Kennebunkport Pumpkin Ale - Federal Jack's Restaurant & Brew Pub

blackie

Virginia

2.53/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

"natural flavor added"

a: Already disappointed by the color of this one, pale golden with a hint of amber. Fizzy white head recedes to a respectable ring.

smell and taste: Smells like macro lager and pumpkin spice, and tastes the same. On the nose I get dry pale grains and a lightly sweet, fruity spice. Cant' tell if I'm picking up on some squashy aromas, but it's possible. Black licorice and leaves if I try. Dominant spice aroma smells of cinnamon and maybe some nutmeg. The tongue follows suit, with weak pale grains and a fake, almost Red Hot candy type cinnamon. Watery. Pale lager grain aftertaste, lightly hopped all around. Nothing offensive anywhere I guess, but very "safe". Aroma comes close to enjoyable.

m: Carbonation bordering on high, with a light body. Dry.

d: Easy I suppose, but not a very rewarding experience. My least favorite pumpkin of all. The macro lager of pumpkin ales.

single bottle from Trader Joe's Cary, best by June 2008

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2007 04:41:51 | More by blackie

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - a watery orange-colored pour, meager show of head that barely covers the top. Not enough to create any lace.

Aroma - spicy cinnamon. Faint pumpkin. Almost a hot cinnamon, not bad.

Taste - pure cinnamon. Indistinct grain, just enough to call it a beer. A steady theme...swallow - cinnamon; aftertaste - cinnamon. Hey I like cinnamon but I could use some other flavor in there, like maybe *pumpkin*.

Mouthfeel - slightly thin; peppy carbonation. To its credit, it helps to control the sweetness factor.

Drinkability - tasty for a one-dimensional beer. Worth a few if you're into the spice.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2008 05:15:52 | More by brewdlyhooked13

msubulldog25

Oregon

2.83/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Shopping at the Trader Joe's, spied this bottle on the 'singles' rack. $1.00, what the heck? 12 oz. twist-off to a pint glass; notched 'Best Enjoyed Before: A(pril), 10'.

A: (Surprisingly) golden, a straw-wheat with minimal head (short & white, brief creaminess, broken film). Mild haze, a few streams of slow-rising carbonation. Looks-wise, nothing to get excited over, nor the worst-looking beer ever.

S: An odd mash-up of 'corny' macro-lager and 'pumpkin' spices. Caramel and red apple are included, a vague smell of 'autumn' although of the 'scented candle' variety...meh.

T: An 'Apple Jacks' spice is what immediately comes to mind - a semblance of apple and spice but all very artificial-feeling. Honey-wheat, more than anything. The 'pumpkin' flavor here is more allspice, just a dash, and really lacks the earthy/pungent/tangy elements found in versions of the style I favor.

M: A lively mouthfeel, 'springy' and reasonably carbonated. A touch on the buttery side with a spiced tingle hanging around after. Light-medium body, slightly buttery/slick.

D: A mediocre (at best) version, nothing to get excited about. Hints at 'October' like that one cool day in August, then pulls back, leaving only disappointment. If you like the style, give it a try - but stick to a single. Or pass; what do I care? Just sayin', don't go out of your way for this one...

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2009 04:57:29 | More by msubulldog25

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Consumed 9/26/09
This beer pours a light clear pale amber color with a two finger of sudsy white head that disappears quickly. Not much lacing to speak of. Nose is all about the spices - clove, nutmeg, cinnamon. Taste falls in line with the nose - all about the spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of clove mix in with pumpkin flavoring. Nicer balance to the taste than in the nose and has a touch of bite at the end. Lighter body, high carbonation, goes down easily and where I like pumpkin beer could sit with this for a while.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2009 20:19:45 | More by Jayli

Offa

California

1.85/5  rDev -35.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

I am not sure if this is the same thing as Pumpkinhead from Shipyard, part of the same brewing family as Kennebunkport. Some people and websites claim that it is, and it certainly shares some basic similarities, but to me this was very different in taste and feel, and I like it a lot less. Then again, the only Pumpkinhead I've had recently was a left-over bottle I found from last year. It seemed quite good, so either it is good and better than this stuff, or it simply ages really well. Moreover, this Kennebunkport ale also does not resemble either my independent memory or my notes about Pumpkinhead from last year.

Pale, hazy orange with dust, it has a thin, fizzy off-white head quickly thinning to a ring and wisps, with no lace. This is similar to Pumpkinhead but this is more orange and more hazy and dusty.

The aroma is light grain with cinnamon, a hint of grass, a faint general pumpkin-pie aroma, and a hint of orange juice. This is a little bit like pumpkin head, but with more cinnamon, less pumpkin/pumpkin pie, and with orange.

