Country Pumpkin - Ithaca Beer Company

mattbk

New York

3.5/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Naturally carbonated, I spilled a bit of yeast into the bottle during the pour. This makes it a bit cloudy. I suppose it's possible the pumpkin is contributing to the cloudiness. The beer is only lightly carbonated. It is orange-brownish.
S: A familiar pumpkin aroma, nutmeg, clove, cinammon maybe, a bit of brown sugar. Fairly typical for a pumpkin ale. Good, not especially interesting.
T: The taste is far more beery and less spicy. Mild maltiness, some yeasty esters coming through, the spices are very faint, a bit of cinammon maybe. Not much of a pumpkin taste. A bit minty from a hoppy finish, which comes out as the beer warms (English hops? Northern Brewers maybe?). This is my favorite part of the beer, a nice finish.
M: Medium mouthfeel, not much carbonation, just enough for this beer. No head apparent on the beer by this point.
O: A slightly above average pumpkin beer. Not bad, I've had better.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 00:42:28 | More by mattbk

metter98

New York

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is slightly hazy amber orange in color and has a moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a half finger off white head that died down a bit but consistently left a thin head covering the surface.
S: There are aromas of pumpkins in the nose along with some notes of pumpkin spices.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has a little bit of sweetness.
M: It feels a bit shy of medium-bodied and a little smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer has excellent drinkability and foes down very easily; I would have no problem downing a few of these beers in one sitting. It also has a good balance between flavors of pumpkins and spices as well as sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 01:49:28 | More by metter98

Chaney

District of Columbia

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

I picked up a sixer of this stuff in a really nice store in Monroeville, PA.

Served in a Delirium Tremens glass.

A: Poured a very dark, saturated orange, with little to no light passing through. The head was slight, whispy, and about where it should be.

S: Lots of strong pumpkin pie spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, all spice, and a bit of the gourd itself poking through. Also, there was a very organic, sour dough quality that served well in letting us know that this is indeed a beer, rather than just liquified pumpkin pie.

T: Yep, a good amount of bread yeast rides very nicely on top of the pumpkin dessert. The all spice takes center stage and I truly appreciated that this wasn't a cinnamon bomb.

M: Thick and a bit syrupy, but isn't that what pumpkin desserts are about anyway? The carbonation was about where it should be and I didn't get any booze. The lacing was moderate.

O: I think I liked this better than most on here and think that it could stack up really well with the myriad of pumpkin pie clones on the market.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 17:51:07 | More by Chaney

plaid75

New York

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a hazy medium copper hue with a wispy white cap. There was little retention and lacing.

The smell featured pumpkin rind and nutmeg.

The taste was vegetably with loads of pumpkin meat and a light medley of pumpkin spice. Moderate caramel malts.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side of the style and chewy.

Overall a fully bodied vegetable driven pumpkin ale. Not overly spiced.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 01:45:13 | More by plaid75

Gmann

New York

3.73/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy copper color with an orange hue. The head is tight but short and settles into a light ring.

The aroma is of the pumpkin pie spices; cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and light clove, allspice. There is also a subtle pumpkin vegatel note. Nice blend of spice and pumpkin.

The taste is of a light amber base. The malt provides some sweetness and a dry finish. The pumpkin spice comes through nicely, though not overly dominate. Mainly cinnamon and nutmeg with some ginger and allspice. The pumpkin provides some earthy bitterness and a light veggie flavor. Some grassy hop bitterness.

The feel is light to moderate with prickly carbonation. Well balanced as it starts off sweet but ends with a grassy bitterness.

A good pumpkin with a nice flavor profile. I wish it was a little more robust in the spice but it is a good mix.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 20:18:57 | More by Gmann

BB1313

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Notched best before Dec. 12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Pours a nice hazy burnt orange that glows, small white head which fades quickly and leave nice retention and not too much lacing. The aromas are pretty typical and standard. Lots of spices up front like cinnamon and nutmeg. The ginger is there as well. The caramel malts are there. There's a touch of vanilla. The flavors match the nose, but are dialed down. The flavors almost seem watered down and fall flat. There's a decent spiciness and bitterness, but it doesn't linger. Mouthfeel is prickly, lots of carbonation, but smooth enough. I'll admit it gets better as it warms up because the graham cracker crust starts to make an appearance. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Very light. I'm guessing the ABV is somewhere in the 5% range.

