Pumpkin Ale - Williamsburg AleWerks

tectactoe

Michigan

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Someone gave me this as an extra and I forgot who it was... My apologies, but thank you to whomever you may have been. Drinking a pumpkin ale in April doesn't seem so out of place when it's still only 37 degrees outside... Thanks, Michigan. This one pours a muddled copper, barely letting any light through. The off-white head grows to about an inch before settling quickly to a mere skin atop the brew.

Aromatics for pumpkin ales tend to get a little repetitive at times since they almost all essentially contain the same spices and ingredients. This brew has a bit of the normal things you'd expect - nutmeg, cinnamon, and some bready and caramel malts to tie it all together, giving that "pumpkin pie" feel to it. This one, however, contains a slight apple spice aroma to it, along with a a decent amount of leafy hops, slightly segregating it from the rest of the somewhat tiresome pumpkin ales out there. Nothing is really too overpowering, either - nice mix of all components.

The first sip leans heaviest towards nutmeg with a secondary nod to cinnamon, yet neither of them overshadow the other. Hops are present, just like they were in the aroma, giving a slight bitterness up front that fades over time. There's a delicate sweetness that hits almost immediately, reminding me more and more of apples. A dash of ginger makes its way in and molds with the bread and cookie-like malts to radiate a solid "gingerbread spice holiday" vibe. The finish contains a little bit of caramel with a solid nutmeg and cinnamon spice combination still resonating enough to be relevant. I love how the maltiness gives a graham cracker and cookie feel. Very festive. Medium bodied, medium carbonation, lightly creamy mouth feel.

Overall, very nice pumpkin ale, even though they typically aren't my "thing". Good addition of spices to remain strong but not too fatiguing. Malts play a huge role in providing a biscuit, cookie, and shortbread type of flavor profile. Certainly one of the best pumpkin ales I've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 22:27:19 | More by tectactoe

UnderPressure

South Carolina

2.3/5  rDev -45.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Crystal clear copper colored beer. Little to no head. No lacing.

Heavy spice in the aroma. Cloves and allspice. It's hard to pick up anything else. Maybe a little sweet malt in the background.

Heavy cinnamon in the flavor. Hard to get past all the spice flavor.

Decent medium bodied mouthfeel. Fizzy carbonation. Clean finish.

Slightly below average pumpkin ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 13:06:32 | More by UnderPressure

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.14/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours a lovely light pumpkin color.

Smells very sweet, more pumpkin than spice in the nose which is encouraging.

Lots of real pumpkin flavor, very sweet, there's subtle spice but it doesn't dominate or distract. This is exactly how I want pumpkin beers to taste.

Great beer, one of the best pumpkin ales I've had, one of the few I would buy to drink repeatedly if I had access to it.

8.4/10

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 03:57:10 | More by AlexFields

Vonerichs

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The body was an autumn-esque clear burnt orange. The head had a tan hue and lacing cascaded through the whole glass.

The aroma has a heavy dose of nutmeg up front. The pumpkin scent is that of real pumpkin, not a pumpkin spice.

The real pumpkin flavor carries into the flavor along with nutmeg, cinnamon, and carmalized sugar.

Slightly dry mouthfeel with good carbonation.

It's a really good pumpkin beer. It does have a good dose of spices yet still keeps a good sweet balance to it.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 02:38:06 | More by Vonerichs

danronian

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Dark amber with a minimal head and some rising bubbles.

Smell - Smells a lot like pumpkin pie, well the beer version of it. Not overly sweet smelling, but there is some sweetness.

Taste - Tastes of honey, pumpkin, nutmeg, caramel with a roasted taste lingering throughout.

Mouthfeel - Smooth at first, with some carbonation, though not much. The end of the taste is somewhat bitter and makes my mouth a little dry. The taste that lingers is burnt/caramel in flavor.

Overall it's probably my favorite pumpkin beer of this season.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 21:07:43 | More by danronian

dcloeren

Texas

4.23/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this as an extra from BC4MFRED1. Much appreciated.