The taste is quite different. It's light, on the fizzy side, and has pumpkin-pie spices
and some grian in the finish, like Pumpkinhead. However, the grain element is lighter, more cracker-like, less robust in feel. It also is a lot sweeter than Pumpkinhead, which transitions between sweetness and dryness. It also, unlike pumpkinhead, tastes a lot like watered down orange juice mixed with soda water with aa dash of cinnamon, with the only grain element being a light perfume in the finish. I actually found this too sweet and too much like watery orange soda pop to finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2008 16:46:13 | More by Offa

DogFood11

California

2.25/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A decent looking brew. Frothy white head sits proudly on top of a pale wheat colored vibrant body. Champagne like carbonation. Sliding lace.

Hmmmm odd. Not terrible, not good, just odd. Like an american wheat beer meets a sweet fruit beer. Except the wheat tends to jumble this up and make it too spent grainlike tasting. Sweet potatoes and cinnamon are among the slight pumpkin taste. A bit of pepper tries to sharpen things up. Lingering layer of sweetness remains on the palate.

Notes: I wasn't much for this debacle. It was drinkable but not worth the coin. Thin and lacks any complexity.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2008 01:45:43 | More by DogFood11

aerozeppl

New York

2.48/5  rDev -13%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Procured by the significant other.

A: One shade darker than urine after a night of drinking. No head to speak of. Zero lacing.

S: Allspice is strong. No cinnamon or clove to speak of.

T: Just bland and stale. Most likely past its prime. Really just bland. More like an ale with a little spice than a pumpkin ale.

M: Well carbonated and it feels full in your mouth.

D: Not for me. Drainpour.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2008 20:24:51 | More by aerozeppl

yourefragile

District of Columbia

2.45/5  rDev -14%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle from Trader Joe's. Best by June 08 notched on label

A: Clear golden, slight amber color with a thick off white head, decent retention, not much lacing.
S: Grain, smells like a typical light beer but then in the background pumpkin pie.
T: Tastes like liquid pumpkin pie, but not overly strong. This isn't great, but is certainly drinkable, compared to some of the other beers in this line from TJ. Grainy, slightly sweet aftertaste. A little pepper spicing it up.
M: Body similar to a wheat beer. Thicker than the appearance would suggest. Not overly carbonated.
D: Not great, not terrible. My favorite of the kennebunkport beers TJ is selling. Still not anywhere near my favorite pumpkin beer, but for the price and availability I'd be tempted to pick up a few next year, especially for friends.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2008 20:43:17 | More by yourefragile

BeerSox

Virginia

3.13/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into nonic.

Clear pale amber hue with a mild orange tint. A very thin and fizzy head quickly settles to a flat rim along the glass.

Grainy malts along with some light spices from pumpkin, and a little bit of raw pumpkin aroma.

Again, grains sit in the background, while the light spices and a little bit of pumpkin pie flavor take the rest of the show. Light bodied with good carbonation. The pumpkin flavor lingers for a while.

An okay pumpkin ale. While this one doesn't have any bad flavors, it's pretty thin, and focuses on the spices more than the pumpkin flavor. Enjoyable, but not the best.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 20:31:59 | More by BeerSox

chinchill

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle from TJs.

A: pours a yellow-golden-amber color with a light haze and a fragile off-white head. Medium size carbonation bubbles rise continually.

S: A nice malty, pumpkin pie aroma with plenty of actual pumpkin squash aroma.

T: The flavor doesn't follow through as well as one might hope. There are notes of pumpkin squash along with some appropriate spices, but the illusion of a malty pumpkin pie is not present. Good mix and quantity of spicing; this is not one of the all-too-common over-spiced pumpkin ales. A little on the sweet side, but at a good level for the flavor profile. Relatively good finish and aftertaste.

M- Crisp; medium-high carbonation. Medium body.

O: an above average pumpkin at a below average price.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 00:15:04 | More by chinchill

HalfFull

California

2.73/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass, this beer pours a golden straw in color with a touch of haze, and offers a half inch head that doesn't linger for long. Quite light in color.

Lots of cinnamon on the nose with some nutmeg notes. Some underlying rice as a backbone.

Taste/feel is light in body and has a lingering cinnamon and sugar flavor. A bit like a churro. Cinnamon again on the finish with perhaps just a hint of pumpkin meat and with a quick close. A bit artificial in a way but hard to pinpoint. There is a certain oddness to the spice notes in that I sense they are additives or finishing spices vs. something that actually spent some time in the boil. Drinks pretty easily given its light body, but would become tiring due to its one-sided approach.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 08:44:47 | More by HalfFull

Beaver13

Colorado

2.65/5  rDev -7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle. Pours hazy straw yellow with a medium fizzy white head that quickly goes to a thin collar.

