Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale - Cigar City Brewing

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.2/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

orange tinted amber. This was very cloudy and hazy which kind of surprised me to be honest. A good two inch or more of white foamy lace formed as a head on top and actually had some really good retention

highly spiced but yet not overpowering as you see a lot with these pumpkins. nutmeg, and cinnamon and a good amount of fresh grass or even a tree like smell to it. Lots of spice running through it though and I could pick up even on some apple in there as well. I thought the aroma was very well put together overall. a nice grainy almost yeast like back to it which really served to lighten it up. This was followed by loads of fall spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, lots of spiced apple, just a good all around mix. There was a noticeable hoppy presence and this definitely could not be hidden. Great finish

Serving type: growler

08-20-2011 01:59:40 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.98/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Mike for this beer.

A: The pour is a dark amber color with some brown and copper hues in there as well. A short lived off-white head is there as well.

S: A nice blend of spices, but not overdone. I get some nutmeg, all spice, and a hint of cinnamon. Some pumpkin aroma, more than I usually get in pumpkin beers. Some light vanilla, too.

T: Fairly well balanced in terms of all the different flavors going on. The cinnamon flavor seems to be more pronounced with the other spices sort of falling into the background. A decent amount of sweetness, mild pumpkin, and a hint of bitterness.

M: The body is medium, as is the carbonation.

D: Pumpkin ales are sort of hard to do, since the spicing can really mess them up. I'm happy that CCB has managed to keep things within reason and make for an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: growler

09-25-2010 06:24:26 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this bottle from Leuken's. Served in a Pumking goblet.

Pours a moderate orange-copper with a good off-white head. Decent retention and some spotty lacing on the way down. The nose carried a lot of squash and pumpkin with a bit of cinnamon and miscellaneous spice in the background. The flavor didn't have quite as much spice and really focused on the squash element. Not too sweet, which was nice. Chewy medium body with moderate carbonation and a bit of spice zest in the finish. Good brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 17:27:38 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber-pumpkin color with a respectable head that leaves a few shards of lacing behind

Smell: Freshly-baked pumpkin pie aromatics - more spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and crust than pumpkin itself

Taste: Spices galore from the get-go, with the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and clove most pronounced; biscuity malt, underneath and a bit of pumpkin flavor, as well; overall, the spicing is very nice, though the clove is just a bit too pronounced in the finish, lending a slightly harsh character

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Overall: A very nice, spice-forward example of the style; I would modulate the clove a bit but otherwise this is a very nice beer

Thanks, voxomkid, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 22:15:52 | More by brentk56

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to ericandersnavy for sharing this growler.

The beer pours an orange-amber color with white bubbles. There is not much, if any, real head on the beer.

The aroma is pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon. Very nice smelling.

The flavor is reminiscent of pumpkin pie. I get a lot of sweet pumpkin, as well as some allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and caramel malt.

Medium body with low carbonation. A very nice pumpkin ale.

Serving type: growler

09-29-2010 01:20:26 | More by Mora2000

MasterSki

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

32oz growler courtesy of tpd975. Thanks Greg! Served in a pint glass, and shared at the Flossmoor Beelzebeer release.

A - Pours with two fingers of light orange foam that slowly dissipates to a thick, chunky cap, leaving behind glass-coating lace. Slightly hazed pumpkin orange color. Impressive considering the ABV, and reference for the "style".

S - Traditional pumpkin spices - nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. as well as some authentic pumpkin aroma. The nose is somewhat understated, but it hides the 9% incredibly well without being overbearingly sweet.

T - Some pumpkin pie complete with the sweet pie crust. Light spicing is appreciated, as is actual pumpkin flavor. Again, the alcohol is well-hidden, but there's just something a bit muted and drab about this beer.

M - Medium creamy body, medium-low carbonation, no alcohol heat.

D - Considering my many other experiences with Cigar City, this is a surprisingly subtle and understated brew. It was quite enjoyable, but it was quickly forgotten after moving on to the next few brews. I heard the test batch was quite different, but I gotta review the beer I try! In any case, it's definitely one of the better pumpkin beer offerings, but I think I prefer Pumking a little bit (and Flossmoor's extinct Big Black Pumpkin, of course).

