Pumpkin Ale - Onion Pub & Brewery / Wild Onion Brewing Co.

GDBEERMAN

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

From draft into an imperial pint glass.
A: The body pours a deep golden color that is quite hazy. The carbonation is in steady stream. The cream colored head pours with some vigor and settles into a nice solid layer on top. Lacing is left in blotchy patterns on glass.
S: Notes of bread and spices. An aroma of a pie, with the front of bread and under tones of spice and pumpkin.
T/M: The front is a warm spice pattern on the palate of peppery cinnamon and smooth nutmeg. A silky, medium mouthfeel leaves great lingering tastes. The body although medium in body seems very light on the palate and make it quite drinkable. On the finish this pumpkin really shows the pumpkin side of things. Warming pumpkin of a pumpkin pie on the finish and a bready front.
D: The all around great flavors of this ale and the medium to lighter body, make it a very good session brew. A good one to save the last rays of summer and ward off the coming winter.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2010 17:58:38 | More by GDBEERMAN

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

thanks to duff27 for giving me this brew to try! Thanks duff!

can poured into snifter glass.

Reviewed from notes on 9/12/12.

Appearance: dark orange almost copperish bodied beer with almost 2 fingers of white head.

Smell: I get the pumpkin and a little bit of spice. I would say mostly nutmeg and allspice. Maybe some cinnamon too. Very nice!

Taste: Its tasting fairly close to pumpkin pie, but not over the top. I nice pumpkin note that is not artificial tasting and a nice compliment of spices. Cinnamon and nutmeg for sure. Maybe a hint of buttery pie crust or graham cracker like malts.

Mouthfeel: low end of moderate bodied beer with moderate carbonation. This beer is such an easy drinker. Really delicate carbonation and crisp finish.

Overall: I think this is my favorite pumpkin beer that I have tried this year! I was not a fan of pumking, this was much better! Pumpking was way over the top and this beer was just right! I would totally drink a 6er of this beer on a fall hayride; it the perfect beer for that! Its like a fall comfort food, but its beer!

Serving type: can

09-15-2012 12:17:22 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Pint Glass.

Until I get my hands on Painted Pumpkin Ladies, my quest for a truly unbelievably good Pumpkin Ale continues

Appearance - Dark Orange and Hazy. Pours a filmy half finger head that disappears quickly. With the exception of a few bubbles clinging to the side, theres no carbonation to speak of

Smell - Rich Pumpkin Pie, Cinnamon, Spices, and Malts. The aroma is rich and sweet, just the way it should be. This looks very promising...

Taste - Pumpkin Pie, Cinnamon, and Malts. Flavor starts out sweet and rich and leaves a surprisingly dry aftertaste, which is kind of disappointing because this is very tasty pumpkin ale

Mouthfeel - It's light and has almost no carbonation, so it feels a bit creamy but not quite refreshing. Still, it is pretty easy to drink

Overall - It tasted rich, but the dry aftertaste at the end was something I could've done without. Aside from that, it's a great tasting Pumpkin Ale, but my heart still lies with Painted Pumpkin Ladies

Serving type: can

09-13-2012 02:12:23 | More by NuclearDolphin

ncketchum

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served chilled in a Sierra Nevada pint glass

A = pours a medium brown-orange, white head, nearly completely dissipates

S = pumpkin spice dominates the aroma, but not too overpowering. Very nice

T = pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and malt. very clean finish

M = light, smooth, no alcohol noted

D = very nice pumpkin beer, I'm glad I picked this up. A different beer than Pumking, so hard to compare directly, but in the realm of pumpkin beers, I rank this one very highly.

