Wachusett Imperial Pumpkin Ale - Wachusett Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #58 (November 2011):

LOOK: Clear amber

SMELL: Pumpkin, cinnamon, esters, spice, tropical fruit, bread, cake batter

TASTE: Spice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin, caramel, grainy, bread crust, alcohol, ripe fruit

We love the amped-up style here—a whole lot of flavor with each sip—however, a tad more malt to help balance out the heavy-handed spicing is in order. And with its big alcohol and flavor profile, it becomes more versatile when it comes to pairings; don't just save this one for dessert.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 04:06:10 | More by BeerAdvocate

Sailracer

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

02-10-2013 21:12:10 | More by Sailracer

shehateme

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%

01-26-2013 16:43:41 | More by shehateme

Massbmx

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%

10-29-2012 13:08:59 | More by Massbmx

dphillips

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

10-27-2012 00:43:10 | More by dphillips

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Pours a crystal clear copper in the glass, topped with 1 ½ fingers of rich and creamy off-white head. This maintains some frothy edges, which leave back robust sudsy lacing that dots the sides of the glass. The aroma initially smells sweet with sticky sugar but then eventually gives way to some festive spices and green pumpkin character along the back. Alcohol adds some extra sweet warmth here to the nose.

The taste has sticky candied feel to it, with a bit of a toasted graininess coming out as this warms and then some green pumpkin flavor emerging around the middle part. Spices are scattered throughout the profile, especially lingering in the finish along with a touch of dry bitterness. The mouthfeel is fuller bodied, with a tight feel on the tongue but then more of a firm creaminess as this spreads out. This does have a bit of a warm and sweet booziness to it from the ABV but this smoothes out a bit as this sits.

This wasn’t too bad. The sweetness and alcohol took a bit to get used to but once the palate acclimates and things start to balance and smooth out, this turned into a decent sipper after all. Not sure I was really down for the full bottle though. This would be a good one to split.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 17:08:25 | More by Kegatron

Mikeynas

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +9%

10-20-2012 23:58:25 | More by Mikeynas

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a one finger cream head that fades quickly leaving traces of lace. Crystal clear orange/amber color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Light pumpkin and spicy nose and flavor is caramel malt sweetness spicy pumpkin. Higher ABV is hidden. $5.99 for a 22oz bottle from Glen Beverage Glen, NH.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 22:07:48 | More by jdhilt

Larrydoherty

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

10-14-2012 20:06:37 | More by Larrydoherty

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.63/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22oz bottle into Hill Farmstead tulip. Pours a clear amber orange with little head and body..doesnt look crazy good. Very boozey nose, cinnamon, spice, hops as well. Taste is very malty but spiced with the aromas...but a bit more buscuity. Its pretty mild, a bit sweet, but really easy to drink. I like that its not over spiced; usually the spice makes drinking pumpkins somewhat diffcult. But this one is good, not great.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 00:13:02 | More by DrinkSlurm

liquorpig

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

10-06-2012 01:04:18 | More by liquorpig

Brad007

Vermont

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Another imperial pumpkin ale to sample. I could probably compare 3-4 of these at this point.

Pours a mild orange color with a thin head into my glass. It's brewed with pumpkin puree so that probably explains the appropriate color.

Pumpkin puree, spice and candi sugar are are accounted for in the nose. I detect a touch of pie crust too.

Overall flavor suffers from the high alcohol content. Acrid. Not very pleasant, even if the flavors are accounted for.

Ditto on mouthfeel. I feel betrayed.