Pours a rich copper color with a finger and a half of cream colored head. The abv sucked this one down pretty quick and left me with no evidence that a head ever existed. It did though... I swear.

The aroma is rich with pumpkin pie notes, cinnamon, all spice and a touch of vanilla.

The taste follows the nose. Spice forward with all of the pumpkin pie fixings mixed in. They might as well label this beer as liquid pumpkin pie. Catching quite a bit of heat on the back end of this... tongue is getting a little numb after each sip and that's how I like it!

Medium in body with a touch too much carbonation. It doesn't come close to ruining this beer but it is worth mentioning.

Overall, this was an excellent pumpkin beer and an even more excellent extra in an already awesome trade. Should have saved this for Thanksgiving but I'm not sorry I drank it. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 21:44:48 | More by dcloeren

MEsoJD

California

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

[Poured into a generic straight beer glass]

I: Thanks to beer advocate user, zackcamp for this brew. I haven't been entirely impressed with pumpkin ales I've come across from the west, but knew that the east had some highly regarded beers within the style. Perhaps AleWerks Pumpkin Ale with satisfy my palate.

B: [8.00% ABV 12 FL. OZ. Bottled 2012?] At first glance it looks generic because of it's subtlety, but it gets the point across. Label has a orange background with Pumpkin artwork upfront with the title,"Pumpkin Ale" in bold text right below. No back story, but it has a brief description below the title that states,"Ale Brewed With Roasted Pumpkin And Spices". Brewery logo is placed at the bottom with location placed right beside. ABV is missing, but I suspect that this was part of a six pack. Shelving with be determine by the taste.

A: A hazy dark copper/amber body with hardly any transparency, small white/semi creamy head (moderate to fast dissipation), and decent lacing.

S: Bread malt, pumpkin spice/crust, earthy, cinnamon and nut meg. Nothing bold, but more balanced.

T: Earthy hops throughout, nut meg, pumpkin spice followed by bread malt. Nice balance.

M: Slick/dry finish, medium body, moderate carbonation, and apparent alcohol(masked for the most part).

O: This was pretty good. With good balance, the flavor and mouth are very satisfying. This is going on my top list for pumpkin ales so far. My only gripe is that the aroma could be more pungent. I would recommend and buy a six pack of this stuff. Savor Great Beer!!!

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 05:22:35 | More by MEsoJD

Roland45s

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a solid pumpkin ale for the fall season, this beer poured with a very minimal head (.5 inch) and had a very smooth sweet taste to it. The robust spices and flavor had very little bite and tasted like a bit of heaven to me. I thouroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it, especially for being a virginia beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 23:29:29 | More by Roland45s

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to HeadyHops81 for the bottle!

Appearance: Completely opaque deep amber/caramel with no head despite a vigorous pour.

Aroma: Rich pumpkin pie aroma. All the usual spices and a nice graham cracker character as well.

Taste: This might be the epitome of real pumpkin pie taste from a beer. A really robust flavor that hits all the right notes. The whole time there is a rich, but subtle, pie crust flavor that balances out all the spices nicely and doesn't mask the actual pumpkin flavor. Instead of being a mashup of flavors, you can actually taste all the different elements and the finish leaves you feeling as though you have just had a bite of pumpkin pie. It's also not overly sweet so it would probably pair great with a holiday meal. It'd also easily serve as or with a dessert. Don't taste any of the 8% ABV.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and between medium and full in body. Above average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: I've had/reviewed many pumpkin beers this fall and this is probably my favorite. Unlike others it balances the flavors superbly and delivers a true pumpkin pie experience. If that's what you're looking for then this is the beer for you. Would I drink it again? Yes.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 03:57:20 | More by JamesMN

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint.
7.3% ABV, Batch Code 9 210 12.

Thanks to both Chaney for sending another pumpkin beer my way!

A - Dark amber with orange highlights, the beer pours a touch cloudy with a low off-white head with great retention. Thin, watery lace clings to the pint in broken fingers and dots.

