Wachusett Pumpkan - Wachusett Brewing Company

neophilus

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Light brown colored ale with good clarity. Very little aroma to this beer, there is a hint of squash like scents but no malt to be found. The flavor is dominated by ginger and very crisp with high carbonation. For a moment I thought I was drinking ginger beer.

This beer definitely needs more malt to carry the ginger flavors but the aroma intrigued me for a moment. Most pumpkin beers have a spice heavy aroma but this came close to a wonderful squash or sweet potato scent. Would love to see Wachusett break away from the pack more and focus on earthy squash like flavors vs. spice centered brews like most pumpkin seasonals.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 18:47:59 | More by neophilus

SouljaSaia17

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Always enjoy craft beer in a can and when I saw the cool design of this can, I knew I had to try it.

A: This beer pours a darkish golden, amber color with a 1/2 inch soapy white head that leaves some good lacing.

S: My nose is kind of stuffy for this review, so im not getting much of anything besides a little malt and pumpkin spice.

T: I get some all spice in the flavor with some mild malts up front. I do get some pumpkin flavor in the middle but it taste more like imitation than the real thing. The taste ends with some nutmeg and a little bit of a yeast texture in the aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied beer, leaning towards the fuller side than lighter. Mild carbonation but the flavor is good, so this is easily a sessional beer.

O: I enjoyed this beer, but I enjoyed the design of the can a little bit more. Definitely has some good flavor and is easy to drink, but overall, not the best of pumpkin beers out there. I will give it a slightly better than average!

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 03:27:45 | More by SouljaSaia17

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.74/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

From a 12 fl. oz can dated Best by 021313. Okay so I sampled it on May 16, 2013 which is not only past date but it is way out of season. I picked up a 12-pack on clearance for $4.99 so I did not think of it as wasted money.

It looked like a pumpkin spice should with a handsome orange-amber and a large, long-lasting puffy off-white head. That's still a good grade.

Aroma of sweetness and pumpkin spice with a kind of Nut-brown ester as well. Mellowed with age I suppose but still enticing.

The body is medium.

The taste still presented plenty of pumpkin spices even three months after its expiration date and 8 months past season. A slight lingering bitterness but it was a low bitterness. Actually I could drink several of these easily despite being past date.

Serving type: can

05-16-2013 21:10:16 | More by puboflyons

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.46/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer comes my way courtesy of the creator of the canquest, woodychandler. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has an amberish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of spices and pumpkin. Taste is very mild compared to the smell. Some spice and pumpkin, but a bit subdued. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer.

Serving type: can

04-20-2013 13:33:53 | More by tone77

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.36/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Jeez-O-Man, what a comedy of errors it has been since I received this CAN for inclusion in The CANQuest (TM)! First, my camera would not take a picture that would allow me to shrink it to the specified parameters. Next, the resizeyourimage.com website seemed to experience some technical difficulties that have since been resolved. Further, once I got both camera and website to sync up, the approval process lagged until recently. I will never review a CAN without an existing pic as I may not have access to a replacement and pics of spent CANs are unappealing. My pic needs to be approved before I will move on it.

I just reviewed another pumpkin ale, so this seems an (in)appropriate moment to move onto another. From the CAN: "Ale Brewed with pumpkin and spices"; "Pack It In, Pack It Out"; "100% Endlessly Recyclable Aluminum [CAN]"; "Enjoy with friends [undersigned Ned, Kevin, Quincy]".

I went with an inverted Crack & Glug since it has been so long that I was beginning to wonder if I had forgotten the procedure. Nope! It went swimmingly. I had a finger of foamy, tawny head that slowly settled, leaving nice lacing in its wake. Color was a deep-copper with NE-quality clarity. I wonder if it would get me anything at the local metal recycling plant? Nose was muted, but spicy. I will attribute that to my wait time, although the CAN took up reefer space since its arrival. Mouthfeel was medium and the spices were less intense than the bottled pumpkin ale that I had before this. Is it possible that bottle beats CAN? Perhaps in this instance. Finish was more malty than spicy and was semi-sweet as opposed to the previous pumpkin ale. Sticky lacing began to form as I drank it down.