Steer clear or at least let it get a bit of age before you sample it. Pumking and Smashed Pumpkin do it so much better.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 13:16:20 | More by Brad007

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

09-23-2012 21:01:23 | More by Rhettroactive

YeastInception

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +15.8%

09-21-2012 01:11:42 | More by YeastInception

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.68/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into a tumbler pint, the beer is a slightly hazed, orange-copper coloring that is bright and vibrant. A slight filmy ring on the surface of the brew is all there is to show for the head. Aromas of pumpkin and vanilla sweetness, with a solid dose of cinnamon and nutmeg spicing. Flavors are more rich in pumpkin, with a dark, sweet backbone that supports a cinnamon and nutmeg spicing, as well as some vanilla bean and boozey highlights. Rich, cloying sweet aftertaste with a touch of roasting. The body is light, and at times sharp due to the spicing and the carbonation levels. The finish is crisp and dry, with a touch of sugary sweetness lingering behind. This brew started off pretty good, but limped across the finish line.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 20:54:19 | More by GarthDanielson

kindbill

Rhode Island

3/5  rDev -18.3%

09-15-2012 00:18:45 | More by kindbill

Celtics76

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. Bomber poured into a Dogfish Head glass.

This one has the standard pumpkin ale orange-brown color. The head reduces quickly with mild lacing around the perimeter. Smells of sweet pumpkin spice.

Aroma carries over nicely to the taste - pumpkin spice but very little detected of the other ingredients listed. Perhaps a hint of cinnamon as it warms a bit. Very sweet along the lines of Pumking, but not as robust. Also not as heavy as other Imperials I've tried. This was welcomed as I was drinking this before making dinner. Most Imperial pumpkins are more appropriate as "dessert" beers. Also of note - this beer shows the 8% abv as there is a mild alcohol burn..this is fine as it doesn't overpower the overall flavor.

I like this one. For those of you that feel Pumking is a bit too heavy and sweet, this is a lighter alternative. Go Pats.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 18:16:43 | More by Celtics76

stoppertb18

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

08-26-2012 16:40:18 | More by stoppertb18

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle served in a snifter.

pours a coppery / medium amber tone while yeilding a short-lived finger of whitish lacing. not much lacing to speak of. nose is good, a bit sweeter than most pumpkin ales out there, due in large part to the candied sugar. strong notes of spice and pumpkin presence too.

the taste brings all of the above to the table, but seems to lack something. either that or the flavor profile here just isn't working for me. as others have noted, i get stronger notes of actual pumpkin than many out there, as opposed to the heavily spiced, liquefied pumpkin pie offerings. only thing is, i happen to like those.

overall, a moderately enjoyable, slightly above average pumpkin ale. and while it's certainly passable, it's no pumking. still, with a little tweaking there is potential for future batches.

(originally reviewed: 09-07-2011)

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 01:58:08 | More by BostonHops

whallgren

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

06-17-2012 17:37:44 | More by whallgren

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 4/14/2012 at Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub, in Pawtucket, RI served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a bright reddish amber color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains pumpkin, spices, caramelized malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of spices, caramel and pumpkin. Then a hearty malt character comes in. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings some balance. The pumpkin flavor isn’t too strong which for me makes this beer better than most pumpkin beers. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: A little tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, for a pumpkin beer, it’s pretty solid.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2012 02:19:46 | More by TheManiacalOne

jilly425

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +9%

01-09-2012 00:15:28 | More by jilly425

Gregwa

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

01-05-2012 15:33:28 | More by Gregwa

Faina

Massachusetts

2/5  rDev -45.5%

01-05-2012 03:39:00 | More by Faina

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

orange color coming forward right away. Decent amount of haziness could not hide the ample carbonation that was being exhibited throughout the glass. This all came to a head that was about two inches in height at first but settled down to just a light scattering across the top after a few minutes.

The aroma was full of cinnamon and pumpkin spice as you might have imagined. Not as heavy and sweet as some of the others I have had this fall, this was rather a lighter, with a little more emphases on the spices that lie underneath and a decent touch of a grassy hops that was laying around as well. The flavor followed suit rather nicely. Light spiciness with a hint at some soft grain and light bready malts lying under that. Not much in the way of a hop profile here, and the body was light and airy.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 15:24:14 | More by mikesgroove