Rumpkin - Avery Brewing Company

MrHirschybar

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11th taster at Port's Barrel Blast followed by having this on tap later that night at Hamilton's in downtown

A - Cherry Brown mix, light colored with little to no head that seemed white or off tan

S - Pumpkin pie, rum undertones, sweet, with the spices of pumpkin pie

T - Like pumpkin pie in a glass spiked with rum - sweet, definite pumpkin, rum, and nutmeg and cinammon with a light alcohol finish

M - Creamy, refreshing, sweet, not overly heavy, though the sweetness and ABV can definitely get to you there was little to no heat - just you and the pumpkin pie

D - This was delicious - probably the best Avery beer I've ever tried. Definitely a seasonal thing that you need to be in the mood for and if you're not a fan of pumpkin pie you will hate this - it was literally like having a rum spiked pumpkin pie that you drink that wasn't quite as heavy and bloating. At 13.2% this could knock you off your feet and you wouldn't know what had hit you. I found this delicious and was fortunate enough to have had the taster and then on tap - so two different sources in one day to confirm. My brother also confirmed this was great - just like a pumpkin pie - so maybe a little "kitschy" but a must try since I was under the impression it was tap only - no bottles at Avery and apparently anywhere else that was fortunate enough to get a keg...
Delicious

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2011 06:22:00 | More by MrHirschybar

UTCengOwl

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at the Saucer's 3rd anniverary party. Wow. Sold out the keg in around 2 minutes. I felt lucky to get some of this. Served in a small snifter.

This beer's weakest component was its appearance. Red wi brown hues. Clear, but with little head. It's not like the appeareance turned me offf, but it didn't pull me in either.

The nose is spiced rum. Pure and simle. It's wonderfully smooth. If I smelled a rum like this, I would be ecstatic. However, there's not another layer beyond this, which prevents it from getting the 5.

The taste is spiced rum, too... but a bit more than that. It's spiced rum with a pumpkin spiced aftertaste that flows into a hopped beer finish. Complex and more than I'd ever expect from pumpkin.

The mouthfeel is like that of a good barleywine. Thick and coating. A sipper that doesn't make you want to stop and it coats your mouth with the smallest sip.

Wow. This beer is excellent. My friend that's drinking it with me says it's the best beer he's had in months and I don't want to disagree. I had a St Arnold DR 9 yesterday, but we all know which beer really deserves to be the imperial pumpkin.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2011 01:45:35 | More by UTCengOwl

depechemode1983

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Deep mahogany with reddish hues. Poured with minimal head. Only patches of lacing on this beer.

S - Very sweet and alcoholic. Nice rum notes and lots of spices. Like cinnamon and nutmeg and even a little clove spiciness. Smells like a pumpkin pie.

T - Spiced rum comes to mind. Taste exactly what it smells like. An alcoholic pumpkin pie. With all the sweet cinnamon and nutmeg flavors being more dominant. Alcohol is also very strong in the taste. Its very warming.

M - Full bodied, smooth and a little chewy. Has a nice medium level of carbonation. Works well with the flavors.

D - Not to high considering the ABV. The flavors are all very strong as well. One is enough for me.

Notes - A pretty interesting beer. Very tasty. Not very complex but all the flavors and smells seem natural and not artificial. I might consider trying this one again. Even though its a bit pricey.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2011 21:18:01 | More by depechemode1983

Adouble

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at the Flying Saucer-Houston. 8oz pour and a good thing too, potent.

A- Deep copper with a short lived white head. No lacing with medium body.

S- Rum, cinnamon, nutmeg, wood.

T- Coconut, wood, cinnamon, nutmeg, alcohol. Low carbonation.

D- Not very drinkable but I really don't think they were shooting for drinkability on this one.

Overall I am glad I tried this monster. The spices are not overdone and it all comes together well. I am pretty sturdy and this one has me whipped at the 4oz mark. A good one timer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2011 20:25:43 | More by Adouble

champ103

Texas

2.33/5  rDev -42%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

On tap at Rudyard's in Houston.

A: Pours a clear burnt orange color. No head forms and no lace. Looks pretty lifeless.
S: An odd mix of peppery spice, pumpkin bread, and lots of alcohol.
T: Again lots of spicy flavors. Pumpkin and tons of alcohol. Fusel ethanol like alcohol. Plenty of sweetness as well. Actually, pretty much just sweetness and alcohol burn. I am not enjoying this.
M/D: A medium to full body. Low on the carbonation that is heavy and sticky. Really hard to drink. Way to much fusel alcohol.