S - Hoppier than most pumpkin beers, this aroma packs an earthy punch from Fuggle hops; grass clippings, dried leaves, and wood shavings overtake the pumpkin tones. Rich caramel and sweet Munich malt with lightly burnt toast are also stronger than the hints of roasted pumpkin and dashes of nutmeg and cinnamon. A swirl brings out more of the pie notes for a less passive fall nose.

T - Very strong roasted pumpkin and spice in the flavor really ups the ante for this beer, shying away from it's bold earthy aromas. Lots of nutmeg and cinnamon are dashed in with brown sugar sweetness and a pie crust-like backing of crumbly graham cracker and toasted amber with a caramel drizzle. Williamsburg Alewerks' Pumpkin ale has a very nice, rich flavor that finishes with a dry, earthy bite from the hops.

M - Soft and smooth the full body and spicy entry follows through to the finish with mild lingering dry bitterness from the Fuggle hops. This pie-like beer is quite sweet with a lasting impression of brown sugar.

O - A bit on the richer side of the pumpkin beer spectrum, Williamsburg Alewerks' Pumpkin Ale combats the notion pumpkin beers abandon the "beer" characteristics for a pie-like flavor with its hoppy earthy aroma and rich malt profile. The pumpkin is there but it takes some warming up for this stronger sipper to open up fully.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 23:11:59 | More by BeerFMAndy

jacwomyn

District of Columbia

3.28/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours an orangish amber with hardly any head at all, just a little off white.

Smell: Pumpkin and some mild pie spice. A bit bready and somewhat sweet.

Taste: Sweet malt with some pumpkin and mild spice. There is a bitterness that shows up during each sip and lingers until the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with aggressive and smooth carbonation and a mildly dry finish.

Overall: I enjoyed this beer, but the bitter finish could have been a little bit milder. Pretty good and I would have another.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 20:00:50 | More by jacwomyn

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Poured in a pint glass.

A- rigorous pour produces only a thin ring of fizzy head that reduces to nothing. Amber in color and clear, looks like apple cider.

S- right off I notice that I can actually smell real pumpkin, which is a welcomed change that most don't produce. Beyond the raw pumpkin, I pick up cinnamon stick, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and a bit of cola. If you could capture the smell of fall in a beer, this is it.

T- sweet malt, highlighted by fresh cinnamon stick with a bit of nutmeg. finishes dry with a cinnamon spice pumpkin flavor unlike anything I've had in a pumpkin beer. It has a warming finish that complements the spices perfectly while hiding the high alcohol content.

M- medium body, low carbonation, the zero head from the pour leads it to finish a bit slick.

O- wow, this was a great pumpkin ale, the best I've had thus far. The pumpkin and cinnamon flavors didn't taste artificial, which is what sets this apart from others. The finish and linger was so refreshing, this one is a must try.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 02:35:10 | More by Treyliff

teromous

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is a hazy dark shade of brown, with a very light red hue to it. There isn't much of a head to speak of, and it goes away very fast. It leaves almost no lacing on the glass. It leaves much to be desired in the visual department.

S: It has a very light caramel scent to it, and some faint spice notes...mostly cinnamon and the others I can't quite pick out. Pretty standard affair for a beer like this.

T: The taste of this beer is fantastic. It has a great mellow flavor, with a very pronounced pumpkin flavor. The spices are dead on. I can't articulate well enough how good it is. I wouldn't say it's 5.0 perfect, but it is right on the fence.

M: The mouthfeel is pretty good. It seems to have a very light bitterness which is nice. It's not quite as full or present in the mouth as I'd like, but it is pretty smooth. It feels amazingly light for a beer of such a high ABV.

