in my opinion, that I've tried. I think it will work well with milder foods or a cool evening on the deck.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 18:35:39 | More by JimKal

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

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

Picked up a sixpack of this from Consumer Beverages in Orchard Park, NY about three weeks ago. It didn't feel right to open them just yet, but I knew I would eventually want one, so I've been waiting patiently until today! Happy first day of fall, BA!

Poured into a Bell's glass, because sadly, I do not as of yet have a Smuttynose glass. Caramel-amber in colour, like the baked maple squash I'll be making in two weeks for Canuckian Thanksgiving. Somewhat murky, and with a thin head of foam that displays terrific retention. Lots of lacing as well. Great looking brew.

Nose is pumpkin puree, a bit of sugar and cinnamon (though the overall sensation is far from sweet), clove and mild citrus hops.

Tasty autumn brew indeed, though I must say that the pumpkin flavour is a bit more subdued than in the nose. No matter; the brew is unmistakably suitable for the season, with pumpkin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a nice hop bitterness to cleanse the palate. Becomes more pumpkin-like as it warms. Medium bodied, slightly creamy, mild carbonation.

Highly drinkable pumpkin ale, that simultaneously covers one's hankerings for "pumpkin" and "fall" beers. Glad I picked up a few to supplement my already substantial pumpkin beer list.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 02:30:58 | More by JohnnyBarman

agingric

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I stopped by my favorite distributor today with the intent of buying a case of my now everyday beer, Smuttynose IPA "Finestkind", and I spied their Pumpkin Ale and decided to give it a try instead. I have tasted two other pumpkin ales in the past (Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale and Springhouse Brraains) which were both excellent, but remarkably different in charachter; it was only natural that I would want to try a Smutty.

A-A tad orange, but not as appealing as the others I have tried. Decent head retention and lacing.

S-Pumpkin, clove

T-Pumpkin, spices, noticeably more hop bite in the afteraste (absent from other pumpkin ales that I have tried) which was a pleasant suprise due to the fact that I love IPA.

M-A bit of a letdown here. Not as much body as others that I have tried.

O-I am glad that I picked this up. This is not my favorite pumpkin ale, but it is very good, sessionable, and as with all Smuttynose brews I have tried, a good value.. I will be interested to see what my wife thinks of it.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 08:17:01 | More by agingric