I did not enjoy this. To much alcohol and nothing else really mixes well. I would not recommend this. I love Avery, but this is a big miss.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2010 03:28:53 | More by champ103

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Rustico - Alexandria.

Pours a moderate brownish color with a bit of an orange tint to it. There's some light lacing after a single-finger head dies down. The nose is pretty boozy, but at the same time it works with the brown sugar and dark rum character in addition to plenty of pumpkin spicing. Everything is well integrated and though it's boozy, the rum notes work well with the pumpkin and spicing, so I don't have anything to complain about.

The taste goes quite a ways downhill as the intricate rum characteristics are overlaid with all too much booze. Just really, really heavy on the alcohol here. There is some spicing there as well. The feel takes it even lower, as there is nothing there but booze. Pretty heavy body. Drinkability isn't all that high given the excessive booze. It's a shame that the booze took this one over. I wish this were in bottles so I could lay one down for a year to see what happens.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2010 02:43:53 | More by Thorpe429

despainmakesbeer

Kentucky

3.63/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours clear dark ruby color, not much head at pour. Aroma smells spicey, clovey, cinnamon, faint pumpkin. Alcohol seems to be a big factor in aroma as well. Alcohol from rum is definitely the biggest factor in flavor, especially when the beer is colder. Still clovey cinnamon spice in flavor but not very well in balance with rum. Pumpkin takes a while to find, becomes slightly more evident in flavor as beer warms. Mouthfeel is relatively thick. Finish has an mild alcohol burn. Sweetness is a little on the heavy side, and lingers on finish. Was hoping for a litte more pumpkn and for rum to be a little more balanced with the rest of the flavors. Glad I could say I got to try it though.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2010 03:04:25 | More by despainmakesbeer

mulder1010

Australia

3.1/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

From notes: Had on tap at Avery. 5 oz taster

A-- Poured an opaque ruby color, no head at all, small layer of film. Just a few small carbonation bubbles.

S-- All spice, Nutmeg, pumpkin and rum. ABV is well hidden for a high ABV beer.

T-- Dark rum, all spice, nutmeg, and pumpkin. Very sweet and a lot of alcohol.

M-- This was tingly, thick and syrupy. Very sweet and a lot of alcohol. Was told Goslings rum barrels were used for it. Could easily taste that though.

D-- Taster was more than enough. Great nose but after that not much great about it. More like rum and very sweet I thought. Too syrupy and not a huge fan of rum. Had to try it though.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2010 05:04:11 | More by mulder1010

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.4/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Dark amber, almost pumpkiny color. Brown and orange in there, sweet aroma, no doubt from the rum.

Somewhat simplistic taste, rum, pumpkin, beer, yeah, somewhat exotic, would like to see Avery do their hopping and dry hopping thing in this, I realize that's pretty simplistic too, but it is a crowd pleaser. A little bit of spice, the abv was too easily tasteable in this one for me.

"Rum barrels from Bermuda with real pumpkin in mash."

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2010 21:19:35 | More by Beerandraiderfan

mkorpal

Wyoming

3.65/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Had on tap, poured into a matching Avery stemmed flute glass. Pours a ruby red with almost no head. Ok, lets just call it flat out no head. At least it has bubbles rising up, but they don't stick around for the party long. Nearly had legs, but not quite.

Smell is booze, spice, rum, a bit of pumpkin, and overall fallness. it could have been a bit more forward.

Taste is spice, rum, some caramel, a dash of pumpkin, and a healthy dose of booze. It's alright, but probably could used more pumpkin.

Pretty light in terms of mouthfeel. it works out ok, not really sure what it should be.

It's booze, and more booze. It nearly burns going down. What the hell do you expect from Avery.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2010 03:43:23 | More by mkorpal

rhinos00

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had on-tap straight from the source at Avery. Poured into a tulip-type glass. This one has been aged in rum barrels for 9 months.

A- Pours a crystal clear mahogany. Produced a fingers width of white head. Reduced to a semi-thick ring around the glass. Little to no lacing.

S- Smells like autumn. Upfront you get a nice whiff of pumpkin and spices. The rum creates a perfect blend here. Adds a great alcoholic sweetness to the aroma.

