Imperial Pumpkin Ale - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

ChrisPratz

3.43/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Very nice deep reddish amber coloring, pours to a fingers worth of head that quickly dissipates to little to no blotchy patches across the top.

S: Nice aromas. smells like i just opened the top of a box of pumpkin pie. Heavy ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice and clove all rounding out with some sweet caramel and malts. Very nice.

T: Alot of spices floating around here. Nice all spice and cinnamon on the get go, makes way to some of the spicy clove flavors. Really tastes like a nice big bite of pumpkin pie. Alcohol flavoring is very noticeable at the end as well due to the high ABV.

M: Very light carbonation makes for a smooth crisp flavor palette and then makes way for the dry finishing after taste. Higher ABV also brings a noticeable heat at the back of your throat on the way down.

O: Not a bad pumpkin ale. I'm not a huge fan of these types of beer but its brewed about an hour and a half away from my house and everyone raves about it this time of year. If your a fan of spicy beers and/or pumpkin pie, this def won't disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 04:15:12 | More by ChrisPratz

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 080912 Best By 040913

A: Pours an amber/mahogany color with a fingers worth of tannish head that quickly fizzles away to nothing

S: Up front, this is all spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cardamom... almost enough extras in there (cardamom and cloves... really?) to make it like Christmas spices instead of fall... Underneath that you get some malts, booze, and maybe some pumpkin. Just possibly a little overkill here on the spices

T: Again, enough of the spice rack in there to make it like Christmas and Halloween combined... Really not much else behind except for maltiness and booze

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation

O: Again, really just too much spice to be enjoyed on any decent basis. The cinnamon especially is way too over the top, and there are too many spices in there to have it make any sense palate-wise. If you don't like spices in your beer, be sure to stay clear of this one

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 18:36:13 | More by BEERMILER12

tlazaroff

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big, huge pumpkin spice on the nose! More so than any other pumpkin beer in recent memory. I get meaty pumpkin and even a graham cracker crust. Really really aromatic beer.

Deep orange (borderline red) in color with a frothy whipped very light tan head. Perfectly clear and no carbonation bubbles visible, but beautiful lacing.

Rich in pumpkin flavor right away with background notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice to support it. Caramel on the backend and just enough bitterness to make it not too sweet. It has a fine, pretty much smooth mouthfeel with lower carbonation levels and a medium body. Thoroughly enjoyable and entirely pleasurable.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 04:06:24 | More by tlazaroff

Dudeabide

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A ~ amber color, lots of life, pours with nice sized head and noticeable lacing.

S ~ smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

T ~ I'm finding a lot of ginger in this, it's not repulsive just not expected. Typical spicing for a pumpkin beer.

M ~ Flavors linger, a bit dry, medium bodied.

O ~ Saw it and picked it up not really knowing what to expect but having a good idea of what I wanted, and this wasn't it. Not bad overall though.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 03:03:08 | More by Dudeabide

CheezyBlaster

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good everything. Solid pumpkin ale. Nutmeg, clove, warm pumpkin-spice, allspice. The usual suspects. Great big brown character. Sweet brown sugar and butter. Mild banana notes. All this tied up in the nose and taste. Very little hopping, just enough to act as a bittering agent, not big in the flavor though. Moderate mouthfeel, little smaller than 8% should feel. Good work. I might pair it with something later. Maybe some roasted root vegetables.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 00:45:44 | More by CheezyBlaster

andrewinski1

Maine

3.25/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a chalice. The color is murky amber brown. There is a small medium tan head with amber hues.

The aroma is full of spice; mostly cinnamon and nutmeg. There is a hint of some vegetable in the aroma.

The flavor is a spice bomb. It's hard to detect much malt flavor here under the mask of cinnamon and nutmeg. I think the balance is a little too much in favor of the spices, but it's not a terrible flavor.

