Harvest Time Pumpkin Ale - Big Boss Brewing

MordorMongo

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to ASUbeer for the tick, he knows I am a sucker for a pumpkin brew!

12oz bottle to tulip.

A - Burnt orange with some amber hues, nice off-white head which settles to a nice cap, lacing throughout....not too shabby

S - Holy spices batman! Cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, pumpkin, allspice...yowza, lot going on here....kind of turns me on.

T - Big spice notes, some breadiness as well. As it warms it picks up some slightly tart almost cidery notes. Definitely preferred it colder which is unusual for the style.

M - Medium and a bit lackluster...nothing special in any way....average.

O - I don't think I would drink like 7 of these...but one was a treat and I could see picking up a 6er each fall of this and having them perhaps to break up other more sessionable brews. My wife liked it more than I but she doesn't count, haahaha.

Glad to get to try this one, while it isn't something I would punch an old lady in the throat to get again, I would grab one if I saw it and was in the mood.

I give this one 14 yellow bandanas and 2 stink eye marbles.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 18:18:41 | More by MordorMongo

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Somewhat embarrassed to admit that I had no idea this was a pumpkin ale until logging in to this site. The label makes reference only to "ale brewed with spices" and initially I found the cloves so overpowering that it didn't occur to me that this was also a pumpkin beer i.e. I didn't pick up on the gourd at all. It has mellowed on my palate somewhat since those initial tastes, but remains a very spice-forward brew.

Pours a hazy dark orange with minimal head that dissipates quickly. Cloves overwhelm the aroma, but cinnamon and nutmeg are also present in the background. The flavour introduces some sweet caramelized malts and pumpkin notes, with a bitter finish that lingers along with those prevalent spices.

I’m not saying it’s not well brewed, but although I love many pumpkin beers, this isn't one I'd personally purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 02:43:38 | More by hopsolutely

KajII

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

[Suggested Glassware: Lager Glass]

The pour was a clear medium burnt orange with an average (1-2 finger) white fizzy head that was mostly diminishing, reducing to a light film and small collar with fair spotty lacing.

The aroma was of a light bread malt and a mild doughy yeast with notes of pumpkin, nutmeg, brown sugar, clove and a bit of cinnamon.

The taste was sort of thin with a light brown sugar sweetness and a malty pumpkin flavor early on, then became infused with a mild dose of spices and had a slight astringent taste towards the finish. The flavor was short lived, fading almost immediately after the swallow and leaving nothing behind.

Mouthfeel was light in body and watery in texture with a lively carbonation.

Overall this was like drinking a “Light” Pumpkin Ale, if there is such a thing. It did however possess a decent drinkability and a nice refreshing taste...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 01:12:04 | More by KajII

devilben02

North Carolina

3.33/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I generally don't care for pumpkin beer season since the typical heavy, spiced flavor profile become overwhelming after a short while, and this beer does nothing to change my perception of this kind of seasonal beer. It pours from the bottle with a nice, deep, semi-transparent amber color, but without much of a head. The aroma is an expected combination of seasonal spices and a thin sweetness. The flavor has more depth, with a fruity sweetness and some dry herbal hops, but it certainly feels over-spiced since the underlying beer is difficult to identify. The texture doesn't do much to counteract my disappointment, with a medium-thin body doing little to add character. Overall, the heavy-handed use of spice makes me wonder if the brewers just really love pumpkin pie or if they are covering a forgettable, bland beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 15:53:40 | More by devilben02

kell50

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Look forward to this beer every year here in NC. Also, the labels are pretty eye-catching too!

A: It pours a dark orange color with a small head that quickly fades away. Absolutey no head or lacing after finish pouring the beer.

S: It does smell of fall spices/aromas, i.e. nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, pumpkin, etc. I always get excited after popping the top with this one. A very aromatic beer.

T: I immeditely (no suprises) taste the spices and pumpkin coming through. There's just enough spice to it to know what style you're having, but not so viscous and cloying that you're one an done. I really feel that this beer would be accepted by people who don't typically enjoy pumpkin beer and by those that do.