T- After the aroma, I can't help think that this was a let down. The base beer was just off. The initial flavors were great, but the spices and pumpkin quickly fade and take on a soda type water taste...very bland. The blandness actually intensified as the beer warmed. The rum aspect of the beer saves it. It was very rich in flavor and offered a nice compliment to the spices.

M- Medium bodied, yet slightly on the thin side. Pretty well carbonated.

D- At nearly 14% abv, the alcohol was hidden very well. However, the flavors were the problem. I just couldn't get past the spiced blandness.

Overall, at $10 for a 10oz serving I will pass from now on. However, I can't help but think that Avery is onto something with pairing pumpkin beers and rum barrels. If the base of this beer was anywhere close to that of Pumking, it would be an absolutely phenomenal beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2010 03:22:57 | More by rhinos00

codewarrior

New York

3.35/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at the Cheeky Monk on Colfax, Poured into a Cheeky Monk Balloon.

It was also listed at 13.20% ABV on the tap list for Sunday Breakfast at Cheeky Monk, listed as "Imperial Pumpkin Ale Aged in Rum Barrels."

A: 2-fingers rich head, deep mahogany with a rust-orange tint. Transparent.

S: Front is rich pumpkin with nutmeg and spices. Front doesn't last long and is consumed by rum, entirely.

T: Tastes like a pumpkin being actively drowned in rum (note that this is somewhat violent sounding, and the taste was similarly so). The rum is a little overpowering at first, but by the end of the 12oz pour, it seemed to balance out a bit more (although by the end of the 12oz pour I was decidedly less balanced ... ).

F: Thick and rich, a bit cold for my taste, and hence just a touch thinner than I'd like.

D: Decent beer, but ultimately it couldn't stand up to the rum, which overpowers in places, instead of enhancing.

When I saw this on the menu I thought that this would end-up tasting like pumpkin pie, Rum gives off many brown-sugar notes. Nearer the end of the beer this started to come through (but i'll chalk that up to mild-drunkeness).

While I was able to finish this beer (a problem i've had with 12oz pours of Avery beers at Cheeky Monk before), I would again suggest that a 12oz pour of a 13.2% ABV beer is ... a tad much.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2010 16:25:23 | More by codewarrior

Spoonfed

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got to try this at the Cambridge Brewing Company's Pumpkin Beer Festival.

High alcohol content comes through, yet very drinkable. Highly enjoyable - wish it was more widely available.

I believe the alcohol content listed here is incorrect: listing last night was 13.2%, not 13.8%.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2010 17:24:11 | More by Spoonfed

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A delight of a desert beer, designed and crafted very well for the cooler Autumn season.

Rumkin pours with a lightly carbonated mohogany redish-brown color and good clarity. Early froathy head formation eventually falters underneath the weight of alcohol and savory sweetness.

Spiced rum hits the nose with a mellow and rich scent. Elements of molassas, toasty, light chocolate, and pumkin pie spice round out the rum/barrel woodiness very well. Very appetizing and mouth watering.

Even more intense is the flavor; where the Porter-ish flaovor of toast, chocolate, nutty, and coffee flavors apply the initial flavor. Sweet rum flavor develops the Porter flavors into more congac and port wine richness and layers. Chocolate and pumpkin pie linger into the long and sweet finish and give a lasting impression in the aftertaste.

Rich, oily and weighted- Rumkin drinks much like a well aged Barleywine with a silky smooth sweet feel. No dryness or fleeting progression, this beer doesn't need it, Rumkin is a desert all to itself.

Surprisingly, the beer's own sweetness develops its into layers upon layers of complexity and substitutes balance very well. Savory and succulent throughout.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2010 15:27:56 | More by BEERchitect

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Well, rum and pumpkin. I'll be.

Pours bright ruby/orange, clear with a rather small head.

Aroma is pumpkin, spices and spiced-rum. The pumpkin is the most noticeable, with rum coming in second. The spices dance around, not letting you to completely capture them

yeah, pumpkin is the flavor. But it seems thin. The rum comes in a reminds me of the old days when we would spike pumpkins (and melons, et al). The alcohol isn't hot, but noticeable. Gives a slight nail polish remover aftertaste.

Overall, for 13% this is quite drinkable. Better for colder days/nights I think. Not sure what the pair this one with.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2010 17:04:39 | More by Mebuzzard

womencantsail

California

4.6/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Blue Palms

A: The pour is a dark amber color with a finger's worth of off-white head.

