Pumpkinator - Saint Arnold Brewing Company

ms11781

Massachusetts

2.4/5  rDev -44.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to duff247. 2011 vintage. 22oz bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours a very deep, dark brown. It's nearly black but not quite. There is a bit of fizzy foam that develops but it disappears almost immediately. There isn't really any lacing to speak of either. The beer looks fairly thin, especially for a stout of this size.

The nose is full of spice, notably cinnamon and nutmeg. Both are dominant and make the other aroma really fight to get to the forefront. Some clove does make it's way to the surface as does a slight bit of roast. There is no hint of pumpkin here at all.

The taste seems to be even heavier on the cinnamon. There is a good deal of nutmeg too but the cinnamon is nearly overpowering. The finish saps the mouth of any moistness, almost as if you tried to swallow a mouthfull of actual, dry ground cinnamon. There isn't really much going on here aside from the big spice notes. Perhaps there is but it's drowned out by the strong cinnamon.

This feels a bit thin for a 10% ABV stout. The carbonation is not all that high but it is a bit high for the style. The body almost feels closer to a decent sized porter than to a big stout.

This beer missed the mark for me. There was no pumpkin that I could detect whatsoever and a huge cinnamon note took over in the taste and didn't let go. I'd like to think that maybe a fresh bottle had some pumpkin to stand up to and compliment the spice notes but I thiink the body would still be lacking for it to work.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 18:51:22 | More by ms11781

EgadBananas

Louisiana

2.58/5  rDev -40.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pretty much black, with a light tan finger of head. Holy effing pumpkin and gingerbread! Spice, nutmeg, gingerbread all through the taste. Not mostly pumpkin though. There’s no stout in the aroma to me. Deeper tastes let a more roasted, alcoholic side come through. I've had a pumpkin stout before and it was alright because the pumpkin'y parts were subtle and complimenting, but this is a pumpkin pie in a beer's body. No balance. For pumpkin lovers only.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 21:48:46 | More by EgadBananas

SWMeyer4141

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured at 45 degrees into a Snifter

Pretty gentle pour yielded a 2 finger brown head. Body is a pretty dark black. Lacing was slim and head retention is what you'd expect from a 10% beer.

Smell-Cinnamon, booze. Dark Chocolate and Sweet malts. It's a little bit cinnamon dominant and the booze is very apparent.

Taste-Upfront it's a sweet milk chocolately bite that is nice, a little bit thin. Then a barage of cinnamon really comes through, a lot of it. The finish is what really killed this beer, it's just lots of booze. It's not that pleasant booze you get out of an Imperial Stout on the backend but a cheap vodka flavored booze that burns the inside of the lips and the tongue...and it lingers...

Mouthfeel-A little thin, really coats the mouth but like what I said it's way too much booze. Carbonation may be a little bit low for what it is to kind of mask the booze and cinnamon.

Overall-I was excited to get this beer and I'm still very happy I got this. It's really nice to see St Arnolds produce a bomber of a nice big winter beer, product of DR9. I never had a DR9 fresh so really can't compare but It was a much mellower beer when I had the DR9 a few months ago. I will definitely be aging the rest of my bottles. As of now, this beer is a big let down, and I really hate giving St. Arnolds a negative review, but I know this beer will get better.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 02:11:07 | More by SWMeyer4141

kungpao

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Ginger Man Houston

A- Dark stout like looking beer. Served in a half pint with little to no head. No complaints, pours like I expected.

S- Complex. Roasted malts, dark fruits, pumpkin spice. Not as chocolatey as I was expecting but still nice aroma.

T- A bit of a miss for me. Lots of dark fruits, roasted malts up front. Bittering hops help take the edge off the sweetness. The pumpkin like spices were a mess. I tasted some strange amaretto like flavor that turned me off.

M- A bit too carbonated for style, possibly improper serving pressure though.

O- I was hoping for a mellowed out version of DR9. I'll report back and edit this post when I try the bottled version.

Edit: Update after having bottles from both 11' & 12'. I took some points off from the overall and mouthfeel. St Arnold makes a good effort on this one but misses the mark. The spices are not as balanced as some of the top tier pumpkin beers. The mouthfeel on 12' was lacking.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2012 21:20:44 | More by kungpao

champ103

Texas

3.43/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I have been debating on if I should review this or not. It is suppose to be the same as DR 9, and I have submitted an update to merge the two. Though this is really different than the DR version.