M: Very nicely carbonated. A very easy drinking 5.5% ABV pumpkin ale.

O: As previously metioned- Harvest Time is a beer I get excited about when the leaves start to change. Big Boss has some excellent beer available this one is another solid example.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 23:28:37 | More by kell50

MuddyFeet

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Copper in color. Shines when held up to the light. Mild foam that dissipitates to a thinner film. Nose is fruity--almost apple. Subtle favors that balance each other nicely. But I wish there was just a tad more pumpkins. Nice spice flavor counters the sweet malts. Medium body. Solid fall beer. I will say the label turned me away from this beer for a long while. I was expecting it to be more over the top.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 02:06:19 | More by MuddyFeet

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

P- Thanks to my buddy Trask in NC for this brew

A- a cloudy dull orange color. Half finger head that leaves a patch o lain and hangs around for a minute.

S- hints of nutmeg and clove. I get a dominate malt smell like vinegar though. Its lke a white vinegar smell that is pungent.

F- Pumpkin vinegar malt flavor. Different but not what i want with my pumpkin ales. I also get some clove and nutmeg in the taste as well.

M- Sour vinegar taste and pumpkin is kind of bland, no kick.

O- just an average pumpkin ale for me, i have had much better but much worse as well.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 18:25:18 | More by Dodo2step

FMSmith

Virginia

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

Excellent Pumpkin Ale. Not overly spiced nor overly sweet. Good mouth feel and definitely a fall pleasant beer.

I am not a fan of Pumpkin Ales only because I think there are more bad ones than good ones but Harvest Time is a very obvious difference to the ones I have tried in the past.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2012 16:13:41 | More by FMSmith

adevans

North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A - Orange-amber liquid with a small off-white head that dissipates to some foam around the rim of the glass. No real lacing.

S - Smells sweet - of caramel malts, with spices like nutmeg. There's a slight hint of pumpkin, but it's not up front.

T - There isn't a ton of pumpkin taste in this ale, but you will taste it. It's nicely balanced with the spices provided, like cinnamon and clove.

M - Light carbonation with a pretty full-bodied beer.

O - A good pumpkin ale, but it seems to have too much lingering spice for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 16:12:34 | More by adevans

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Hazy orange with essentially no head and thus no lacing either.

S-Malty with a slight hint of spice.

T-Malty, reminiscent of an Octoberfest(which is what I thought this beer was) with some nice nuttiness and a hint of spice.

M-Somewhat thin.

D-Very drinkable, it had a good flavor and wasn't very heavy.

Overall, at the time I didn't know this was a pumpkin ale, I thought it was an Octoberfest. There isn't much pumpkin or spice in this beer but I thought it was enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2011 12:52:01 | More by thegodfather2701

n2185

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy orange with a finger of beige head that recedes into a thin ring with no lacing.

S: Pumpkin spices up front followed by sweet vanilla and some yam/pumpkin-like aromas. There are some light bready aromas in there as well.

T: Again the spices hit at first. Some light vanilla flavors mix in with faint pumpkin notes after. The finish has a very light bitterness with some sweet bread flavors.

M: Medium-light body with lowish carbonation, this beer feels a little watery.

O: A decent pumpkin ale, overall. Nothing to write home about, but it smells nice and isn't overly spiced.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 19:51:05 | More by n2185

goatsgo2hell

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours out a nice orange-ish amber, giving just a hint of the ingredients. It has a lovely smell -- a hint of pumpkin spice that's quite enticing. The taste isn't too sweet or overpowering -- all in all, this is my favorite pumpkin ale so far. Guess I'll have to wait til next fall to try a few more and size it up against them.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 19:43:17 | More by goatsgo2hell

wedge

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an unclear orange color with a small, bubbly head that shrinks to a creamy ring around the edge. Pumpkin pie spices as well as some actual pumpkin. Fairly mild, spicy flavor wrapping up with some caramel sweetness and toasty grain. Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. Better on draught, but satisfying and quite drinkable from the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 22:33:49 | More by wedge

oline73

Maryland

3.4/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy orangish amber with under a finger of off white head that disappears completely.