S: A wonderful aroma on this beer. Tons of spices, namely cinnamon, all spice, and ginger, are immediately noticeable. The rum/barrel adds plenty of oak and vanilla as well as alcohol. A pretty decent pumpkin smell, too.

T: The pumpkin flavor in this beer is unlike any other I've come across. Legitimate fleshy, meaty pumpkin flavor that is complimented by the spice character. The rum helps to enhance the spiciness as well as providing some vanilla and alcohol warmth.

M: The body is medium with a smooth creamy carbonation.

D: This is one beer that is a little bit boozy, but it does not suffer from this characteristic. Amazing flavor and the nose is almost as good.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2010 23:38:00 | More by womencantsail

stumac

Texas

2.35/5  rDev -41.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Just watched I Heart Huckabees. Epic movie yet so humble in its honest and easy truth. Easy truth about the complexities of life. Any fart, this beer started out huge. Big pumpkin aroma and flavor. Some molasses. Spicy alcohol. Little hop profile. Then it immediately became a Dogfish 120. Not quite a Mephistopheles but almost a Samael. Dusty profile. Huge alcohol taste. One dimensional. Just heavy booze. Then it hit me. The complexities in this brew are buried beneath the dominate alcohol. So subtle but very real. Just like I Heart Huckabees, this beer is real life. Great at first, redundant inbetween, and a real eye opener in the end. Oh and it is crimson in color. Just like the other rum beer I've had in this series (The Black Tot) I think it's waaayyyy too boozy. Go fudge yourself Avery. Fudge away...

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 05:20:42 | More by stumac

AltBock

Ohio

4.11/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle with a gold seal around the cap and the neck of the bottle. The label looks like the side of a barrel. The main picture is that of a moonshine jug with Batch 2 and skull and crossbones on it sitting next to a plump pumpkin. Right on the front is where you'll find the vintage date and the cases produced number. This bottle is the 2012 version. To the far sides of the label is where you'll find all the mandatory US info, a description of the beer, and the beer's ingredients. Served in a Cycle Brewing Snifter. 

This Pumpkin Ale poured a unique color. It was a cross between a reddish amber and an light orange color. As for the clarity of the beer, it was a little hazy. It's not as hazy as my memory will be after I finish this 18% beer. For the head of foam, don't expect much of anything. It was just a fizzy head of bubbles. These bubbles had no color to them. These fizzy bubbles quickly faded into oblivion. If I had a magnifying glass, I might have been able to spot some spots along the side of the beer. Even though the head of foam was on the weak side (that's what you get when dealing with a high proof beer), the beer still had a nice hue to it.

This beer was definitely aged in rum barrels. It had a strong aroma of rum and more rum. It didn't burn my nostrils with rum, but it was close. Behind the thick rum wall was some oak, a drop of pumpkin purée, burnt sugar, burnt molasses, a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a subtle whiff of vanilla. It would have smelled like pumpkin pie if it wasn't for the rum. Pumpkin pie dipped in rum. That doesn't sound like a bad idea.

This beer is deceiving at first. It comes on smooth, but then it realizes its a high proof beer and in comes the alcohol. The taste kicks off with the pumpkin ale aspect of the beer first. Unlike the aroma where the rum came first. The first part was filled with pumpkin purée, toasted malt, a touch of burnt sugar, a drop of molasses, and a few spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and ginger. After all that, in comes the taste of rum and oak like a typhoon. At this point, the rum completely takes over the beer. It doesn't ruin the taste. It adds uniqueness.

I'm sure you know what the mouthfeel is going to be like from a beer like this. It was full bodied with a strong aftertaste of rum and oak. Besides the rum in the aftertaste, I also found some pumpkin, molasses, and a little cinnamon and nutmeg. The rum will stick around for a long time in the back of your mouth. You will feel this beer go to work on you.

This is definitely a sipper. Take your time with this beer. You're not going anywhere any time soon when you're drinking this beer. This is one of my more unique beers that I've had lately. Is it worth a shot? Oh yeah! Even if you're not a fan of pumpkin ales. It's still worth a shot. 

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 04:33:41 | More by AltBock

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a 2012 bottle that is being reviewed.

A - Pours an orange/ruby color that's a little hazy which disappears as it warms to crystal clear. The head is light tan color and dies down almost as quickly as it's poured, no carbonation.