The aroma is pumpkin spices - nutmeg and cinnamon over some bready malts.

The flavor is sweet malts with a ton of pumpkin spices - nutmeg, cinnamon and some pepper. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with low, but spritzy, carbonation.

Overall, a bit of a spice bomb - not at all subtle over the smaller beer. But I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 23:32:34 | More by Beaver13

daliandragon

North Carolina

3.2/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I should have known better than to get my hopes up when I saw this sitting on the shelves at Trader Joe's in Cary. Most of their contract brewed stuff is ordinary at best. This pumpkin pours dark golden and all semblence of head dies within seconds. Smell is uninspiring; minute pumpkin and spice and some artificial smelling adjuncts.

Overwhelming carbonation at first, followed by sweet but genuine pumpkin flavor. Not much for body and the aftertaste is dull and flat but I have had worse pumpkins, although not many. Certainly not worth seeking out although I get a feeling you'd only find it at TJ's anyway.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2007 02:31:43 | More by daliandragon

CuriousMonk

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

From fall brew tasting notes (2010): Pours a crystal clear, golden-bronze colored body with a thin, fizzy, white head that dissipates quickly into a thin lacing. Aroma is pumpkin pie and cinnamon. Not very malty, more spiced, candy based. Flavor is thin and watery pumpkin pie spices with some sweeter caramel and strong cinnamon. Finishes with no real character after a thin body and fizzy carbonation. Overall, a distinct pumpkin flavored beer, but not very rounded or balanced. Watery with a little too much spice and not enough malts.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2011 17:13:28 | More by CuriousMonk

jwinship83

Illinois

3/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A- very lager like. golden colored body with very active visible carbonation and a 1cm quickly falling white colored head that leaves no lacing behind.

S- pumpkin bread, yeast, cinnamon, and some grainy malts.

T- similar to a pumpkin pie. couldnt taste any of the yeast that i thought i could smell

M- light bodied with a high level of carbonation. probably too much.

D- this just isnt for me. if you love pumpkin pie, and hate beer, this one is just about right for you. the bottle was pretty hard for me to finish, and im glad this one was left at my place rather than something i bought.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 20:54:54 | More by jwinship83

augustgarage

California

3.53/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Clear, metallic gold body with a light snow white smattering of foam up top. Decent retention and pasty delicate lacing.

Gentle citrus and pie spice in the nose - delicate and inviting.

Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg converge on the palate supported by a soft, clean maltiness. Some tartness and a low vegetal note emerge, blooming into the crisp biting finish. Low but present bitterness and a faint sweetness throughout. Well balanced.

Zesty, lively, light bodied, well carbonated mouthfeel.

Not a bad pumpkin ale - a touch over-filtered for me, so you end up with more spice than pumpkin, but this is one of the better seasonals really. An easy drinking leaf-raking (as oppossed to lawn-mowing) beer I suppose...

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 04:50:20 | More by augustgarage

Hibernator

Massachusetts

2.48/5  rDev -13%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Kennebunkport Pumpkin Ale
12 oz brown bottle
Best before May 08
Served in a 16 oz Harpoon IPA glass (which underutilize)

Pours a light orange with little fizzy bubbles. Decent head, but minimal head retention.

The nose is weak. Whiffs of cinnamon sticks.

Eh. The mouthfeel is a big problem. Watery with a seltzer paper annoyance.

Fall flavors like candy corn, cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg blend together. The unfortunate piece is this beer is lacking quality. I taste an artificial twang or splenda sweetness. I'll finish this beer, but probably not purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2007 23:01:50 | More by Hibernator

asabreed

New York

2.93/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. Clearly marked best-by date notched of March 2009.

Appearance: Not much carbonation or head retention to speak of, and a golden yellow color that should probably be a bit darker. Or at least I hoped it would be.

Smell: Malty sweet base with an interesting mix of cinnamon and nutmeg, and some seemingly real pumpkin in there. A little hint of metal and sourness.

Taste: More of a pumpkin-pie-in-a-bottle beer, but it does indeed taste like beer. The pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla are pronounced, and a bit spicy, which I like. But it doesn't have a long finish, and could use some tweaking and maybe some more hops.

Mouthfeel: A bit too cloying and medium-bodied, and lacks carbonation.

Drinkability: I think this could be a pretty solid pumpkin ale with some TLC. As it stands, I think I enjoyed it more than my review maybe lets on, but it has some things that are really lowering its potential, like the appearance and mouthfeel. Not as bad as the reviews say, and worth a shot. I wouldn't want to have more than maybe one or two at a sitting, but it did go down fairly easy.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2008 03:44:35 | More by asabreed

younger35

Minnesota

2.08/5  rDev -27%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

I cannot for the life of me remember who gave me this beer. Whoever it was, big thanks! Drank from my Big Horn Mai Bock point glass.