Smell: Sweet, caramel like malt along with some spices. Cinnamon and nutmeg are dominant.

Taste: Sweet and malty, mild caramel notes. The pumpkin flavor is very mild compared to the spices. There is some cinnamon and nutmeg just like the smell. No bitterness in the finish, which is nice.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with hardly any carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This beer tastes good, perhaps a little more pumpkin would have been nice. The mouth feel and appearance were just alright. Could have been a bit more carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 23:52:05 | More by oline73

brstls4drmrs

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - This brew is a slightly cloudy amber color with a white/cinnamon head. Very nice lacing occurs and sticks throughout.

S - Nutmeg, spices and a little clove in there as well. Some faint scents of pumpkin. Also some hints of cinnamon and a buttery bread scent.

T - All spice kicker with some clove and a dash of nutmeg. Not any pumpkin in there really.

M - Well carbonated and easy to drink.

O - Pretty good tasting brew. Would of liked a little more pumpkin flavor however.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 02:52:33 | More by brstls4drmrs

CoalPorter

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured fairly aggressively into a pint glass.

A - 1 finger ecru head burns away quickly with little lacing
color is a slightly hazy burnt orange

S - pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar all combine to give a lovely pumpkin pie effect

T - pumpkin pie again, but not overwhelmingly sweet, mostly clove, allspice and cinnamon backed by pleasant malt sweetness and a dry hop finish which gives balance to the whole beer

M - tingly and lighter than expected, with moderate carbonation

O - This is a very drinkable seasonal brew, not my favorite pumpkin but close to it.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 01:03:32 | More by CoalPorter

jpro

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a sixer from Carrboro Beverage Co. last weekend...

A: Pretty cool label - as is the case with most of the Big Boss brews... it pours an old penny (as opposed to “Bad Penny”), copper-brown, with a small, off-white head that recedes fast, leaving no lace; it has a bit of a murky look to it - which I don’t mind.

S: Pumpkin pie... nice and crusty; the usual nutmeg / allspice; this is a pumpkin ale with a really nice aroma - nothing over the top, just simple / straightforward and satisfying. Not as clovey as some other pumpkin ales, which is a definite plus for me.

T: Mmmmm.... its a little sweet, but not overly so; nice pumpkin filling flavors and pie crust; brown sugar; sweet potato; a little bit of dry bitter on the end that provides a some balancing evasiveness to the malt / spice sweetness going on.

M: Full-bodied; lower carbonation; the full-ishness of the feel seems to complement the taste rather well - makes it seem richer than perhaps it is; it could use a little extra zing, though, as the low carbonation makes things a tad boring.

O/D: One of the better pumpkin ales I’ve had (in recent memory, at least); lower abv and not being super sweet are characteristics that lend to a higher drinkability for this beer; might have to get another sixer to save for cooler weather.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 23:03:06 | More by jpro

lanamj

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a nice maple brown with a 1/4 inch foamy white head that quickly dissolves into a light lace.

S- Lots of spice. I get all the familiar thanksgiving spice. Such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice. Some pumpkin and caramel malts are presence.

T- Lots of pumpkin and spice. It has a good balance between the two, unlike the smell which i feel is much more spicy.

M- Nice and smooth. Carbonated nicely and its rather refreshing.

O- A great pumpkin beer. Although a little heavy on the spice it has a nice pumpkin presence that helps balance the spice. The smooth malts and carbonation help counter balance the spice as well.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 23:00:18 | More by lanamj

tdm168

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Doyle for this one.

Pours a deep brownish amber with a quarter inch of head that quickly fades to a thin lacing. Smells of musty pumpkin and very faint spices; nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice. The taste is rich, smooth pumpkin with a faint hint of nutmeg and allspice. There's just a slight hop bitterness in the finish. Medium bodied and smooth.