S - Figs, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, sweet caramel malt, and boozy rum aroma.

T - Sweet caramel malt briefly out front before being drowned out with pumpkin, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, candied figs, light vanilla, light oak, and a huge medicinal wall of rum booziness. The sweetness is almost cloying at times. There is some nice complexity but it gets squashed and overshadowed by the aggressive rum presence. Leaves a coating of spices and rum in the mouth making it salivate like crazy.

M - Oily, viscous, slick, velvety smooth, full bodied, lightly syrupy.

O - The strong alcohol presence forced me to score this lower on the taste scale which is unfortunate because the beer is wonderfully complex. The first few sips left my throat with a "fire in the hole", too medicinal and needs to be aged to mellow out as would any young high alcohol beer like this. (IMO) 'Good thing I have (5) of these left to cellar experiment with. Looking forward to trying another in 6-12 months to see how it's progressing.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 00:18:12 | More by jzeilinger

ngeunit1

California

4.65/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a cloudy orange-brown with a finger of frothy off-white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of sweet caramel malts, brown sugar, oak, rum, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, a bit of dark fruit, and some booze.

T - Starts off with some caramel malts with some brown sugar, pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Through the middle, some oak and Rum comes through with some more pumpkin pie spices and a bit of dark fruit. The finish is a mix of brown sugar, Rum, oak, caramel malts, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, dark fruit, and some booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet, warming, and spicy finish.

D - Very drinkable. The almost 16% abv is well hidden and the overall balance is fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 07:08:58 | More by ngeunit1

russwbeck

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sept. 17, 2012 Bottling. Enjoyed the day before the 2011 vintage.

A: The beer pours out of the bottle the most ridiculous color of orange I have ever seen. It rests in the glass almost brown, viscous as hell, and with an orange-tinted head. The head is nothing more than a few bubbles and hangs out for only a fleeting second. It just looks like a big beer. 4.5

S: The aroma is strangely muted. Spices, definitely some rum, and the pumpkin mostly. The alcohol is hot and dominates the other aromas. I guess I expected the pumpkin and rum to attack me right off the bat, but this seems to be a more blended, less aggressive aroma. 3

T: The taste is really focused on the rum. In fact, I'd almost say the rum is cut with pumpkin. There seems to be another factor adding thickness here, which I'll call molasses because the beer is really sweet. Spices rest on the backend, both from the beer and the rum barrel. The pumpkin really presents itself throughout the entire taste, attempting to compete with the rum when it reality it only plays second fiddle. The finish is all rum and vanilla and the beer warms you as you drink. I do like the beer despite it's over-the-top ruminess. I'm impressed that pumpkin can play on this level, but I'm afraid it isn't quite good enough to make this a top notch offering.

MF: The beer actually burns on the way down, which although I've had a good number of very high ABV beers, I can't say I'm used to. The body is thick and heavy, coating the mouth with rum and spice. The size of this beer makes the drinkability a bit lower than it could be. The alcohol just takes you over. 3.5

O: This beer quite literally warms my soul. I thought the fresh version was hot (something I remember when I had this on tap last year), so I'm excited to see what happened to the bottle I held on to for a year. If you can find this, buy it, and experience it. I doubt you'll regret it. 4

Oct. 2011 Bottling.

A: The body has gotten much darker, and the bright orange appearance that so struck me before has turned into more of a sludge amber with a white head. The body is much more clear than the 2012 version. As before, the bubbly head doesn't stick around that long at all. A ton of crap has built up at the bottom of the bottle, which I didn't pour into my glass. I can't stress enough that they look like different beers. 3.5

S: The pumpkin asserts itself much more, with the spices underneath. The rum plays well here and the booze is as strong as ever at the finish. I'm actually a little surprised the alcohol hasn't been cut a bit more, it's still almost burning my nostrils. 3

T: I'll say this right up front, the taste is significantly better. I'd say the best pumpkin beer I've had to this point. The balance, finally, is noticeable and MUCH appreciated. The sweetness is still big, and the caramel seems to be much stronger than any pumpkin. The rum and alcohol play big parts here, but as I said it's actually balanced. The spices are gone. Big malt finish and I appreciate the beer not burning on the way down. 5

MF: Thinner body with more carbonation. The drinkability is much higher because of the balance and lower level of noticeable alcohol. I still feel the 18.1% ABV after I'm about halfway through the bottle, however. 4

O: Huge improvement. I actually wish I had another bottle to hold onto for a few year. My guess is this will only continue to get better. I absolutely recommend you age this over drinking it fresh. Having had it fresh on tap and in the bottle, this is much better. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 00:09:06 | More by russwbeck

davey101

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Batch 2, bottled 9/17/12. 12 oz foil topped bottle into a brandy snifter.