Serving type: can

09-17-2011 04:17:45 | More by ncketchum

reppinthe847

Illinois

4/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Guys! I wasn't really digging this so much the first time I tried it a couple weeks ago. Then, after drinking too many of the richer pumpkin ales the last couple weeks, I was yearning to try this again. This time, I was pleasantly surprised. This can of pumpkin beer actually tastes damn good because it is like a pumpkin "lite" as someone else alluded to in another review on this beer. You can easily down a couple of these in one session. The best part about this beer is that it has the spice and solid pumpkin taste without being too sweet or overpowering. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a pumpkin ale like this. When you're in the mood for the classic nutmeggy, cinnamonny pumpkin ale with higher ABV, go with Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale. And when you're ready to get obliterated and do not give a damn about calories, go with the best that I've head: Southern Tier Pumking

I hope to see Wild Onion out of nearby Lake Barrington keep up the great work here. This is VERY promising stuff.

Serving type: can

09-23-2011 05:50:55 | More by reppinthe847

emyers

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes. 12 oz. can poured into a New Glarus snifter.

Appearance: Slightly cloudy orange with a one-finger white head which dissipates quickly into a thin lacing.

Smell: Pumpkin. The spices are very restrained, but there, with cinnamon, clove, and allspice coming through. It really captures a nice, clean pumpkin aroma. There's also a bready character, suggestive of a graham cracker crust on a pumpkin pie.

Taste: Finally, a pumpkin beer that tastes like pumpkin without attempting to pour pumpkin pie spice down your throat. Very strong pumpkin flavor in this one. It's not quite as strong as, say, Pumking, but the flavors there are great, balanced, and once again, not in your face with the spices.

Mouthfeel: The weakest area for this beer. Comes off a little too thin. Appropriate carbonation.

Overall: It's far too easy to overlook this beer - Wild Onion, in my humble opinion, typically makes pretty average beer at best, and the can looks like a grade school art project. Don't make that mistake. I think this is one of the better pumkin beers out there (and probably the best for the price range).

Serving type: can

01-09-2013 04:18:34 | More by emyers

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a light brownish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of pumpkin pie, some spices. Taste is good, pumpkin, nutmeg, a touch of sweetness, lots of flavor. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a good quality beer.

Serving type: can

09-10-2011 15:03:35 | More by tone77

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This brew poured out as a really nice lookin amber orange color, with a think looking one inch cream colored head on top. The lacing is very light but the head has a decent retention to it. The smell of the beer is generously spiced, like a mix between the pumpkin ale that it is with a good Oktoberfest brew also. The spices come through more when the beer warms up. The taste had a really nice balance of pumpkin and spice and a littlesweet malt in there too. The mouthfeel started off creamy but finished on the watery side... Overall I felt that this was pretty good. I told a friend to check it out already. I'd drink this one again.

Serving type: can

09-21-2011 00:28:40 | More by Knapp85

Duff27

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Aggressive pour settles in with a three finger width off-white head on a clear dull orange beer. Foamy head looks pleasant... actually beer, not so much. Wow awesome head retention with above average lacing.

S- Faint nutmeg/pumpkin smells, nothing overpowering but enough to get the salivary glands going.

T- More nutmeg/cinnamon flavors. Like a pumpkin pie with a lagerish(?) aftertaste thing going on.

M- Medium to medium-thin mouthfeel. Adequate enough carbonation.

D/O- This pumpkin ale has grown on me the few times I have had it. VERY easy drinking...good to put down a few when the focus isn't on beer. Not really understanding the relatively low scores it's getting. Pumpkin beers are hit and miss with me and this one is a hit...so long as you think of it as a Pumpkin Light beer, hah.

Serving type: can

09-23-2011 02:53:21 | More by Duff27

Bendurgin

Maine

3.9/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip. The body is deep burnt orange with about a finger of off white head that retains for a bit and leaves just a thing ring of lace. The smell is full of pumpkin, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and a rich malt body. I'm not going to lie, this is seeming to be better than I anticipated. The taste follows the aroma perfectly, it really reminds me of pumpkin bread. It has a big pumpkin body with autumn spices following through. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, somewhat on the light side and the carbonation seems to be lacking a bit but overall this is a really solid seasonal offering. I wish I grabbed a couple more.