Serving type: can

03-19-2013 22:45:13 | More by woodychandler

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.38/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a medium orange amber, with a thin 1/4 inch white creamy head. Copious carbonation rose from the bottom. Aroma was weak, but was primary of a squashy pumpkin with subtle nutmeg in the back. Flavor was primarily a spicy pepper up front, with subtle squash flavors. Felt a little watery in the mouth, didn't coat as well as they often do. A bit tangy on the tongue, seemed to almost be over carbonated. Overall much more a peppery spice than what I would expect from a pumpkin beer.

Serving type: can

12-01-2012 00:16:02 | More by mountdew1

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Finally getting around to trying this one.

A- Poured into a can-shaped glass with a slightly murky dark amber-light brown body. An off-white head builds to about two fingers and has good retention. Nice spots of lace all around the glass.

S- Needs some major warmth before it really opens up. That being said it still isn't the most memorable or strongest of noses. General pumpkin pie mix, nutmeg, tart apples, yeast bread and vanilla.

T- Nutmeg, clove and pumpkin pie spice mix lead the way with light tart fruits and pumpkin flesh. Beer yeast notes make it taste more like a spice pumpkin loaf more than a pie, not much vanilla or sweetness here. It all seems kind of diluted too, not just light but watered down.

MF- Light body with high carbonation giving a slight sting similar to soda water. Very light bitterness in the finish. More on the watery side of things.

Starts to taste more diluted and light with each sip. There is a pretty good vegetal pumpkin character which I really look for in the good pumpkin ales. Seems like they were going for a light, drinkable pumpkin ale but I think a bit too much flavor is sacrificed for my liking.

Serving type: can

11-16-2012 04:24:16 | More by cbutova

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.33/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a can into a tumbler pint, the beer is a bright, vibrant, clear, rustic orange coloring with a frothy, foamy, off-white head that starts tall on the pour but quickly settles into a thin, filmy coating. Aromas of rich pumpkin, roasty notes, and a spice blend that includes cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice. Very balanced aromatics. Flavors are roasted and slightly sharp on the initial tongue, followed by a light pumpkin sweetness that is blended with a touch of caramel. The sweetness in the backbone gets overpowered by the initial characteristics, so balance is lost on the palate. Thin bodied, but smooth once you get passed the initial sharp feel. The aftertaste is more tangy and sweet, and lends itself to a smoother flavor profile than the main taste could do. Light, smooth, slightly filmy finish. This beer isn't bad, and definitely hits the mark in spots, but there are some imbalances that knock it for me personally.

Serving type: can

11-06-2012 03:53:21 | More by GarthDanielson

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

2.13/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

12 oz can into a pint glass.

Pours a clear copper, with 2 fingers of foamy off-white head. This retains with a thin sudsy look, ringing the sides of the glass with frothy lacing. The aroma smells raw and fruity, backed by a sweet and sticky feel. Spices stick to the sweetness, while light metallic notes hang on the edges.

The taste is raw earthy hops, vegetal feeling pumpkin, buttered sweetness and weird medicinal notes. There is a handful of moderate pumpkin spices sprinkled throughout the profile and is probably the least offensive aspect of this. The finish is dry, earthy feeling and bitter. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a firm and prickly carbonation that fills up the mouth and then continues to expand along the back. This is a touch over carbonated to say the least.

Wow. Cool looking can but the overall beer here is a mess. This was very off putting for me in parts, whether its butter, metallic, medicinal or vegetal notes and the carbonation was just too sharp at times to try and keep this smooth and drinkable. Glad I didn’t go for a 12-pack of this. It needs lots of work still.

Serving type: can

11-02-2012 18:50:20 | More by Kegatron

UncleRuckus

3.05/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Just picked up a 12 pack at my local store, served in a chalice

Appearance: darker orange, leaning towards the amber side, and see through. Poured a 2 finger head which dissipated after a minute or so.

Smell: Not very impressed, the pumpkin smell gets overwhelmed by the malt

Taste: malty in the beginning, then switching to a pumpkin spice taste, which is masked by what taste like nutmeg or ginger. The pumpkin flavor is overpowered by the end spice.