A: Pours a dark brown, nearly black color. A one finger tan head forms, but recedes in a second. Light lace is left behind.
S: A big cinnamon bomb. Light chocolate and some rum like alcohol. Like cinnamon sticks that is put in hot rum and cider drinks.
T: Again, huge on the cinnamon. Some light chocolate and bread crust.
M/D: A medium body that is really over carbonated. A bit thin and watery. Easy enough to drink. Even with the high alcohol. A slow sipper.

I do enjoy this as is. Though a bit one dimensional and some noticeable heat in the throat. On top of which, it is a shell of its former Divine Reserve self.
---
Original DR 9 review:

A: Pours a dark brown, nearly black color. A two finger light tan head forms, and recedes to a ring that sticks throughout. Some lace is left behind.
S: Wow, pumpkin pie and spice hits you right up front. Cinnamon and peppermint. As this warms up, lots of subtle aromas come out. Vanilla, chocolate, roasted malt. A light dark fruity flavor lingers. Really good.
T: Pumpkin pie and spice again. Roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon. Some hot alcohol as well. This is good.
M/D: A full body that is low on carbonation. Velvety smooth, decadent, and creamy. This is devilishly easy to drink. A bit of hot alcohol, but a great beer to sip on.

One of the better Divine Reserve's that I can remember. Some age should make this really interesting. Saint Arnold has made one hell of an ambitious and extreme beer. They said they wanted to make the best pumpkin beer ever. They might have done just that. Something I highly recommend

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 03:11:15 | More by champ103

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle split two ways

A: Pours a shade from black with a finger of head that quickly recedes to a ring around the beer.

S: Cinnamon, nutmeg, apple cobbler, and a hint of roast.

T: Strong cinnamon and nutmeg up front - I get more apple cobbler than I get pumpkin pie, but this is still very nice. I get strong dark chocolate and mild roast.

M: A bit above medium mouthfeel with adequate carbonation.

O: More of a pumpkin beer than a stout, but still decent. There is certainly a stout base underneath all these spices, but I'd like to taste a bit more of it.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 02:14:50 | More by coreyfmcdonald

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.53/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Saint Arnold Pumpkinator has a thick, creamy, beige head, some decent lacing, and a dark brown, cane syrup-looking appearance. The aroma is sweet, roasted, and somewhat spicy, and the flavor is even more-so spice oriented. Sadly, there is just too much allspice taste to it, which overrides everything else, from what I could tell. Mouthfeel is medium to heavy, and Pumpkinator finishes sweet, syrupy, and heavy. It’s a sipper, for the most part. Overall, I think it’s good enough, but overly spiced. It's worth checking out.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 11:44:22 | More by RonaldTheriot

claspada

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours almost dark brown, almost black with a smallish fluffy tan head that fades slowly to a ring around the edge of the glass.

Aromas begin with a ton of mulling spices; cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and mace. Reminds me more of apple pie spice than pumpkin pie spice. As it warms you get a little of the base porter, mild roasted malts, but it's hard to fight over the crazy strong spice blend. Actual pumpkin is not present; smells kind of like vodka miles with mulling spices as it continues to warm.

The tastes begin, thankfully with some dark roasted porter flavors highlighted by dark bitter cocoa and roasted dark espresso bitterness. The backend/ finish is dominated by a boat ton of spices which I mentioned in the aroma. Fusel alcohol is also present as it continues to warm.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is spice and alcohol dominant, a bit abrasive to be honest.

Overall this was a decent beer at first, but as it warmed it became quite spice forward and alcohol dominant. A slightly softer spice hand wold have been appreciated here as well as a more controlled fermentation temperature to limit the abundant abrasive alcohol that is present as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 04:09:55 | More by claspada

libbey

Washington

3.8/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a NB globe. Thanks to injuredreserve for the chance to try this.

A: The beer pours a very dark brown with a nice fluffy head that dissipates quickly into a thin film. Very minimal lacing.

S: Big cinnamon and nutmeg spices dominate the nose. Smells like pumpkin pie, yum. Alcohol becomes more pronounced as it warms.

T: Cinnamon and nutmeg mingle with a touch of roasted malt. A fair amount of booze is present and it is a bit cloying. Spice is the dominant player here.

M: The beer is a touch under carbonated which leaves the overall mouthfeel a bit thin which doesn't help the style. The finish is nice as the cinnamon and nutmeg linger on the pallet.

