Cottonwood Pumpkin Spiced Ale - Carolina Beer Company

khiasmus

South Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A tired horse trots up the dusty lane, an empty saddle hanging cockeyed on his back. The orange sunset glows behind him and creates a thick haze, a turbid orange/brown through the plumes of dust. His muscles are quaking and a sheen sits atop his skin, with just the slightest bit of foam at the mouth left over from his hard run.
The rider left this morning, and was planning to return before nightfall, but that was before the messenger had arrived shortly thereafter, with word of a thunder moving across the plains, a stampede such as the area had not known in many a year.
Brows furrow with the obvious assumption, what with the horse returning all alone and the state of the saddle. The pumpkin-carving party has been suspended in preparation for the onslaught that can just now be felt in the vibration of the ground. The aroma hangs in the dead air, of pumpkins and spices, cider and biscuits all baking in the warm sun.
Dry, the cider is, almost tart, with the spice elements and faint honey blending but finishing with a nutmeg and lemon. A medium body, but the carbonation and tartness all lending a dry, please-have-another-sip finish.
All of the streets have had to be cleared, nothing left in the open. Their sides will press along the buildings as they part like so many sea-waves around the buildings, we hope. The porches will cave as their pillars are crushed in the onslaught. Sit still on the other end of the house and sip and enjoy, and hope for the best. The glasses are clinking on the tables and the pictures are falling from the walls. They're closing in...

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2010 20:04:18 | More by khiasmus

FriedSlug

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -22.5%

11-11-2012 02:46:03 | More by FriedSlug

cosmo4u

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

10-29-2012 17:53:15 | More by cosmo4u

st9647v3

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

10-24-2012 03:03:27 | More by st9647v3

JBMartin23

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

10-19-2012 21:34:43 | More by JBMartin23

Bieregod

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

09-26-2012 22:20:10 | More by Bieregod

RWLawman

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -16%

09-12-2012 14:48:59 | More by RWLawman

Lob

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

09-04-2012 13:03:01 | More by Lob

deonreds

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

03-19-2012 05:22:32 | More by deonreds

Hanzo

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

03-03-2012 22:15:38 | More by Hanzo

cfh64

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.4%

12-31-2011 03:45:03 | More by cfh64

Sivad

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

12-20-2011 00:36:07 | More by Sivad

Lantern

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +29.2%

12-06-2011 16:07:58 | More by Lantern

nmann08

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.4%

12-05-2011 01:57:10 | More by nmann08

oline73

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.4%

11-16-2011 03:51:05 | More by oline73

harryhood41

Georgia

5/5  rDev +29.2%

11-16-2011 03:19:19 | More by harryhood41

kneeland

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Found a 6 pack of this on clearance in February, score! I've never had pumpkin ale this time of year, it actually makes me think it's autumn.

I'm not picking up on the spices, but yet the flavor is almost overbearing. The added pumpkin taste is nice though, not too much, not too little. So in other words, this isn't my favorite pumpkin ale, but it's in the top few.

The pour is a nice golden orangey color. The head works well enough. Overall, a pretty good little beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 00:01:18 | More by kneeland

TheKingofWichita

North Carolina

2.88/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark russet brown color with a thick tannish white head and tons of lacing. Smells of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg + some booze. Tastes very mediocre. Like pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc, but just too boozy. Mouthfeel is decent. Drinkability is high.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2010 23:45:39 | More by TheKingofWichita

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint. No date or info.

Thanks to Onenote81 for sending this in a big surprise box!

A - Completely hazed over, this amber-orange beer had a moderately retained off-white head that ended in a lace-less thin pile.

S - The twist of the cap and following gun smoke wafting into the air released a burst of spicy pumpkin ale aroma. Ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin, cinnamon, and allspice combine for a pleasurable pumpkin pie aroma. Bready caramel malts make up a good crusty-like base for the pumpkin.

T - Heavy on the spice as the aroma suggested, it's got a great conglomerate of spice dashed in. Nice pumpkin flavor and smooth maltiness. Never overwhelming.

M - A little on the carbonated side, this pumpkin has a medium-light body, smooth entry, and a sharp finish.