This is basically just a run of the mill attempt. I'm a big fan of Ithaca, so I was really hoping they took the style to a new place, but they didn't. It's just your typical average pumpkin ale. It's not bad, but far from memorable.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 00:19:15 | More by BB1313

BeerLover99

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: shiny orange/amber hue, trace head,

S: lovely all-spice, pumpkin, ginger, citrus jam

T: all-spice, pumpkin, malt, ginger, marmalade, mild grassy finish

M: med body, solid carbonation/smooth mouth

O: WOW! Very nice surprise from my wife. Enjoy Ithaca
and love trying pumpkin brews. This is one of my favorites now.
pumpkin beer fans will love it.

VERY GOOD, TRY SOME!

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 16:07:39 | More by BeerLover99

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a lightly cloudy dim-glowing orange. Head flares up then dies off to only a light drifting patch of foam. Looks very nice.

S-Nutmeg and cinnamon with light gourdy pumpkin. Mild and easy. Spice is set to the perfect level of intensity. Pumpkin pie and the pie crust too. Not incredibly complex but it'll do.

T-Oh, the flavor is pretty delicious. Vegetal notes, almost like pumpkin vine. Real gourdy pumpkin, not artificial tasting. The cinnamon and nutmeg mix with some caramel as backing. The pumpkin really shines here. Lightly hopped grassy finish.

M-A bit sticky and slick. Mild, massaging carbonation. Body is fuller than some Pumps. Not incredibly sessionable.

O/D-One of the better Pumpkin brews I have had. The flavor is robust for the style and the interpretation of the pumpkin is quite delectable. Pretty happy with a sixer of these.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 18:12:38 | More by VelvetExtract

atr2605

New York

3.5/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-pours a copper/light amber color with a white head with average retention
S-good amount of pumpkin with spice
T-More pumpkin and spice followed by a good hop bitterness, not a huge fan of the hop selection itself though, leaves a bit of an off aftertaste
M-medium bodied
O-not a bad pumpkin ale, if it wasn't for the aftertaste I would say its a pretty solid beer. Don't regret trying it but won't make it one of my regular fall beers

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 17:16:07 | More by atr2605

CloudStrife

New York

4.2/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a mini pilsner glass. Best by December.

A: Clear golden color with a 1 finger white head. Lots of visible carbonation. No real lacing.

S: Pretty strong pumpkin and spice aroma. The usual allspice and nutmeg.

T: Loads of spice, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice. Still a fairly full pumpkin taste. The malt background keep this thing well balanced. Loses some of its flavor as it warms.

M: Lots of carbonation. Light to medium body. Crisp finish. Very drinkable. Slightly watery.

Overall a great new pumpkin beer. Certainly worth a go-round and I will look for this again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 19:38:49 | More by CloudStrife

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a clear, rich looking medium amber with a razor thin blanketing of off-white head. The nose is sweet, but not cloying, and blends together aromas of nutmeg, banana, and clove. It's not over the top, but still has the spice characteristics I like in a pumpkin ale. The taste disappoints...frankly, it tastes like a watered down amber with almost none of the spice coming through...and this beer is essentially at its peak 'bottle freshness.' A thin, watery mouthfeel is not what I prefer for this style of beer, although it's refreshing to have a pumpkin beer with a semi-dry, spicy clove finish. Cold versus room temp there is no improvement.
Honestly, I will probably avoid this beer in the future, although it's hard to poo-poo a well-intentioned effort by Ithaca.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 01:21:00 | More by ThePorterSorter

schoolboy

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is one of the best pumpkins. Without being over the top, this is a well done pumpkin. The aroma is first rate - pumpkin and spice, very nice. The taste is almost a disappointment after such great aroma, a tough act to follow, but it works weak.

The beer looks great in a glass but the head is a little weak. The taste quickly dies down, leaving a void. It also leaves a bit of a bitter boozy aftertaste.

The burps are pretty good, not so much pumpkin pie as jackolantern. This is one to buy when you want a real pumpkin treat.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 23:31:48 | More by schoolboy

sliverX

New York

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a rich clear copper, thick white foam a good 3/4" that took a while to fade down to whisps.
Smelled of typical pumpkin beer spices with a touch of pumpkin meat.
Taste followed the noise, very balanced spice profile which was very drinkable and no where near over the top.
Mouthfeel was medium bodied, it had some weight to it but was very drinkable.
Overall a very solid entry from Ithaca, not a game changer but a perfect fall option.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 23:03:53 | More by sliverX

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Draft at The Pour House in westmont, NJ.

Pours a very hazy, dark orange/copper color with burnt orange edges and a half finger off-white head that quickly settles into a thin ring. Spotty lacing left behind.  

Slightly vegetal pumpkin pie aroma with sweet malt, autumnal spices and floral hops.  Some caramel malt and toffee along with  pumpkin, allspice, clove and ginger.