Mouth Feel: slightly carbonated and crisp, somewhat reminiscent of a cider

Overall: Good, but not that great, I have been sampling tons of pumpkin beers and I honestly wouldn't even put this in the middle of the pack. Still a decent beer though, but given the competition, nothing special.

Serving type: can

10-12-2012 02:06:53 | More by UncleRuckus

ACD

3.43/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not a bad pumpkin ale.

An easier drinking pumpkin from some of the others.
I would say this is a step up from Pumpkin Head but not as heavy or distinctly pumpkin as some of the others I have tried.
Overall a decent pumpkin beer especially if
You like your pumpkin flavor a little less pronounced than some of the other versions

Serving type: can

10-01-2012 13:57:11 | More by ACD

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz can into a Samuel Adams pint glass

A- deep orange, ever so slightly hazy. big 2" puffy white head that sticks around for a while. little lacing and medium carbonation

S- I'm not getting much pumpkin, just roasted malt and some spices in the background

T- Subtle pumpkin pie/caramel. Sweet with an almost smokey-vanilla aftertaste. Interesting

M- Medium-high carbonation. Smooth

Overall, a decent pumpkin brew. I'd drink it again.

Serving type: can

09-23-2012 21:23:59 | More by gcamparone

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: 1 inch head, orange in color, clear, high carbonation

Smell: nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, pumpkin, and pumpkin spice

Taste: nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, pumpkin, caramel, and pumpkin spice

Mouthfeel: sweet with slight bitterness and a dry aftertaste, high carbonation, light bodied

Overall: A solid but not great pumpkin beer. There is a slight off bitterness at the end that takes away at the end. Not a bad beer, but not even in the same ballpark as their Imperial which is one of my favorite pumpkin beers.

Serving type: can

09-10-2012 12:54:47 | More by tigg924

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Light burnt orange. Head is white, bubbly, thin, with little retention. Perfectly clear. No lacing. Moderate carbonation.

Smell: Mild roasted malts. Some underlying pumpkin. Spices jump. Big on the allspice. Nutmeg, cinnamon, a touch of vanilla. Sweet caramel malts. Slightly bready. Hits that solid ratio between malts, spice, and pumpkin that pushes homemade pumpkin pie. As it warms the spices begin to dominate. Malts fade a touch. Slightly grassy.

Taste: Clean, roasted, slightly bready and sweet malt up front. Quickly gets crushed by a punch of nutmeg and allspice. Faint cinnamon spiciness in the back. Malts come across a little thin and watery. Mild grassy finish. Some toasted notes. Pumpkin is buried, and I mean buried, but it helps round things out a bit. Slight spiciness from the hops as well.

Mouthfeel: A little lighter than I like in my pumpkin beers. Just a shade under medium body. Prickly and a touch dry.

Overall: Decent. Bonus points for a can.

It's what I expected from Wachusett. It's middle-of-the-road. Easy drinking and hits the more aggressive spice profile people would expect from the style. Loses a little for me.

Serving type: can

08-29-2012 00:52:46 | More by Goblinmunkey7

steve8robin

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Very excited to try this one since I love their Imperial Pumpkin so much. Brand new for this fall season. 12oz can:

A: A very filtered super clear burnt orange / reddish color with a small fizzy white head that fades quickly leaving very little bubbles. Good.

S: I get some nutmeg upfront followed by some light malty notes. A nice bready malt. Mild cinnamon hidden on the back. Good.

T: I get a clean rich malt quickly upfront quickly buried by a bitterness which is a blend of nutmeg, hop, and bubbles. The hop is a spicy bitter type hop. A kind of lingering dry bite with a slight metallic feel to it that stays on our palate. Decent.

M: A light body with a richness to it. Heavily carbonated with a metallic dry finish. Decent.

O: All in all, this is a good beer. Nothing amazing. Their Imperial Pumpkin definitely has a lot more evident flavors to it. However, considering they are labeling this a session amber, this is supposed to have subtle flavors. The subtle flavors blend well, but not great. A little too much of a hop / nutmeg bite. Good, but not flirting with great.

Serving type: can

08-20-2012 00:14:29 | More by steve8robin