Highballer Pumpkin Ale - Grand River Brewing

fostachild

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

09-22-2012 02:48:24 | More by fostachild

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

02-13-2013 04:04:50 | More by DaPan

bigox420

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

01-27-2013 03:50:23 | More by bigox420

SandS

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

12-02-2012 03:21:46 | More by SandS

jmkoscie

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

11-30-2012 02:17:22 | More by jmkoscie

bgibbard

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

11-12-2012 18:15:49 | More by bgibbard

kinguy

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

11-03-2012 21:17:37 | More by kinguy

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on September 14th 2012, drank on October 21st 2012.

A: Dark copper in colour. Pours a 1/4 inch head that collapses to a ring around the glace.

S: Smells like unspiced pumpkin, a bit of caramel followed hint of vanilla

T: Taste is opposite of the smell, more spices less pumpking. Spices are spicy cinnamon, pure vanilla bean and ripe pumpkin. There is a nice bitterness that starts and follows through all the way.

M: well carbonated, smooth feel on the palate. Nice dry finish.

O: Carbonation is high enough to cut into the flavours of the pumpkin. Spices and hops are well balance and the finish is nice and dry. I much prefer dry and bitter pumpkin ales vs the more maltier and sweeter ones.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 23:33:45 | More by Kremlock

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle poured into tulip 10/10/12 thanks liamt07 for the bottle

A hazy orange amber with a few bubbles and suspended particles, a noisy thumbs width of foam falls fast and leaves no lace

S ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a little pumpkin puree, some bread and toffee with just a little earthy hops in the background

T much of the same really, not over the top with the spices like many pumpkin beers I've had in the past,

M a little thin with prickly bubbles leaving a tingle on the tongue, ginger and pumpkin linger faintly on the finish

O this one worked for me, not heavily spiced and pretty mellow all-around, still beer unlike many pumpkin beers I've had that are almost unrecognizable from all the spicing

Its to bad this didn't show up before my Thanksgiving dinner because it would've been a great beverage choice with my turkey, ham and pie. yup that's right bitches I got turkey AND a ham, living the dream, living the dream

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 18:39:41 | More by wordemupg

RedAleMan

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

10-06-2012 07:33:13 | More by RedAleMan

beerhunter13

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

10-03-2012 00:24:06 | More by beerhunter13

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle from the Ottawa LCBO for 4$

Appearance - Clear copper colour with an average size fizzy beige coloured head. There is a lot of carbonation and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for around 2-3 minutes.

Smell - Malts, cloves, all spice, pumpkin

Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel, and all-spice/clove. There is also some pumpkin and a bit of a rustiness. It ends with a malty and spicy aftertaste.

Overall - Not the best seasonal beer by any means, but a solid effort from this brewer nonetheless. I won't be shelling out another 4$ for more but I'm glad I gave it a shot.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 23:57:28 | More by spinrsx

slitherySOB

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a dark golden amber colour with a fingers worth of head that disipates quickly but leaves lacing. Smells like pumpkin pie. Pumpkin, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sweet malts. Tastes like it smells. LIquefied pumpkin pie. Mouthfeel is smooth and low carbonated with a great overall balance. A delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 19:22:00 | More by slitherySOB

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled Sept 4, 2012.

Beer is a slightly hazy copper colour. Smallish off-white head. Fades fairly quickly to a film.

Nice smell. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and pumpkin. Some bready malt and grassy hops.

Taste is good, and very similar to the nose, though not quite as nice. Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. Spices are very prominent. Grassy hops there as well. Well balanced. Has the characteristic Grand River flavour that I cannot quite describe, but I expect has to do with the water.

Medium bodied, moderate carbonation.

Overall, pretty tasty!

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 00:11:47 | More by jrenihan

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a nice deep golden/amber color to it. It has a thin white head that dies down somewhat fast and leaves some lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitly give out hints of pumpkin and spices (cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon).

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a some pumpkin but not as dominant as the aroma, some cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon and some malts.