Full bodied with a zesty spice presence that lingers over the sweet malt notes  and pumpkin purée into a slightly dry finish.  Touch of floral hops with some clove, cinnamon and allspice followed by a sweet, slightly earthy pumpkin presence.  More dessert like, however, with pumpkin pie sweetness, vanilla and nutmeg.  Well balanced with a subtle hop presence that adds another dimension.  Flavorful and very easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2013 03:07:09 | More by corby112

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pumpkin-y color. Head collapsed to a thick ring. The foam doesn't want to stick.

Cinnamon, pumpkin, nutmeg, almost a rye-like spice element coming from the malt. Pretty simple, but delightful nose.

A bit attenuated, but some punctual pumpkin pie spice notes and a touch of floral hops round this one out. Malty with some pumpkin meat and an earthy bitterness. Finishes with some menthol and gruff grain.

Mellow, crisp, with a natural body. The carbonation is energetic. Works for an autumn ale.

A little spice-heavy, but turns out to be an enjoyable fall seasonal. Easy to enjoy, easy to finish.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2012 02:44:40 | More by thecheapies

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Country Pumpkin
Ithaca Beer Company
Style: Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 6.30 %

LOOK: Pours an orange color with a chill haze, little to no sediment. Off white head forms and leaves little to no lace. Appears like a standard pumpkin ale.

SMELL: Pumpkin spices of cinnamon, clove, and allspice are apparent right away. There is a bit of malty sweetness peeking through as well.

TASTE: Once again spices of clove, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice are upfront with some pumpkin and brown sugar notes. There is a noticeable amount of vegetable/mineral notes from the pumpkin and perhaps the hops? Not very bitter and very spicy with plenty of pumpkin.

FEEL: Medium to full bodied, smooth, and well carbonated. Drinks fairly easily.

OVERALL: A good pumpkin ale with some solid traits. The mineral notes are a bit out of place, and with some vanilla, could easily be covered up. A pumpkin ale with some strength behind it and no presence of alcohol. Would go well with a holiday meal.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2012 18:25:17 | More by Stinkypuss

oberon

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Pizza Plant on Transit.Came to the table a dull hazed burnt orange/amber with not much head to speak of.Aromas were lighter with some roasted pumkin and a smattering of spice.The flavors really were great with pumpkin flavors tasting real and they are predominant,lightly roasted with some cardamom and cinnamon underneath.It's not sweet and it tastes like pumpkin...that's how it should be.

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2012 13:16:20 | More by oberon

asabreed

New York

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

Growler with the first taste poured into a traditional pint glass. Sampled earlier at the Ithaca Ale House also.

Appearance: A nice copper and slightly hazy orange color to the body of the brew, with a decent off-white head that does fade a bit quickly, probably due to the transport and the wash-out of the growler before the fill. Hopefully the haze is due to some of the pumpkin and spices -- I'm glad to see that it's not too clear.

Smell: A nice balance of malt and hops initially, with the spices coming through as it warms, especially the cinnamon and nutmeg. And there's some nice pepper and vanilla going on too. A good balance of aromas all around.

Taste: A little hoppier than I'd originally anticipated, with a nice sense of sweetness from the malt, balanced by the nice combination of spices, especially the cinnamon and nutmeg, and you do taste some of that pumpkin puree and it doesn't seem at all fake. Nice lingering slightly hoppy finish with spices that go on for a while.

Mouthfeel: Nicely medium-bodied with carbonation that could be maybe a little more charged, but it works well, and is more than adequate and keeps the flavors in check.

Drinkabiltiy. Not so surprisingly, a very good one from Ithaca. I hope this becomes a fall staple. Not very expensive, and a lot of flavor that could easily turn into a session brew. Seems like this is going fast -- not sure how much they made, but get it while you can.

Serving type: growler

09-30-2012 00:59:14 | More by asabreed

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at TJ's, Paoli, PA

Pumpkin ales...pumpkin ales... They're everywhere this year, and everyone's making them. Is the demand really that high? Sheesh. That said, this is probably one of the better ones out there, though still rendered unnecessary in Weyerbacher territory. Poured a coppery burnt orange with a small white head that retained as a ringlet; minimal lacing. Decent spice on the nose, caramel malt, and a bit of vegetal pumpkin. Taste is similar, vegetal pumpkin flesh and seeds, generic squash, nutmeg and pie spice, caramel, toasted grains, leafy hops, and a nice mini-burst of sweetness in the finish. Medium body, taste is not overblown, not subtle, it's just about right.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2012 23:38:35 | More by Rifugium