Serving type: can

10-20-2010 15:19:24 | More by Bendurgin

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pour - dark amber with a bit of a foggy or misty haze to it. The head is stark white and fades to an ominous ring around the rather opaque reddish amber liquid that comes to light as this one settles.

Aroma - toasty, malty, brown sugar, pumpkin spice (allspice and cinnamon), perhaps some cloves as well. Its not overwhelmingly sweet smelling and that is a good thing. For me, its all about balance with this style.

Taste - nice and smooth on the palate. Some subtle spices and sweetness initially and a great malty/toasty finish. Not a whole lot of carbonation on the tongue which makes this one so smooth I guess. A couple sips and a little warmth bring out the pumpkin flavor. A little earthy, a little sweet and a little tangy. As you continue with this beer it only gets better.

Overall - Plenty of flavor is packed into this can and if you're a fan of this style than you won't be disappointed. Nice work. The bar for other canned pumpkin ales has been set high!

Would I buy more of it? - absolutely. This is a great pumpkin ale with some great packaging to boot. Makes a great beer for a fall bonfire!

Serving type: can

10-19-2010 23:44:09 | More by indiapaleale

Florida9

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewpub. Slightly hazy amber in color. Served with a minimal off white head. Some light lacing. Smell is muted, but what is there is pumpkin pie spice, ginger, and nutmeg. A little sweet spice. Taste is similar. Spices are present, but, thankfully, subdued. Mouthfeel is medium. Overall good.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2011 16:37:04 | More by Florida9

homebrew311

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A pumpkin beer in a can?! Count me in. The can also has quite the festive Halloween theme (could easily be mistook for a kids drink)

A: pours a vibrant orange, very clear, thin white head that clings on barely, some lacing

S: the smell is very spice forward with a focus on cinnamon, ginger and all spice. The pumpkin itself is actually discernible which doesn't always happen with pumpkin ales. The smell features many of my favorite pumpkin pie flavors.

T: the front features some malty sweetness along with some earthy pumpkin character, this is followed up by a strong spice profile which is led by cinnamon and allspice. Not picking up any cloves in this particular ale which is a nice change from other pumpkin ales. I am quite impressed by how well the pumpkin flavors integrate with the beer.

MF: relatively light body with medium to high carbonation. Would like a little more body, but the flavor more than makes up for it.

D: this is a highly drinkable pumpkin ale from a brewpub that is practically in my neighborhood. This is the most impressive beer I have tried from them and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a solid pumpkin beer.

EDIT: I have revised the score on the taste since my first review. The aroma is really nice and it initially tricked me into thinking the taste was great. Upon further drinking of this brew, it became apparent that the base beer behind all of the spices is pretty lacking and bland.

Serving type: can

09-30-2010 23:22:22 | More by homebrew311

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a hazy orange with a small white cap. Head retention is fairly low and a small ring leaves sticky suds and a just a bit of lace.

S- Not amazingly strong but there are notes of pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon and malt.

T- Fairly good, like a pumpkin pie. There is actually a good amount of pumpkin flavor with the spice and malt blended in well. Slightly fruity/hoppy notes seem to not make much sense to me.

MF- Light body that is a bit watery. Carbonation is at a moderate level. A tiny bit of bitterness in the finish.

DB- Not bad at all. The fruit thing in the flavor kind of confuses me but doesn't throw off the overall profile that much. One of the better Pumpkin Ales I have tried this year.

Serving type: can

11-03-2010 02:09:45 | More by cbutova

Redrover

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz can with festive holiday decorations. Poured into my SA perfect pint, the beer is orange/amber with a beige head. The lacing is pretty stick and leaves spots all down the glass.

The aroma is of spices (allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon) and bready malts. It reminds me of pumpkin bread and that's not a bad thing!

The spices are evident but do not overpower the base beer. The malts are also front and center and there is a bit of yellow raisin in the finish. Spices become more prominent mid-glass.