O: While I am not generally a fan of spiced beers this one kind of works for me. I could see the pumpkin lovers out there going gaga over this one and I'm glad I got a chance to try it but once was enough for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 23:53:24 | More by libbey

AndrewR

Texas

3.88/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Less motor oil, more root beer in the glass. Aromatically insane; yankee candle, fiery cinnamon stick, clove, butter crust. Mouthfeel is medium, hollow mid palate, intense on carbonation with round, thick tannins. Finishes with heat, way too young, alcohol spikes and makes this ultimately unbalanced. Best to lay a half dozen down for the next 2-8 years. Savor/sip now over the course of a few hours.

All the stuffing is here, just needs time. Could be epic...

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 02:01:30 | More by AndrewR

mdvatab

Indiana

3.93/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Received in recent trade w/ cosmonick. (Thanks!)

Poured from 22oz bottle into large Bordeaux wine glass.

Aroma: Ginger, cinnamon, malted milk, and roasted pumpkin. A well-balanced blend of the spice components one would expect in a pumpkin ale.

Appearance: Deep, dark brown. Light tan 1/2 finger head disappears quickly. Minimal lacing.

Flavor: A rich, roasty maltiness combines surprisingly well with cinnamon and ginger. A black licorice note is also there. A nice amount of malty sweetness, and a pleasant smoky note appears at the end.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with medium carbonation. Definitely a peppery touch of booze in this one.

Overall: Likely to be one of my last pumpkin ales of the year, and I enjoyed it. Going into this one, I questioned how well the rich chocolaty stout flavors would meld with the pumpkin spices. St. Arnold did an excellent job, though. I recommend you try this one!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 17:44:53 | More by mdvatab

beerdrifter

Germany

3.93/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Becca for the hookup on this one! Dark brown, almost black pour with a half finger beige head that fades really quickly with almost no lacing. The nose is huge and complex with hints of clove, licorice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and chocolate. The taste is big and bold and complex as well. Tons of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg up front along with hints of licorice, anise, chocolate, cardamon, molasses, pumpkin, vanilla, and ginger. The mouthfeel is slightly thick and syrupy and definitely a sipper. The alcohol is well hidden for a 10% beer. Definitely a great winter beer perfect for a cold evening in front of the fire. Very impressive offering.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 00:44:53 | More by beerdrifter

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to injuredreserve for throwing in this crazy extra.

Appearance: Deep, dark brown/amber with some deeper red hues when held to direct light. Head is a nice khaki, creamy, and fluffy to start. Drops to a a darker tan ring in short order. Almost no cap to speak of. Minimal lacing.

Smell: Cocoa dusted pumpkin bread. Laden with fall spices (clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, allspice) and chocolate. Cocoa, dark chocolate pieces, some lighter milk chocolate as well. Big roasted compliment coming through the back. Pie crust. Buttery and crumbly. It smells like dessert. Aggressive, spiced pumpkin chocolate bread. Caramel malts add a nice layer of sweetness. Some underlying pumpkin flesh as well.

Taste: Almost as big as the nose, but not quite. Big punch of spice that never dials back and grows as the beer warms. Allspice and cinnamon dominate. Incredibly malty. Roasted malts coupled with some cooked caramel malts as well. A touch of burnt malts run through the back. Pumpkin takes a back seat, offering up some faint hints in the back. Mildly toasted. Pushes toward brown sugar at times. Dialed down chocolate presence, big on the cocoa. Warming turns this in to an aggressive spice stout. Balance fades.

Mouthfeel: Body is on the heavier side of medium. Moderate carbonation works well with the flavors. Some lingering alcohol dryness. Smooth and just a touch creamy.

Overall: Burly as hell, but the muscles are just for show.

Easily one of the better takes on a pumpkin stout. Spices feel a little out of whack in the long run, but the whole dessert thing is interesting enough to keep it going. Split this between 3-4 people and it would be ideal.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 17:19:24 | More by Goblinmunkey7

depechemode1983

Texas

3.98/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Super dark brown in color. The head is decent. Its tan and somewhat foamy. It stays around for a couple of minutes but doesn't leave any lacing behind.

S - Very aromatic. Reminds me of a Yankee holiday candle. Tons of spice in the nose. Nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, licorice, and vanilla. It smell delicious.

T - Unique. Definitely getting alcohol. Sorta just hits you straight up. All the spices are there. As far as the spices clove is dominant. The end is sweet and hot. I think the alcohol could have been played better. Its way to noticeable. All the spices are great though.