Serving type: growler

09-27-2010 02:04:14 | More by MasterSki

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big Thanks to kswartz for helping me get a hold of this one. The beer poured out as a nice vibrant orange color with a nice looking white head on top. The smell of the beer is sweet, some moderate spice notes and from what I can tell some of the freshest Pumpkin/Gourd aromas I've ever experienced from a beer. The taste of the beer is again sweet like the nose but balances out quite nicely with the subtle amount of spice that has been used. The mouthfeel of the beer is heavy, it's got a solid thickness to it, it's gently carbonated and goes down nice and smooth. Overall I really enjoyed this beer, one of the best Pumpkin beers I've had as of yet. I highly recommend this brew to anyone looking for something a little different to try than just a typical Pumpkin beer like most breweries are putting out. This one sets the bar pretty high in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 21:04:18 | More by Knapp85

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to rudzud as he purchased this on our trip up to VT.

Big fizzy head of 1 finger fades semi slowly with a bit of lacing, crystal clear auburn ruby molasses brown color lots of light coming through.

Nose loaded with pumpkin, light fruity aroma, pumpkin pie, light spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, nutty, etc. light bready malts, toasty, crust, caramel, molasses, etc.

Taste is creamy, toasted malts, bready, pie crust then pumpkin pie filing, nice pumpkin, light spices nutmeg and cinnamon, allspice, etc. light spicy taste. Very pumpkin pie autumn taste. Light hazelnut, semi sweet caramel. Then light canned pumpkin, light bitterness. Very nice. Finish gets a little astringent with the spices and bittering hops.

Mouth is slightly heavy bodied, good carb, little sticky, nice.

Overall great, one of the best pumpkin beers I've had. Nice pumpkin flavors, earthy hops and spices, great malt balance, great pumpkin pie.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 04:20:15 | More by jlindros

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to DosBeerigos for the trade on this one. Poured into a snifter, this brew appears a hazed amber color with a white head that fades to just a thin film that holds around the edge of the glass. A light swirl revives a finger of yellowish cream that again slowly fades down to a thin lacing. Some spots of lace cling to the glass.

The smell of this brew is earthy and spiced. A touch of green pumpkin character mixes with yeast and some fruity alcohol hints. Cloves are present along with cinnamon and an earthy indication of nutmeg and hops. More smells reveal a residual sweetness to the nose that is caught between a caramel malt and toffee character. The fruity inclusion is a bit perplexing and distracts a bit from the overall theme of pumpkin/earth character.

The taste is sweet toffee/caramel with a contrasting bitterness of herbal hops and a spice of earthy nutmeg. Some spices are evident with a flavor of cinnamon and clove. A fruity backing is evident that starts to move focus on the the alcohol aspect of this brew. The aftertaste is quite earthy with nutmeg and spices expected of the pumpkin offering. Once the brew goes beyond ideal temperature, there is a bit of a molasses to gram cracker type of malty inclusion which is interesting.

This is a medium bodied brew that is quite creamy with a light level of carbonation. There are lots of fruity alcohol notes and a solid balance of modest spices that keep everything in check. For an 8.5% offering, the alcohol is well integrated. Overall this is a solid take on the style, not the best I have had bu tone that is worth trying at least once... or twice.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 01:14:49 | More by stakem

kylehay2004

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: no head to speak of on a murky brown with a marroon tinge. no lacing really.

S: lots of cinnamon, spices, pumpkin pie, nutmeg.

T: wow, this one has all of the flavors of the season without being too sweet. fresh pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar and maple wood.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: one of the best of this genre and style. Very flavorful, each flavor is well represented and distinct. a must try.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 04:44:04 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with a healthy head of off white foam on top of a hazy, amber brown body. The head settles at a moderate lace and leaves decent lace on the glass,

S - Brown, malty notes of toffee with lots of spices, including allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.