This is medium bodied with sharp carbonation. This one isn't bad for those who love spice bombs.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 04:24:33 | More by andrewinski1

GCQsOpus

3.7/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

There definitely is some spice, but for a pumpkin beer, it's not an overwhelming pumpkin taste. The spice smell is there, and there is a faint aroma of pumpkin when you first smell it. It tastes like fall, and it is good, but the pumpkin taste is a bit disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 23:15:45 | More by GCQsOpus

farrago

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Light half a finger head of tan color which evaporates down very quickly to an almost foamless surface, likewise the lacing is nonexistent. Copper orange colored liquid, a few trace bubbles zip about, yellows around the rims, pleasing overall clarity. Given the richness of its pungency the nose has a stiff texture and feel, plenty of pumpkin there, more so cinnamon, clove spice and something reminiscent of cola, also some lemon citrus and well baked pie crust notes, rises deep into your nostrils and stays there for some time. Medium-bodied, equally firm feel here in the mouth, the carbonation more muscular than expected based on visual inspection. Mixes some milk chocolate into those baking spices, sort of softens things a touch. The pumpkin is strong without being really sweet. Biscuit, scone with a moment of cornbread, here there’s a stronger honeyed aspect. The floral dimension expands through the finish, extending things further. The level of spicing is pretty outrageous so if you want lowkey or demure, this is not for you. Otherwise, get ready for a spice fest.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 21:53:34 | More by farrago

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on cask at Barcade in Jersey City, NJ

A: Pours a clear dark golden copper to amber in color with minimal amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a quarter finger tall off-white head that slowly reduces to a thin film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: There are moderate to strong aromas of pumpkin, yam, and spices - most notably cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg.

T: The flavor of this beer is quite strong but in a good way - there is a light caramel malt flavor underneath the big pumpkin and spice flavors. The pumpkin and yam are more savory, not like a pumpkin pie, but the spices are similar to those you would find in a pie - cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg. The ginger gives is a little bit of a spicy bite but that only adds to the enjoyable flavors.

M: Just heavier than medium bodied with light amounts of carbonation. Relatively smooth with a light amount of alcohol heat in the finish.

O: This is a very good and very enjoyable pumpkin beer that is looking for a beer that has the pumpkin and spice flavors but doesn't taste like a pumpkin pie. I only wish the alcohol was a little more well hidden - though I found that it was not as present in the bottled version.

Serving type: cask

09-02-2012 13:35:16 | More by dbrauneis

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Semi-translucent amber with a small off-white head. Ruby red when held up to the light.

Aroma: Cinnamon, nutmeg, a hint of cloves. Also some real pumpkin aroma in there. Smells like a pumpkin pie right out of the oven.

Taste: The spices are subdued here, which works in its favor. Getting some caramel and other light malts that play a supporting role for the pumpkin. The pumpkin flavor here is really nice. Slightly sweet with a flavor like the aroma of baking pumpkin. The cinnamon sticks with you in the aftertaste. The alcohol is hidden really well here.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a good level of effervescence for the style. The aftertaste gets cloying after a little while. Average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: I'm currently brewing a Pumpkin Ale and I hope it turns out like this one. The spices are at a great level and the pumpkin flavor really shines. A likable beer that I'll probably buy again when it starts getting colder outside.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 04:04:05 | More by JamesMN

ShiftBeer

3.15/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

It has some nice elements, but it doesn't come together well. Frankly, its too imperial. There is a lingering alcohol bite and the finish is cloying. Lacks balance, I'm struggling to finish this bottle.

The nose is really great. Very spicy. I'm definitely getting the clove, and I guessed that there was some ginger going on (though I later learned there is no ginger added).

There is some nice flavor to be had once you start sipping, but the flavors are just here and there. It doesn't come together well.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 06:33:10 | More by ShiftBeer

aasher

Indiana

2.73/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I picked this up in Ohio this past Monday.

This beer pours a medium bodied deep polished cherry wood, auburn in color with no head at all and moderate carbonation. The nose is super spicy and a cardamom bomb. There is also cinnamon and nutmeg but Wowzers is there too much cardamom. The flavors too are dominated by cardamom. It has the typical characteristics of cinnamon, pumpkin, and nutmeg but the spicing is pretty over the top. It definitely takes away from the overall product. I just can't get behind this one. It doesn't have the balance that a beer of this style needs.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 02:47:28 | More by aasher

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a reddish brown color with low clarity. Not much head to speak of, it starts off as a one finger eggshell color and fades to a thin collar in no time. At least there's a bit of lacing.

S: NOW we're talking. I'm not normally a fan of heavily spiced/pumpkin ales, but it's hard NOT to be impressed by this. Very strong cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove are assisted by a healthy dose of pumpkin. Great aromatics here.

T: The spices don't come through as strongly as they do in the aroma, allowing the pumpkin to shine more thoroughly. It's quite pumpkin forward in general, with the malts only acting as a neutral yet subtle canvas. Tastes like a good pumpkin pie would, and there's some underlying complexity, to boot.