M - Medium bodied. A little rough around the edges. The boozyiness doesn't help the finish.

O - It's not that I'm disappointed. It's just that I was expecting something a little more refined. I think this one could use a couple years of aging. I love hot beers but this one was way out there. I'm giving it a high score based on the spices used. You can really pick each one out and label it perfectly. But like I said before with a little less alcohol bite this beer would be bomb.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 02:13:08 | More by depechemode1983

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber - Thanks to cfrancis for this

Appearance - Black/brown colour with a small size fizzy dark beige head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for just a few minutes.

Smell - Malts, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, pumpkin

Taste & Mouth - There is low amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, chocolate, and pumpkin. There is also a lot of spices going on.. ginger, nutmeg, and lots of clove. It ends with a malty/spicy aftertaste.

Overall - At first I was really enjoying the beer. It has a taste all it's own and it wasn't cloying like most of the other stronger pumpkin beers are. The amount of spices in it did start to wear on me a little bit though. Still a very good beer that is well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 18:31:34 | More by spinrsx

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.98/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz, 2011
Tired Hands wine glass

A: Pours a dark brown color. Reddish hues around the edges. Basically in a ring of light tan head around edges. But it's nicely carbonated. Seeing some tight small bubbles up edges. No as thick as I was expecting.

S: Definitely getting the pumpkin like smell: flesh, spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove), etc. Also, pulling some roasted notes.

T: Tip of the tongue, getting all the pumpkin ale flavors. That spice bill primarily. In the middle, you get more fleshy hints and the roasted grain notes to make it a stout. Not crazy big or full, carbonation makes it thinner. On the finish its dry. But pulling more of that dark chocolate bitterness and roast. Makes you remember yes it's a stout.

M: It's full but the carbonation helps lessen it.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 13:41:50 | More by inlimbo77

Piliper

Texas

4/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

What an interesting offering from St. Arnold's. I have 3 bottles in the cellar that I'm going to age, so I may amend my review in the future.

A: Very dark. Almost pitch black, but with a very faint brownish red around the edges.

S: Powerful nutmeg and cinnamon with hints of clove. Has an incredibly distinct smell, unlike anything I've ever sampled.

T: The cinnamon and nutmeg hits like a ton of bricks. Very faint pumpkin taste and the 10% ABV is well disguised. Strong, but smooth.

M: A little grainy. The spices almost grind against your teeth and tongue. Moderate carbonation.

O: I'm back and forth on this beer. I can't decide if it's good or epic. It's simply so different than anything I've ever had that it's hard to make a decision. It's a definite must try if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 00:00:46 | More by Piliper

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in an Ohio State shaker pint glass.

Thanks to twiggamortis420 for this bottle!

I imagine a crossover flick, in the style of Freddy Vs Jason, between Pumpkinhead and the Terminator. God, would it probably suck... Anyway, this stuff pours a dark black-brown topped by a finger of sandy tan foam. The nose comprises mild roasted malts, very light cola, brown sugar, very light molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. The taste brings in more of the same, with an avalanche of the aforementioned spices and a hint of ginger tossed in for good measure. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a sorta/kinda drying finish. Overall, a delightful pumpkin stout (wow, did I really just say "delightful"...?), one that pleasantly balances the roasted elements with a healthy spicing. Good times.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 14:53:40 | More by TMoney2591

davey101

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber into a DFH signature glass. The cap came off with a huge pressure release. Huge thanks to jl28r1 for this awesome extra!

A - Pitch black body. Zero light shines through. A decent frothy khaki head formed and receded to some solid edging. Lacing and retention is pretty weak.

S - Pumpkin pie spice followed by some dark roasty, chocolaty malts. The spice smells really natural, cinnamon, cloves, all spice, nutmeg, etc. I get the slightest hint of squash. This smells fantastic!

T - Not as impressive as the nose. Roasted bitter pumpkin followed by the full spice cabinet and some biscuity malts. The nutmeg is very strong on this one. There is a lot of sweetness which is balanced out by the spice and bitterness. The mouth feel is medium bodied, but for an imperial stout I was hoping for a bit more body. The alcohol isn't very noticeable though.

O - A really unique take on the pumpkin beer. This is my first pumpkin stout and I quite liked it. It wasn't the best pumpkin beer I've had, but it was the perfect beer for a chilly October afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 22:05:25 | More by davey101

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.04/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks willandperry!!

Appearance. Pours a deep dark brown, black in the glass and topped with a thin, light tan head.