O: Overall I say you can chuck the appearance out the front door for a flavor like this. It may not be the prettiest beer, but it tastes near perfect. I would buy it again in a heartbeat. It's perfect for those looking for a nice autumn holiday beer. I was shocked to see that it is 8% ABV on the website, because I couldn't tell when drinking it. I will grab a few more when I get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 22:53:44 | More by teromous

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at TJ's, Paolia, PA

Poured an orange-copper color, slightly hazy, with a small white head; moderate retention and lacing. Mostly spice in the aroma, which is not a bad thing by me, cinnamon, allspice, caramel, pumpkin. Similar taste, with cinnamon being a dominant factor, caramel malts, nutshells, allspice, nutmeg, mild pumpkin flavors, which again, is ok...I like big flavor in my pumpkin ales, but that can come from the spice too. This was nice, almost like a simple spiced brown ale, medium body, smooth, and quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2012 23:14:44 | More by Rifugium

pvo

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Very good, especially as pumpkin ales go. It has a lot of depth, and isn't overly sweet. Most pumpkin ales I've had recently- Schlafly's, Weyerbacher's- cover their alcohol pretty well, and this one does the same. While it's still early for pumpkin ales, I'm glad I had this one, and wouldn't mind another as the season goes on.

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2012 10:56:43 | More by pvo

flyersfan900

Virginia

4.63/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Managed to get a case yesterday of one of my favorite beers. It's a little early weatherwise for pumpkin brews but I can't pass up the chance to drink a beer bottled just 3 days ago!

A: Little to no head and no lacing. Orange/amber color, fairly clear.

S: Smell is fantastic. I don't get a "beer" smell, but simply a plethora of spices- nutmeg and cinnamon most prominently. The spices hit much stronger than the pumpkin but the pumpkin is definitely there. I don't believe I've ever encountered a pumpkin pie that smelled as amzing as this.

T: Just as with the smell, the spices hit you more than the pumpkin notes. This beer is very, very sweet and malty. I can't detect any hops. I taste sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with the perfect dash of pumpkin. Although it's over 8% I don't taste any alcohol.

M: Not much carbonation. This beer is a touch thinner than I would expect. The amazing spice taste lingers in your mouth.

O: This is a fantastic spiced beer with a dash of pumpkin. At the moment it is easily my favorite representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 17:50:43 | More by flyersfan900

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a goblet

A: Pours hazy orange brown with a half finger of white head. The head required a vigorous pour to create and receded fairly quickly.

S: If I didn't know I was holding onto a beer, I'd think this was an apple pie under my nose, a bit odd since it's a pumpkin ale. Apples, spices, crust and all. It's nice, but not vaguely reminiscent of pumpkins or beer.

T: Strong cinnamon and nutmeg with bready malts and moderate bitterness. I also get some pumpkin as the beer warms. It's not strong, but the flavor is good.

M: Slightly thicker than moderate mouthfeel with low to moderate carbonation. Great for the style.

O: I'm not sure what to make of this beer. The flavors work well together and there are really no flaws to the beer. However, the aroma is way different than the taste and the pumpkin is pretty weak. It's balanced, but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 02:50:13 | More by coreyfmcdonald

TechTriumph

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

From notes on 12/18/11:
Batch code: 11/18/11; Poured in a pint glass.

A - Less than 1/2" of off-white creamy head that recedes to nothing very quickly; Very cloudy, musty, dark brown/orange-ish amber appearance; No lacing to be had

S - Smells a lot like pumpkin pie with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, ginger, and brown sugar

T - Very good balance of pumpkin and spices here; After the initial zest of carbonation, there's a good bit of sweetness with spices coming through afterwards; Finishes pretty clean with hints of both pumpkin and spice

M - Minimal carbonation; A bit less than medium bodied; Slightly syrupy and slick feeling in the mouth

O - Overall, I thought this was a nice pumpkin ale offering that sits in the better half of its class. The flavor was nearly spot-on for what I look for in the style, with a good balance of both sweet pumpkin flavor and the appropriate spices. However, the mouthfeel wasn't the most pleasing for me and held back the beer as a whole. I'll have to try this beer again to see if the mouthfeel is better than this experience, and pair it with a nice slice of pumpkin pie as well.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 02:34:24 | More by TechTriumph

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A high pour for a thinnish white head, but already the aroma of pie spice is present form arm's length. Red-orange body.