T - Bready malt notes up front with some brown sugar. A bit of cinnamon and allspice in the middle. Finishes with clove, more dark sugar, and lightly herbal hops.

M - Medium thick body, moderately low carbonation, and a somewhat sweet finish.

D - Not bad, but I don't think it lives up to what some have said about it. Despite CCs penchant for high end spices, the pie character here is kind of bland and flabby with a malt character that only serves to reinforce that impression. I had this beer when it first came out and remember it being less sweet and spicy with more hops in the balance, but it has been so long that I might be misremembering it at this point.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 04:46:46 | More by nickfl

tpd975

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on draft at Cigar City

A: Pours a nice clear brillant punkin' orange hue with a nice tall creamy head. The retention is very good with spotty lace noted.

S: In the aroma department this one is hard to beat, it is neck and neck with Southern Tier Pumpking here. Huge real pumpkin aromas with a wonderful mix of spices. There is a real buttery crust element in here as well that I have never picked up in another beer. Even after the beer was gone from the glass the aroma still wafted from the empty glass. This one smells better than those $20 candles the wife brings home.

T: The flavors are wonderful as well. Real pumpkin, a perfect mix of pie spices, and oooh that gooey butter I detected. The pumpkin stands out without the spice overpowering. This one is a perfect mix between the pumpkin beers of DogFish Head and Southern Tier. I will quickly become a favorite of the pumpkin beer lovers.

M: Medium in body, smooth and creamy.

D: I tasted this one when it was first finished and the booze could really be detected. Since it has aged a bit, the alcohol flavors have died and the pumpkin, spice, and buttery goodness have come together to create one wonderful brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2009 15:52:11 | More by tpd975

AgentZero

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Fairly orange colored beer with a little bit of brown on the edges. Moderate head that left some decent lace and spots on the sides.

S - Has some nice pumpkin notes with some cinnamon and nutmeg. Not a whole lot else to say, but pretty solid.

T - This is actually pretty nice. Some good pumpkin flavor with nice spice and caramel. Very smooth tasting with a bit of brown sugar.

M - Pretty nice carbonation, velvety, full bodied.

O - A nice beer for a pumpkin beer. Good flavor, not cloying. Would drink this occassionally without a problem.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 03:50:15 | More by AgentZero

Gmann

New York

3.88/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Blind Tiger 9/15

Pours a orangy brown color with a minimal egg-shell colored head that quickly disipates into a barely there cap. Typical for imperial pumpkins.

The aroma is of a solid bready malt. The pumpkin spices are light, with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice making their presence known. There is also an odd spice that I wasn't able to put my finger on.

While the aroma was light, the pumpkin spice flavor was big. Big nutmeg and clove presence with cinnamon and nutmeg. There seemed to be some vanilla as well. Again there was a sweet spice that I couldn't quite get. There was an earthy quality to the brew and it finished with a tea like bitterness.

The feel was light to moderate with prickly carbonation. Sweet upfront but finishes lightly bitter and dry.

A good pumpkin ale, not great but surely didn't disappoint.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2011 00:36:32 | More by Gmann

oline73

Maryland

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into Chimay goblet.

Pours a reddish amber that is mostly clear. There is a layer of off white head that fades to a ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Sweet from lots of grain and pumpkin. Graham cracker shows up too.

Taste: More bitterness than I would have expected from the smell, but still very nice. Graham cracker, pumpkin, and some caramel. Not much pie spice to be found, but very good.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with very smooth carbonation and a slight dryness in the finish.

Overall: A really nice change from the pumpkin spice beers. I really enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 22:22:45 | More by oline73

billab914

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle shared at a recent tasting. It poured a darker, amber orange color with a thin, sticky white head clinging to the edges of the glass. Nice color to it.

The aroma shows cinnamon, nutmeg and canned pumpkin. A malty sweetness helps cut through the spices smoothing it out. Nice aroma for the style.