Mouthfeel: It has a low carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 21:53:43 | More by SebD

bryehn

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on Sept. 14 (5 days ago).

Pours a clear golden-copper colour with a small but frothy white head. Solid, long-lasting collar, but little lace.

Smells of ripe pumpkin, honey sweetened toasted malts and grasses. Very warm and inviting.

The taste is also pumpkin forward. There is a lovely light and fruity ale underneath with a sweet caramel tone. Grassy, floral hops bring earthy and tart characteristics, as well as a mild orange pekoe tea flavour. Subtle spiciness present throughout that comes forward in the finish.

Full-bodied with low carbonation. Dry cracker character on the tongue. Pepper and allspice in the aftertaste.

Quickly became one of my favourite pumpkin ales after a couple days. The pumpkin shines, rather than the spice and it’s extremely smooth drinking. Great with (or in) a stew, crusty bread, roasted meats and, of course, pumpkin pie.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 19:46:24 | More by bryehn

mspang

4/5  rDev +4.7%

09-15-2012 06:17:14 | More by mspang

philmen

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

09-15-2012 01:47:02 | More by philmen

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

09-13-2012 00:39:03 | More by Molson2000

KrisDLSmith

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

09-10-2012 03:51:35 | More by KrisDLSmith

heebes

Ontario (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 ml bottled on Sep 4th 2012.
5.2% abv.

Pours a rich dark orange with half a finger of light tan foamy head. Nose is brisk with lots of pumpkin, spices, cinnamon, faint hops. taste is majorly pumpkin, cloves, spices and cinnamon, some good barley malt caramel backing, very fresh and full tasting. Good body, peppery mouthfeel, smooth.

Overall a well rounded pumpkin ale from Grand River, spot on this year.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 15:15:45 | More by heebes

cmadd

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Half a finger of white head. Disappears quickly, leaves no lacing. Clear amber leaning to yellow.

S: Nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice with some earthiness. Grassy pilsner hops in the background.

T: Sweet cinnamon, squashy pumpkin and hard water earthiness holds the finish. This earthiness really dominates the beer and is very characteristic of Grand River. Almost no hops, what is there is very light and grassy. In the late finish the sweet pumpkin comes back; nice touch.

M: Light carbonation. Very nice.

O: Pretty decent, but nothing particularly remarkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 05:48:32 | More by cmadd

ThinkAgain

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

01-06-2012 16:16:01 | More by ThinkAgain

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from the LCBO, 500ml into a tulip. Bottled on October 19, 2011 - 3 days old.

Pours a reddish orange with a straight white head of about a finger of head, decent retention and good lace. Nice spicy nose, allspice and cinnamon dominate with only a moderate hint of pumpkin. More pumpkin spicing than actual pumpkin itself, but some bready qualities do exist here, large amounts of pumpkin pie crust. Taste has less spicing, but still reflects the nose and takes the breadiness down a couple notches. Mouthfeel is almost watery, fairly light with spice into the finish. A pretty good pumpkin ale, and could've been much better I think if it reflected it's nose a bit better. 4/4/4/3/35

Rereview: Bottle from the LCBO, 500ml bottle into a tulip. Bottled September 4, 2012, reviewd the 30th of the same month.

Orangey brown, just offwhite head. Decent retention and lace. Lots of cinnamon and cloves on the nose, a bit of pumpkin and sweet malt character. Taste has more pumpkin flesh, cloves, cinnamon and a bit of allspice. Sweet and mildly drying finish. Heavier medium body and lower carbonation. Quite a nice pumpkin ale, good body and some flavours that come through real nicely. 4/4/4/45/45

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 04:41:10 | More by liamt07

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear copper/amber colour, one finger of white head, no lace. Smell is spicy with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, gram crackers, mineral presence, malt and pumpkin pie. Taste is spicy up front, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, good bitterness, mildly hoppy, biscuity malt, spicy finish and aftertaste. Medium carbonation, medium feel, decent mouthfeel. This is quite enjoyable, subtle but still full flavoured, will probably grab a few more of these this season.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 18:35:50 | More by peensteen