A - Pours a rather clear burnt orange/brown color. Some small off white bubbles dissipate quickly leaving behind a very still body. Swirling creates some minute bubbles and leaves behind a thin alcoholic trace.

S - Pumpkin and squash flesh, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some rich malty toffee. The finish is harsh alcohol and some sweet vanilla. The beginning is quite nice and reminiscent of many pumpkin ales, but the alcohol just burns the nose and prevents the aroma from being approachable. I find myself smelling it from a few inches away from the glass rather than stuffing my nose in like most beers.

T - Starts off with some basic roasted pumpkin flesh flavors along with the standard spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and all spice. These flavors are then interrupted by a huge wave of alcohol that burns the mouth and throat. Aftertaste is of oak and some brief vanilla. The rum is just noticeable in a lingering spice. Disappointing and light in the flavor department. Its saving grace is that its not too sweet or cloying.

M - Medium to thin bodied with low carbonation. Drink ability is quite low. I'm struggling with the first 6 oz pour.

O - I really wanted to like this one, but alas I'm just left perplexed. Sticking a pumpkin ale in a rum barrel sounds like an amazing idea. Somewhere along the line Avery decided to make the beer an 18% abv monster. Big boozy beers rarely bother me, but this one is just a bit too harsh and simple.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 03:30:28 | More by davey101

dannyancient

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A:
2011 vintage poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip. Pours a burnt orange color that becomes a reddish rust color when held up to the light. The head pours off white, and disappears immediately

S:
Smells incredible. Notes of cinnamon, pumpkin, pumpkin pie, brown sugar, and maple syrup. There is also a great barrel aged aroma of oak, though the rum is not as prevalent as you might think. It seems to be surrounded by a very pleasant alcohol warmth, though it is secondary. Pretty amazing when you consider it's 15+% ABV.

T:
The taste is where this beer shines. A great pumpkin flavor wrapped around notes of brown sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, molasses, and a really pleasant alcohol warmth that gets more pronounced as the beer warms.

M:
Really rich mouthfeel, full bodied with a light to medium carbonation. The alcohol hotness is really pleasant, and the barrel aged taste is great. I wish there were more of a rum flavor, but it could be that it's just blended into the mix. Great beer!

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 01:27:29 | More by dannyancient

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary snifter. Liquid comes out a pretty nice amber red color that gets closer to autumn orange when you hold it up to the light. Only a small white to off white colored head. Goes away pretty quick and not much in the way of lacing. Excellent clarity on the beer but a little bit of glass retention of the liquid itself, sort of syrupy.

Smell is pretty good, but really more unique than anything else in my opinion. Some classic pumpkin pie aromas including spices. Blends well with the rum, a little woody too, but it's an afterthought.

The taste is a huge step up from the smell, it's wonderful. Pumpkin comes out much stronger here. More of a hearty natural pumpkin flavor that's sweetened up a bit. Still a spicy note with a nice spoonful of molasses mixed in topped off with a nice sweet rum flavor. All in all this is one tasty beer.

Mouthfeel is good. Certainly full bodied and a slight weak carbonation level. For such a high alcohol beer, it's actually not too hot, I'm sure rum has something to do with it instead of the normal bourbon or whiskey barrel beers. The balance is good, starts really sweet and a nice warm finish. It's drinkable but certainly a nice sipper. Good night cap beer on a cool evening. Well done Avery, another solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 05:40:47 | More by AndyAvalanche

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 vintage. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 8 oz snifter.

A- pours caramel in color with a half finger of cream colored head. No lacing.

S- caramel, cinnamon, maple syrup, nutmeg and faint pumpkin.

T- sweet maple syrup, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg.

M- medium body and carbonation. Syrupy with a alcohol burn still.

O- the rum aging works very well with the pumpkin beer. I think another year on this beer and the booze will fade more and will drink very well.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 04:46:26 | More by kawilliams81