The taste shows more of the cinnamon and nutmeg spices up front while more of the canned pumpkin flavors come out in the finish. A malty sweetness balances out all the spices in the finish very nicely.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being moderate. Overall I thought it was a fantastic pumpkin beer. The spices weren't overdone and the sweetness definitely helped smooth them out even more. Very nice pumpkin pie like flavor to it overall. Definitely one of the best pumpkin beers I've had, but it doesn't quite beat out Pumking for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 16:16:45 | More by billab914

ehammond1

California

3.98/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle

Acquired via LIF
Thanks dfclav!

A combination of orange, auburn, and copper with a very thin light, creamy off-white head. Not much lace or cling is left on the glass.

A nice Fall collection of aromas, especially as the beer warms: a bit of earth pumpkin, but not a ton, as well as a handful of spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. An appropriate and pleasant aroma.

The flavor follows the aroma very closely, with the spices leading the way. My favorite part of this beer is the sweet and earthy vanilla character that lingers after the swallow.

Medium mouthfeel with ample carbonation.

A very nice, somewhat spice-forward, pumpkin ale with a tasty creamy vanilla character also.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 15:32:53 | More by ehammond1

cjgator3

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle

A- Poured into a Cigar City tulip glass. Pours a deep orangish amber color with an off-white head.

S- The nose is classic pumpkin ale aroma with pumpkin and spices. 

T- The taste is really good. Not as sweet as some pumpkin ales, this one is a little more dry. The spices come out up front with some warmth from the alcohol. There is also a mile level of bitterness in the finish from some hops.

M- The mouthfeel is between light and medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

O- Overall, Good Gourd is a really tasty pumpkin ale. I would put it in the upper tier of pumpkin beers. Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 03:08:08 | More by cjgator3

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Don’t review as much as I used to and it seems that I only feel motivated when I have time and am really impressed with a beer. Hats off to my buddy Chris for bringing me this beer.

Thick tan head that’s about 2+ fingers thick. As it melts some lace clings to the glass. The beer is a deep amber color with more brown notes than anything else

The aroma is wonderful.. Bright and full of spice. A bit like pumpkin bread.

Ok, this is a very good beer. The first thing I think of is this creamy nature to the flavor. My wife makes awesome pumpkin pancakes which are among my favorite. This taste very much like those including the creamy notes. Lots of spice and almost a nice almond flavor. The abv is not hot, but there is a subtle liqueur note to the finish. Quite nice and warming actually. The more it warms the more the actual pumpkin flavor comes to the forefront.

As mentioned a creamy nature to this and a bot warming. Wonderful and smooth.

A very good beer, bordering on special. This makes my top list of pumpkin beers with Pumking and DFH Punk’n. Definitely top 3.

Thanks Chris.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 19:00:17 | More by Reagan1984

claspada

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque blood red orange with a very small white soapy heady. Small off-white soapy cap lingers ever so slightly on the top of the goblet of beer. Some light soapy lacing remains as the relatively small head quickly dissipates.

Aromas begin like no other pumpkin beer I have ever had. This literally smells like a piece of Pumpkin pie candy (I don't think that even exists but I guess the closest thing would be those pumpkin candy-corn candies with spices added in). You get the bready crust, brown sugar sweetness, cooked pumpkin pie flesh and of course the traditional nutmeg, clove and lighter cinnamon and allspice. You can get a little phenolic yeast smell in there as well as it warms. It becomes a bit sweet as you attempt to consume the entire 750ml.

The taste directly follows the nose, which isn't totally a good thing. I get some banana yeast initially with some lesser clove notes also possibly from the yeast. Plenty of toasted graham cracker/bready notes with brown sugar and supported by a nice cinnamon/allspice lingering bite on the finish. As you make your way through the 750, the overall taste profile becomes a bit cloying and sweet, more so than any Pumpkin beer I have ever had. While this was beneficial on the nose to add to the whole Pumpkin Pie theme, it really hurts the flavor profile in the end.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium to low carbonation. The finish teeters on being cloyingly sweet with a mild spice bite on the back end of the palate.