D - This is a good pumpkin worthy of drinking all fall long. Enjoyable and tasty! Thanks Jon!

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 19:45:49 | More by BeerFMAndy

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Poured into a tulip. Color is orange-caramel with a slight head. Nose is pmpkin spicing, sweet pumpkin, and a bit of brown sugar. Taste is pumpkiny with a bit of spice. Feel is medium and a bit creamy. Love the low ABV and mild flavors. This is a fairly sessionable pumpkin brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 15:24:01 | More by Thorpe429

ClarkPinnock

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

I had very low expectations for this beer--not a big fan of the flavored stuff. But I have to say that they managed to make a beer that taste just like pumpkin pie and yet is still a tasty beer (perhaps some magic was involved here.)

Strong notes of coriander and cinnamon here. This beer has a very attractive caramel color. Full, nicely-carbonated mouth feel.

The taste, as you would expect, is of caramel, cinnamon, and pumpkin. Yet this is such that the beer flavor still comes through and indeed complements the other flavors.

As to drinkability....maybe one a year.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2010 21:23:48 | More by ClarkPinnock

jsdunlop

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

I look forward to Cottonwood's arrival each fall here in NC, kinda lets me know Fall's arrived...finally getting around to reviewing this one so here it goes:

Pours out as a darker orange with lots of carbonation and a nice fluffy white head that recedes fairly quickly down to some minimal lacing on top. Smell consists of a blast of cinnamon, nutmeg, and some raw pumpkin, not quite as intense as some others out there on the "pumpkin pie" spices, but definitely smells delicious. Next comes the taste, which along with the drinkability, are the key elements of this brew. What I enjoy about this beer is the fact that there is a slight pumpkin bitterness that hangs around with your standard run of the mill holiday spicing, nothing too overwhelming going on here, light on the malt side with a spice note similar to that of a rye beer. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side with an abundance of carbonation and sort of a slick aftertaste that lingers on the tongue. Drinkability is extremely high, unlike other bold tasting pumpkins out around this time. This would be a great beer for the cool fall evenings, but at the same time, it is light enough to enjoy on a hot summer day out in the yard...might go ahead and grab a case to test that theory out next summer

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2010 23:34:57 | More by jsdunlop

Onenote81

North Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle, part of an autumn-themed mixed sixer. Poured into a pint glass. Pours a very thick, cloudy dark rusty amber. The thinnest of heads rests atop. Disappears quickly. Not even a ring around the edge. No lace. The nose is weak and underwhelming. The spices are muted, pumpkin is absent. I'm finding sour fruits, and syrup. Not what I expected.

The mouth is decent. Good carbonation play, and a slightly heavy finish. I don't know. This has some mild pumpkin in the flavor, but it's pretty weak. It's more cider-y, with notes of apples and light spices. I'm not sure I would or could have another one of these. I expected more, but it was found lacking. Too bad. I wanted to like this.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2010 15:17:51 | More by Onenote81

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.2/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A twist-off cap huh? Stupid, idiotic, asinine, etc.

A: Pours a dark cloudy orange ....about the color of toasted caramel pumpkin. The carbonation is a bit low and the head, while pouring an inch thick, didn't keep very long.

S: The usual band of pumpkin ale spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, etc. The cinnamon dominates somewhat, which is kind of pleasant.

T: Flat as a pancake! The carbonation needs a real face lift on this one. However, the brew finishes okay, and the taste is full enough, but dang... me.wants.more.bubbles!

M: Carbonation! The ABV is undetectable, but at only 4.5%, it's pretty much non-existent anyway.

D: I guess because of it's sessionability, one could make the case for its drinkability, but as for me.... I don't want another.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 22:37:24 | More by Chaney

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I tried this one during a layover at Charlotte Int'l Airport and was very satisfied by it.
It's a dark orange/tan color and very hazy. The body is on the heavy side of medium for thickness and is not watery at all. The aroma has some cinnamon and malt. The taste was a combination on cinnamon, nutmeg, and just the right amount of pumpkin. It goes down the gullet rather smoothly. After wards some of the spice and hops linger. This is definitely a repeat if I'm ever in that area again, or if they start distributing in the Midwest.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2010 23:28:02 | More by DesMoinesMike