M: Silky smooth to start, becoming a little more prickly as the liquid sets in the mouth. Not a dry beer; the low carbonation help the flavors linger quite nicely, but reduces the drinkability some. Luckily, this is a boldly flavored beer - sipping this is more than adequate.

O: This one caught me off guard. I bought it out of sheer curiosity, and came away impressed. If I ever felt like having a pumpkin ale again, I'd go for this in a heartbeat.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 20:39:14 | More by ThisWangsChung

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-Pous a dark, yet clear orange hue. Head is khaki and it leaves curtains of lacing.

S-Big, aggressive nose. Huge notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and pumpkin spice. Quite yeasty. Vegetal hop nose. A bit syrupy with a sturdy malt.

T-A bodybuilder Pumpkin Ale. Nutmeg and cinnamon with gourdy notes. Quite malty. Veggie hops are present again. Seared graham cracker. Big and diverse

M-Large and full. Syrupy and mildly bitter. Alcohol is noticeable. Semi-dry.

O/D-A gutsy Pumpkin brew. Assertive. Good flavors but a bit too coarse. I prefer Southern Tier's Pumpking, but this lies in the same echelon.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 06:25:22 | More by VelvetExtract

goodonezach

New York

3.23/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- deep amber, pretty clear, with a thin head that fades to a ring shortly after pouring

S- huge pumpkin spice aroma that endures throughout the duration of the drink

T- not great. boozy, lots of cinnamon, maybe some clean maltiness and then mild hop bitterness. not much else. for a beer called imperial pumpkin, there's not a whole lot of pumpkin here.

M- lively carbonation but a bit harsh.

O- I expected better. there are definitely better pumpkin ales out there, but i think the idea of an 8% ABV pumpkin ale looks better on paper than it turns out when actualized. there's not much room for the kind of subtlety that is required of the style when you beef up a beer so much, and i still think some of my favorite pumpkin ales are also very sessionable for a reason.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 01:49:37 | More by goodonezach

BrownNut

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - 4.0 - Chestnut brown approaching cola. Dark tan fizzy head gone almost immediately. Reminds me of the Bruery's Autumn Maple in that same very specific regard.

S - 4.5 - Hint of spices, caramel, graham cracker pie crust. It actually smells like pumpkin pie. I love pumpkin pie. Something in the smell is so bake-y that it smells like pumpkin pie that's actually warm

T - 4.0 - Caramel, almost steely but not quite. Brown sugar and maybe graham cracker. Mild spice on the exhale. Faint pumpkin. What's left over is an agreeable tang of spice, such as you'd get from clove or allspice, like an edge that was once sharp but has been softened and faded. More would be too much, which is usually the case but not here.

M - 3.5 - Medium. Lighter than expected. I wanted a bit more viscosity. Not exactly buttery, but nicely smooth.

O - 4.0 -I've never liked pumpkin beers but this one is good. I can never taste anything but spice, and it's always too much. This one actually has faint undertones of actual pumpkin taste and the spices are tastefully subtle. Instead it relies on more of caramelly brown sugar core and something of the personality of a brown ale. It's very nice. I usually don't even want to drink half of a pumpkin beer I start, but I'll enjoy several of these this week. Recommended to any pumpkin ale fan.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 02:49:23 | More by BrownNut

Momar42

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into New Belgium globe

A - deep clear copper with very little head whatsoever.

S - there is spiciness on the nose but far less than alot of pumpkin beers. This one is understated but at least not overcome with chemical sweetness like so many tend towards.

T - like the nose, mild in comparison to other pumpkin beers. The spicy element predominates followed with a rich pumpkin flavor. Different but enjoyable.

M - medium on the palate. Finishes with a nice spicy aftertaste. Easy drinking.

O - definitely from a different mold than most pumpkin beers. But for me, that makes it enjoyable. Youre not bombarded with often fake spiciness and cloying sweetness. What you do get is rich pumpkin flavor with a hint of spice. Just like a good slice of pumpkin pie. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 01:56:54 | More by Momar42

Mscarpen

Tennessee

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is only my second season enjoying the fall harvest spiced beers that have become popping up. Although this one misses the sweetness others deliver, the bold spice notes make it a fun one to try.

A: Clear caramel amber. Light bubbles, <1/4” lacing. Almost non-existent head.

S: Deep notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and baked yams.

T: Big cinnamon and clove mid-notes. Clean finish with only a slight trace of clove lingering.

M: Slight viscosity, but thinner than I would have anticipated.

