Pumpkin Porter - Hangar 24 Brewery

mactrail

California

3.73/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

From the apparently new 22 oz bottle packaging, and on the label this is called "Gourdgeous," one of the Local Fields series. Redlands pumpkins roasted and then overwhelmed by a whole lot of spice and molasses.

A beautiful shade of dark ruby amber in the New Belgium snifter. Plenty of foam and pleasantly carbonated on the tongue. Sweet but not undrinkably so, and it becomes more complex as you sip. A dose of yam flavors with a lot of spice. Really it tastes like gingerbread with too much cloves. The aftertaste is more burnt sugar, but that pumpkin flavor finally comes through.

Tastes better after getting the taste buds adjusted. It's definitely a bit much at first gulp. Bought this at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 05:18:25 | More by mactrail

birchstick

Missouri

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

Pours a dark caramel / orangish brown color with a nice white head on it. The aromas consist of piney, resinous hops, chocolates, and a touch of nutmeg...interesting. The taste follows suit with the nose. Chocolate malts open this up. These move to a piney, dank, syrupy bitterness. Ultimately, these land at nutmeg and clove and finish off with the chocolate malts. Good body with decent carbonation. Overall, this is a good pumpkin porter; very resinous and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 01:48:49 | More by birchstick

Halcyondays

California

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a deep brown to black with red highlights. Nice firm off-white head, leaving spotty lace.

S: Classic pumpkin pie notes with a hint of bread, milk chocolate and molasses.

T: Good porter character. Dark bittersweet chocolate, a strong malt flavour. The pumpkin and pie spices weren't as overt as in the nose, but they're well integrated in the base beer and balanced.

M: Medium-bodied, creamy and smooth, easy drinking and no booze character for its size.

D: While not as big as Burly Gourd from The Bruery which I had earlier in the day, this one can certainly play in the same league. It's refreshing to see Southern CA brewers flock to pumpkin beers like they have this year, and I hope the trend continues.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2011 04:24:43 | More by Halcyondays