The beer has very active carbonation which thins out the mouth a bit. If they could turn it down a notch this would be even better.

This was a nice seasonal treat and makes me want to venture a visit to their pub in Lake Barrington.

Serving type: can

10-14-2011 01:21:25 | More by Redrover

Jammies

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- deep orangish red with a half an inch of foam. Poor lacing and no retention

S- earthy yet sweet. An obvious pumpkin pie smell.

T- very light with a watery and pumpkin taste. Not as much carbonation as expected

M- very light and smooth. Leaves a sweet coating on the tongue.

O- not too shabby. Definitely a dessert beer every once in a while.

Serving type: can

08-04-2011 01:33:23 | More by Jammies

kbanks13

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a shaped imperial pint, both the glass and the beer are from klshanks in the Mystery 750 BIF. Thanks again!

Pours a crystal clear copper color with a two finger dense white head that quickly fades to a small layer of wispy foam with little lacing. Smells of pumpkin spice, vanilla and a bit earthy with good malt presence, smells like a pumpkin ale should. Nose kind of reminds me of ST Pumking. Taste is more pumpkin dominant than Pumking with a little spice shining though, not as bold in any of its flavors either, though. Good malt backbone too, as the nose lead me to believe. A bit thin, but still nice and has moderate to high carbonation. Very sessionable, nice flavor with a lighter body. Unlike some of the heavier pumpkin beers I could have a couple of these in a night and be happy about it. A good beer from a company I might not have gotten a chance to try otherwise.

Serving type: can

10-16-2010 00:42:52 | More by kbanks13

SpdKilz

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Purchased at a local Binny’s. I love pumpkin beers and now that I am back in the Midwest, I have a whole slew of new pumpkin beers to try I was not able to access while in CA. Poured from a can.

Appearance – Pours a, I’m gonna say it, pumpkin color into a tulip. About a finger of slight off white head is achieved with a careful pour that leaves spotty lacing on the sides of the tulip.

Smell – Slight spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon, a hint of vanilla, brown sugar, and pumpkin. More spices than pumpkin.

Taste – Similar to the nose in the sense that the flavors are quite distinct and can be picked out. As with the aroma, the spices kick in first which fade to the pumpkin which creates the sensation of drinking pumpkin pie. The vanilla and brown sugar mix in at the end, creating a nice full flavor.

Mouthfeel – Medium bodied to lighter bodied, moderate carbonation.

Overall – As with most pumpkin beers, I normally can only have one at a time. This is no exception. While I appreciate the spices, they are a bit too dominant in my opinion. However, taken as a whole, this is a relatively easy to drink pumpkin beer and I will for sure finish the other five cans of the six pack before long.

Serving type: can

08-23-2011 23:39:32 | More by SpdKilz

matjack85

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I found this single 12oz orange can in the discount bin at the Binny's store in Plainfield, IL. Surprised to find it came from a local brewery that I never heard of before.

The beer poured a cloudy pumpkin color with a nice frothy looking 1-finger white head that lasted about a minute before fading to just a thin rim. Lots of lacing on the glass with each sip.

This smells like all the ingredients in a pumpkin pie. Not strong smelling, but nice.

The taste leaves no doubt that this is a pumpkiin ale, and not a bad one at that. Light dose of sweet malt mixed with pumpkin and all the pumpkin pie spices of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. Any hops get lost in the spices as I found no bitterness at all. Not overly sweet - in fact it's actually dry in the finish.

Mouthfeel is on the thin side with medium carbonation.

Goes down easy without a trace of alcohol. A decent pumpkin ale.

Serving type: can

01-04-2011 05:23:18 | More by matjack85

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A single CAN into a 13oz glass.

Pumpkin Ale pours into the glass a semi hazy burnt orange with some bronze tints mimicking a sunset. The foam was tan/gold in color with an inch but died leaving no lace.

Smell is pretty standard pumpkin ale fare and kinda muted in scent. Pumpkin spice with some nutmeg and cinnamon. Hops are not present, a standard back malting.