Appearance- Pours a light yellow orange with terrific clarity. Forms a nice half finger head that disappears very quickly and leaves no cap and the smallest collar I’ve ever seen.
Smell- Lots of pumpkin and that’s pretty much about it. Not really much spice like I’ve come to expect from pumpkin ales.
Taste- Starts with a bit of pumpkin that isn’t all that “pumpkiny”. Some grainy malt that doesn’t seem to add much. Maybe a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg (maybe) to round out the taste. Finishes fairly cloying with some “pumpkin”.
Mouthfeel- Medium to thin body with fairly aggressive carbonation.
Drinkability- Well I think that if Miller was to make a pumpkin beer, they’d base it off this little guy. It’s got almost nothing in the nose and the taste is almost as bad. Not a great beer. Thanks much to whoever sent this to me, glad to have gotten to try it!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2007 03:49:12 | More by younger35

notchucknorris

California

2.58/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Second Review of this one. Somehow, it's gotten worse.

A: Clear golden color with a thin head that fades really quickly.

S: More like a pumpkin bread aroma than pumpkin pie. Hints of kind of gross bready yeast in the back.

T: Ugh. A hint of pumpkin, but the beer is thin and watery and has a pretty awful yeast and bread flavor that it seems like all of these Kennebunkport beers have. Tastes like an artificial pumpkin flavored adjunct. Somehow, it isn't the worst of Kennebunkport's beers, but that doesn't mean it's any good.

A: Clear golden color with a small white head.

S: Not as much pumpkin as pumpkin pie spice. Nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. As the beer warms, these smells start to feel a little forced, like they were added a little too artificially.

T: When it's cold, the spices hold up, but as it warms, it starts to taste like Bud Lite. If you're going to try this, have it pretty cold. Not good otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 14:38:16 | More by notchucknorris

spointon

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I poured this one from a 12oz brown bottle into a tulip pint glass.

A= This ale poured a clear, pale orange color with a 1/2" fizzy white head. The head dropped fast and left zero lacing behind.

S= This beer smelled like the usual arrangement of pumpkin pie spices, but with an extra dose of something...possibly nutmeg. Not much beer scent got past the spices.

T= Similar to the aroma, with the beer definitely taking a backseat to the spices. The spices weren't cloying, but they were a bit overdone in what was ultimately a tame base beer. All present and accounted for were nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove. No detectable pumpkin but that was fine by me. Finished a bit dry.

MF= Lighter side of medium bodied with a super fizzy carbonation level.

D= Not a terrible pumpkin ale and at $5.99 a six pack at Trader Joe's its a good value. There are a lot better examples of the style, but its still worthy at that price.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2009 06:17:42 | More by spointon

secondtooth

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev +36.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A nice golden hue at first pour, with good foam, this seasonal smells of pumpkin and light spiciness initially, with maybe some nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove. Taste is a balanced mix of Fall flavors -- not overpowering or artificial at all, as some pumpkin ales tend to be. Actually, this one's among my favorites of the pumpkin beers -- mild, easygoing, and quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 19:06:07 | More by secondtooth

Treebs

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle served in a Deschutes snifter. I found this bottle in my parent's fridge and no one knows how it got there.

A: Pours a clear amber color with with thick white head forming on the pour. It recedes slowly, but no lace is left behind.

S: Pumpkin flesh, lager yeast and notes of pale malt with some light cinnamon. A littler mineral water as well.

T: Old/rotting pumpkin flesh. Some mettalic/tin like tastes and then a huge rush of cinnamon. It's like chewing on a cinnamon stick.

M: Light bodied, standard carbonation and drinkability.

O: Wasn't terrible, but definitely over spiced and the mineral water flavors weren't a turn on. Will not revisit.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 18:22:26 | More by Treebs

edchicma

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a medium yellow gold with a quickly dissipating head. Smell is mainly spices with a vague malt note. Taste likewise is mainly spice with a slightly redeeming light creamy malt undertone. Mouthfeel is creamy yet with a slightly tart pleasant finish. Because of the above qualities the drinkability is good.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2008 22:33:01 | More by edchicma

bmwats

Louisiana

1.98/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint.

Light golden color. Medium heavy carbonation. Smells like a combination of sweet potatoes, boiled eggs, butter, and orange... not really a good combo. The flavor has a synthetic pumpkin flavor, with a nutmeg spice. Light body, and the strange sweetness, lingers (unfortunately). Overall, this is not really very good. Only worth trying to acknowledge what a poor effort it is. This is a tough finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2009 05:36:26 | More by bmwats