O: Decent execution for a spice/pumpkin beer. Low carbonation was just right, but brewery delivered fairly well on the big spice flavors. Would have appreciated heavier low-notes and a little more syrup in the mouth feel.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 23:04:22 | More by Mscarpen

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Imperial Pumpkin Ale pours a clear copper color, with very little. The aroma has a strong note of pumpkin, and is creamy. The taste has a nice bitter undertone, with hints of nutmeg, and cinnamon, it blends very nicely. Very nice flavors, blends good, still has a beer taste. Overall a fantastic pumpkin beer up there with the best.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 00:35:37 | More by vette2006c5r

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance
Orange/amber with 2-3 fingers of head. Great retention and low carbonation.

Nose
Pumpkin meat, mint, clove, pumpkin stem, caramel and candy sugar.

Taste
Sweet pumpkin meat and herbaceous qualities of pumpkin stem and mint leaves. Notes of clove and ginger and a light essence of nutmeg. Caramel malts for the backbone along with some candy sugar.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp and sticky.

Overall
Heavily reliant on the spices and very herbaceous this year. The 8% abv is covered well as always.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 14:15:03 | More by justintcoons

cfrances33

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

2012 bottle poured into a tulip.

Pour: Mostly clear deep amber with no head, just a film.

Smell: Some cinnamon, clove, vanilla, slight pumpkin spice. Really weak.

Taste: Light pumpkin spice and some cinnamon. Little bit of malt breadyness, a quite a bit of clove and allspice on the back. Still, not what I was hoping for.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and easily the most enjoyable part of this beer.

Overall: My first pumpin beer, and if this is supposed to be one of the best in the style, I am quite disappointed. Was expecting more pumpkin flavor and spice. Excited to see what other in the style have to offer this fall, and happy I got this one out of the way with a single now. Maybe I just don't get the style yet.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 17:56:36 | More by cfrances33

Dudeletter

Georgia

4.85/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Weyerbacher’s Imperial Pumpkin is a pumped up version of what you may have been used to when enjoying pumpkin ales of years past. When you first take a sip you are graced with everything you could want in a pumpkin ale, there is a slightly creamy mouth feel followed up with a barrage of pumpkin pie character that leaves you feeling like you just dove into one of the best pumpkin pies you ever had. You really can pick out the cinnamon, and nutmeg as well as the fleshy pumpkin character all without overwhelming your palate. The best thing about this beer is that it is not an overloaded spice bomb that leaves you feeling like you just had a spoonful of raw pumpkin pie spice mix, it does a great job at keeping everything in balance (although at an elevated level) and is very enjoyable to drink.

http://www.dudeletter.com/?p=1683

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 15:54:58 | More by Dudeletter

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle served in an oversized wineglass.

pours a deep, hazy amber with a little less than a finger of off white head; modest retention and lacing.

the aroma is outstanding, and really well captured in the wineglass: nice, fresh pumpkin accompanied by strong notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, maybe some ginger... wow, this is the smell i look for in my pumpkin ales. that said, i feel the flavor takes a step back; maybe the nose overly inflated my expectations... still very nice, with the pumpkin and spices pulling through, but perhaps not as robustly as the nose had led me to believe. there's also a not entirely pleasant though subtle bitterness to it as well as a bit a boozy bite to the finish. again though, a damn tasty pumpkin beer... medium bodied mouthfeel... overall, a nice representation of the style and well worth a revisit, but i'll work my way around some others first.

original review on: 08-30-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 22:21:30 | More by BostonHops

kagent777

Utah

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is the second bottle contained in a trade with SonofaLime from several months ago. It is poured into my beer goblet.

Appearance: A nice deep copper color with a quickly settling off white head.

Smell: Bready malts along with roasted pumpkin and autumn spices. I smell some nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon.

Taste: The taste has the same spices as noted in the smell. I also get a pleasant tang as well.

Mouthfeel: Nothing out of the ordinary with mouthfeel, body or carbonation.

Overall: This is a solid pumpkin ale. Maybe a bit strong for those not expecting it.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 23:27:32 | More by kagent777

Louski

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-Tap into a Chalice

Pours a dark black with little to no head. Smells like pumpkin with an array of spices- cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger. Tastes almost like a pumpkin pie with the high alcohol content apparent in the finish. For its dark color, it's surprisingly thin-bodied. Overall, the best pumpkin ale I've had as I have yet to find one that's comparable. A great fall beer and good transition from the blondes and wheats of summer to the malty, spicy winter brews.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2012 03:16:31 | More by Louski