This is what I expected, some subtle spice with some pumpkin flavor in the back. The taste is not all that large, it's not pumpkin pie, but nutmeg over cinnamon with a grassy aftertaste that's light. It comes and goes like that.

Pretty light bodied, may be the lightest of the style to date for me. Thin with light carb. The aftertaste is non existant, spice, malt, nothing. No legs.

This is pretty decent stuff. Not being a huge fan of the style I find this easy as pie to take down. 5.4% is light and right. I would like to find a happy medium between this and pumKING in both taste and ABV as I have not yet found a favorite Pumkin brew.

Serving type: can

08-28-2011 17:28:46 | More by onix1agr

dirtylou

Washington

3.58/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz can, sixer from star

I grew up in Barrington - kinda cool have some beer from lake barrington being distributed in Madison

appearance: great festive fall can design - served in a tyranena pint, cloudy dark copper body, nice creamy beige cap

smell: nutmeg, pumpkin, lots of pumpkin pie spice...pretty nice

taste: Vdubb86 is pretty spot on - their isnt a whole lot of depth after the initial hit to the palate - pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon and spice. There needs to be more malt to shape this one

mouthfeel: see above - not great

drinkability: good

Serving type: can

10-12-2010 01:14:48 | More by dirtylou

IronLover

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sampled from a can with no freshness date. Dark copper orange in color and hazy. Poured with a dense, foamy off-white head with good staying power. The foam lasted for the duration. Cinnamon, nutmeg, spice and sweet pumpkin aromas. Nothing overwhelming but very pleasant combination of autumn-like aromas. Smooth and creamy but a little on the thin, watery side. Flavors are a nice balance of cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin with a light spicy aftertaste that doesn't linger for very long. My first pumpkin of the season. Easy to drink and refreshing. A good suggestion for someone who's never had a pumpkin ale.

Serving type: can

08-26-2011 01:37:56 | More by IronLover

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

First had: can from Pinocchio's, Media, PA

Poured into a Captain Lawrence snifter, a hazy brownish burnt orange color with a finger or so of fluffy white head that receded to a ringlet, leaving just a bit of spotty lacing behind. Aroma of caramel malts, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice is apparent but not overwhelming. Bready malt taste, light pumpkin flesh, cinnamon and nutmeg in conservative proportions, touch of brown sugar. Nice, like a spiced ale rather than a full-blown pumpkin pie bomb...though unfortunately I do like pumpkin ales to be pumpkin pie bombs. But for a mellower selection, this was still good. Medium mouthfeel, smooth; easy drinkability makes up for some of the lack of full flavor.

Serving type: can

09-17-2012 02:12:37 | More by Rifugium

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. can poured into a cervoise glass

Pours a cloudy light amber with orange hues capped with a white, pillowy three finger head. Abundant, splotchy lacing along the side of the glass. Nutmeg, pumpkin and spice, and light toffee and caramel on the nose. Opens with nutmeg and cinnamon, joined by pumpkin, lightly sweet caramel malt and finishes smooth with more spice and lightly sweet toffee notes. Lighter side of medium bodied, moderate level of gentle carbonation. Smooth, slightly creamy mouthfeel. Very pleasant. One of the better pumpkin beers I've had recently and definitely one of the better offerings I've had from this brewery.

Serving type: can

11-01-2012 01:38:37 | More by chanokokoro

Treebs

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. can served in a Tighthead chalice.

A: Pours a solid amber color with a thin white head forming on the pour. It recedes to a thin film and ring.

S: Big spice upfront. Cinnamon and allspice. Pie crust in the background.

T: Cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie crust. The finish is is slightly watery and sweet. Very mild green hops are in the background as well.

M: Medium to thin bodied with a medium carbonation level.

O: This was solid all around. Nothing really stood out at all, but all the pumpkin ale flavors were there.

Serving type: can

09-16-2012 18:39:37 | More by Treebs