Smell. Ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, and a little molasses. I might not be the biggest fan of spiced beers, but this smells good.

Taste. Wow, lots of molasses, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, a bit of dark malts and some booze.

Mouthfeel. Fairly full body, on the low side for sure. Low+ carbonation.

Overal. Nice spicing but a little heavy handed. I wonder if it will mellow over time. If I come across another bottle I'll throw it in the cellar a while.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 01:36:23 | More by Rutager

cfrobrew

Texas

4.05/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 bottle poured into a tulip glass

A- Very dark with a small light brown head that subsides to a ring.

S- Very complex, the quintessential pumpkin beer smell.

T- Almost warm, not an overwhelming alcohol taste but it is pretty strong. Very intense pumpkin spice that covers up the stout characteristics, rather disappointing in that regard. Also an interesting bitterness on the back end.

M- Good carbonation, not as thick as I would expect an imperial stout feels more like an imperial porter.

O- This one should be cool to let age, personally I would prefer a heavier beer but its still a good drink. Very creative and enjoyable. My wife REALLY liked it a lot though so I would say it was a successful buy.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 00:55:13 | More by cfrobrew

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.06/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Been waiting a while to crack this one from my fridge. 2011 vintage reviewed from notes.

A - Poured into my Dogfish Head chalice a clear garnet/brown hue with a thin quarter inch head that fades slowly but leaves no side lacing.

S - Aroma are quite nice. Almost like a Cigar City Good Gourd, just as a stout. Nice chocolate, faint pumpkin pie spices (cloves, nutmeg), roast malts, and roasted gourd.

T - Taste is like the nose with large bursts of chocolate, roasted vegetable/gourd, more pie notes particularly nutmeg. Starts off with the ABV hidden, however, when warm it really pops out unfortunately.

M - Mouthfeel is the low point for this beer. It is simply too thin and watery. Such a shame.

O - Overall, a good beer with nice chocolate and pumpkin notes. Just really wish that the alcohol was hidden more come the end of the glass.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 07:11:51 | More by rudzud

diamondc

Texas

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Dark, not completely black. Nice head on the initial pour, but it fizzes out after a minute.

S: Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin lingers in the background. A bit of alcohol heat, too.

T: All the good pumpkin pie spices hit the tongue first, followed by a lite espresso/chocolate flavors. I really taste the pumpkin on the aftertaste. Hops are minimal, here. Well-done.

M: A bit thin for a double stout. Didn't really taste that much booze compared to other reviews. A bomber wasn't that hard to finish, despite all the spices.

O: Definitely the best pumpkin flavored beer I've had.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 11:48:42 | More by diamondc

jono311

Louisiana

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance- very dark amber brown with a thick reddish tan cap of head that hangs on nicely.

Smell- Straight up pumpkin pie in a glass. basically smells like the fruit part of a pumpkin, nutmeg, and a bit of caramel/amber malt.

Taste- Rich and sweet with a bit of the spice palate typical to pumpkin pie, i.e. nutmeg, cinnamon, all spice, with just enough hoppiness to balance out the sweetness and provide a refreshing clean finish.

Mouthfeel- Creamy and smooth on cask, it was a bit hoppier and drier in the bottle. The ABV is not overwhelming by any means but the richness of this one lets you know its not your average session beer.

Overall, one of the best pumpkin beers I've ever had and definitely a highlight of the 2011 fall season. laid one bottle down to see how it goes with a year or so of age.

Serving type: cask

01-26-2012 22:03:26 | More by jono311

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle, the centerpiece of a recent trade with BeerHunter76 (thanks man) split 3 ways into pint glasses.

A: Very dark brown body with red highlights...half finger of lighter tan head, light lacing.

S: Holiday spices dominate but there is a fair amount of chocolate here as well...moderate suggestion of pumpkin as well. Cinnamon is pretty dominant, hints of nutmeg, ginger and clove as well.

T: Cinnamon upfront again, with moderate creamy chocolate/roast notes and lighter suggestions of pumpkin pie. Not vegetable-like, which is a huge plus. Clove and ginger spices as well...cinnamon is pulling but the creamy chocolate delivers.

MF: Creamier feel, higher carbonation but no complaint here with the assortment of flavors. Body is about medium, with a pulling spiciness that isn't distracting.

O: Complimentary spices and holiday flavors with a surprising chocolate presence makes this a nice pumpkin stout. Definitely one to seek out if you like pumpkin beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 23:25:53 | More by Scotchboy