Heavy pie spice in the nose along with pumpkin and some cherry.

Very spicy-- the pumpkin is secondary but it's definitely there-- this is not a case of all spice and no pumpkin. This is a pretty classical pumpkin beer. Lots of pumpkin, lots of spice, but a balance. Strikes me as slightly alcohol-heavy, and this is a pretty old bottle (from the Halloween batch, not the Thanksgiving/Christmas batch). It's been in my fridge though. Kind of a good standard by which to judge pumpkin beers.

Feel is a bit bright and fizzy, though fine grained and not soda-like.

Solid pumpkin beer and definitely worth a try. Like many pumpkin beers, this is markedly better on draft, but this review is from a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 03:33:43 | More by zaphodchak

frenchblood21

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into my Chimay goblet

Appearance- Very cloudy orange/red. Very thin head that goes away right away.

Smell- Just like fall! I get apples and just a hint of pumpkin spices.

Taste- The most complex pumpkin beer I've ever had. Just like the nose, only way more pumpkin spices. Fantastic!

Mouthfeel- Perfect for the style. Not syruppy, and certainly not thin. Coats your mouth in all the right places.

Overall- One of the best in the class. I wish I lived by this brewery, cause I would live there in the Fall.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 00:09:32 | More by frenchblood21

drabmuh

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A top five Pumpkin Ale, yes please. Thank you Sergeant. This one wasn't half bad.

Beer is orange / brown and hazy with a nice tan head but with low retention, low lacing, and moderate carbonation.

Aroma smells like a graham cracker and some pumpkin.

Beer is sweet, tastes like a cookie, really biscuity and strong. Forward on the spice but again it tastes like a graham cracker with pumpkin butter on it. It was enjoyable. I may even have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 17:08:26 | More by drabmuh

KickbacksSteve

Florida

3.48/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into Efes tulip. Low head/retention. Minimal lacing. Murky, muddy coppery colored with aroma of cardamom, nutmeg, malty sugary sweetness and pumpkin rind. Taste actually seems dominated by cardamom? Some light spicing on the back end, maybe nutmeg. The alcohol is very unnoticeable and this one is very easy to drink. Interesting take on a pumpkin.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 05:04:32 | More by KickbacksSteve

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.2/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle gifted by Chaney. Thanks Brandon.

The beer appears orange to brown hued. A fine color for an autumn beer. The aroma brings pumpkin right up front, followed by cinnamon, nutmeg, pie, vanilla, malt. The flavor is great, with flavors of pumpkin pie, vanilla, and Fall spices. A bit sweet, but not too. Certainly one of the better pumpkin ales I have had.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 04:40:27 | More by Huhzubendah

Pencible

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This poured a hazy copper with a little tan head.
S: It smelled like lots of spice and clove and coriander, with some pumpkin and cinnamon, and a little barley and copper.
T: It tasted like pumpkin and clove and cinnamon and coriander, with some carrot cake and copper. It had a very clean and sweet and smooth aftertaste.
M: It was somewhat thick with some carbonation. Nice and slick body.
D: This was one of the better pumpkin ales I've tried. More like carrot cake than pumpkin pie, which I personally prefer. Great scent and taste, with nice body. Alcohol is well hidden too, so it was easy to drink. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 23:06:16 | More by Pencible

Sean9689

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this as an extra...I'm a sucker for pumpkin beers. 12oz bottle at our pre-ugly sweater party. Poured into tasting glass.

A - Pours a burnt orange color, off-white head, thin collar.

S - Smells like pumpkin pie! Sweet nutty notes, spices, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg. Yummy!

T - An excellent mix of sweetness, pumpkin, and spices. Nothing overpowers the other, really nice blend here. Finish is sweet with a touch of spices.

M - Light to medium, good carbonation, smooth, sweet finish.

O - An excellent pumpkin ale that came out of nowhere! Right up there with my favorite, Schlafly, as a top contender. Would have all the time if it was local. Yum!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 19:50:58 | More by Sean9689