Overall, not a bad pumpkin beer. One of the better Big Boss offering.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 21:25:54 | More by tdm168

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Well when i poured it into my Christmas Ale snifter, it reminded me of Christmas Ale. Kind of has my hopes up, but oh well.

Pours a somewhat reddish-orange color. half inch head that only came from a super aggressive pour--oh and it disappeared rather quickly.

The taste is sweet and light. The pumpkin flavor is somewhat mild--levels comparable to Smuttynose and DFH Punkin. The spices are really what set it apart. The cinnamon and clove really dominate here (with clove being the Goliath here) . The clove is a spicy strong clove that reminds me of eating a clove candy stick from Cracker Barrel. Allspice and cinnamon are there too, and they mingle awfully well with the other flavors. Exactly what Pumpkin Ale should taste like in my book.

The clove adds a crispness, which complements the light body well.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 22:22:29 | More by VncentLIFE

womencantsail

California

2.58/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks for sharing this, Bobby.

A: The beer pours a cloudy brown color with just a small off-white head.

S: It's slightly acidic on the nose before the spices come into play. Plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg, perhaps a hint of vanilla. There are some definite green apple and apple cider notes along with a light bread aroma.

T: Starts off with sweet malt and bread notes. Some good spiciness of nutmeg and cinnamon. There is a mild toasted malt flavor as well as some hints of fruits and a light tartness.

M: Medium bodied with low to medium carbonation.

O: Reminiscent of my failed/infected pumpkin homebrew a couple years ago.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 20:28:34 | More by womencantsail

AnalogReigns

North Carolina

4.72/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Really an EXCELLENT pumpkin beer. About the best I've ever had... Well spiced but not overwelming. Light body, but not insipid. Very subtle on the pumpkin (which is a good thing, I think) and not overdone on the spices, making for quite a sophisticated taste.

I drank this at room temperature too...newly back from the store, and, just to see what flavors jumped out. I'd definitely recommend this beer for those of us who are Fall beer lovers....this really is what Pumpkin Beer is SUPPOSED to be!

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 23:43:58 | More by AnalogReigns

dragonWhale

New York

3.38/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

an extra from the Souf!
was going to have this on Thanksgiving, but I assume it's okay I'm having it now. right?
red, with murky orange highlights, very cloudy. cloves, allspice, and a little of that pumpkin pie thing going on in the aroma, but nothing extremely sexy.
big allspice and nutmeg flavor, leaving a dryness in the finish that is a good counterbalance to the underattenuated sweetness of the beer. A bit of cinnamon.
It's a solid beer, if I were in the area, I wouldn't be afraid to pick one up..

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 02:28:29 | More by dragonWhale

kkipple

South Carolina

3.38/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Duckworth's in Charlotte.

A. Dirty copper, low 1cm head, fizzy. Decent, nothing much to write home 'bout.

S. Safe pumpkin here, nothing too weird. Mild spice - cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice. Starchy - difficult to tell the base beer from all the pumpkin - is it an amber, a brown ale, a Marzen...? Hmm.

T. Yeah, that. Crisp, sweet, well-spiced. Gets a little too sweet for my tastes over time, not sure if this is under attenuated or if they were going for more of a pumpkin pie sorta thing... a fine attempt, nothing really "wrong" here... but it doesn't come together as well as some.

M / D. Fine, really. Okay pumpkin-pie spice finish, mild sweetness, hint of grain lingers. But I don't want another.

I would try it again next year... but one is enough for this trip around the sun.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2010 01:08:53 | More by kkipple

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from tap into a shaker. Poured a hazy copper with a minimal white head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, pumpkin, and cloves. The flavor was of sweet malt, pumpkin, and slight clove. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a pretty nice brew. The flavor was very refreshing and not overly invasive to the palate. Also had a pretty nice aroma as well. This one is a definite must try for pumpkin brew fans out there.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2010 13:55:22 | More by thagr81us