Overall this is a very good Pumpkin beer for me. Definitely on the sweeter side like many Cigar City beers tend to be, so if you are opposed to the sweeter end of beers, this may not be for you. That being said this is still quite impressive, recommended and worth seeking out for fans of this style.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 00:05:01 | More by claspada

ktrillionaire

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - pours a radiant orange-amber hue capped with a pie-crust-colored head, lots of tan lace, very appropriate for this seasonal brew.

2011 Update: It does not smell like dial soap anymore, just nice pumpkin, spice and golden Belgian-style beer. Score goes from 2.5 to 3.5.

S - At first I really despise the nose. It seems like I am picking up an aroma of Dial soap. It is either after I have had a few sips, or once it has aired out for a couple minutes that it becomes palatable, and after that the nose is pretty good.

T - The taste is an obvious winner. Imperial Pumpkin seems to work fairly well as a style. Big pumpkin and sweet potato flavors are lightly spiced and decently hopped. It seems that there are more hops and more caramel malt in this brew than one would usually find. Has an intangible, yet distinct CCB taste.

M - Big and rich, well-carbonated.

D - Easy to put down a few. Not something easily said of many pumpkin beers.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2010 01:49:40 | More by ktrillionaire

mcallister

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Deep shades of orange with a semi fluffy yellow colored head that fades very quickly into a foamy topper.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, lots of clove, hints of corriander, all spice, brown sugar and what I would assume to be some pumpkin like squash type aromas.

Man just a lovely pumpkin ale here. Very round, soft, and velvety on the palate. So soft and feminine in mouthfeel and flavors. Things meld greatly with out being overly spicy. Cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, quince, clove, pumpkin flavors, some graham cracker, all spice, nutty flavors and more. Just a fantastic pumpkin, rivals pumking....it's a close one.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 19:16:11 | More by mcallister

Arbitrator

California

2.7/5  rDev -37.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Chilled growler into a glass. Shared by the late chswimmer, who received them courtesy of HonusWagner. Thanks Ted and Mike.

Consumed as part of a pumpkin beer lineup. From notes.

A: Pours a cloudy amber body with at most a half pinky of off-white head.

S: It's... almost totally lacking in aroma. The main thing I pick up is a floral, soapy note. Weird.

T: It has a good flavor for the most part. It's sweeter than some of the other pumpkin beers on the table, with less emphasis on spice. More brown sugar and caramel than nutmeg and cinnamon, though those are also there.

M: A very well hidden 9%. It's not syrupy, but it is on the sweeter end of the spectrum against the others I've tried.

D: It's good, but in the tasting it was lower-end, and out of what I've tried in the style, it's near the middle. I'd skip it.

Serving type: growler

12-09-2010 08:09:56 | More by Arbitrator

harrymel

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

bottled: 20AUG11

A: pours an autumnal orange with really no head production and only some sheeted off-white bubbles. Hazy with spotty lace.

S: cloves, nutmeg, yams, sweet

T: Sweet malts with plenty of spices. Just what you would expect. Nothing really special here, I guess it's what people are after in a pumpkin.

M: Medium body with slight carbonation, it is nice with a slightly dry finish.

O: Well, this taste pretty much like pumking to me. I can tell it's high quality, but I'm still not on board pumpkin beer should be anything but a stout.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 08:50:35 | More by harrymel

Sean9689

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Chris (spycow) for this one. Poured into Bell's tulip.

A - Pours a orange-brown color, cream-colored head, thin cap, thin collar, some slight spotty lacing.

S - Pumpkin, sweet pumpkin pie notes, brown sugar, cinnamon. Not overly sweet and not overly pumpkin...a nice mix of both.

T - Similar to the nose, less spice and more pumpkin. Still, a nice mix of the sweetness in the pumpkin pie notes without being overly so. Pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar.

M - Medium, good carbonation, creamy finish.

O - Solid pumpkin brew but not as good as my favorite, Schlafly Pumpkin. That said, I would def have it again and it's on the better side of my experiences with this style. Recommend.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 17:41:59 | More by Sean9689