Dark O' The Moon - Elysian Brewing Company

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

4.73/5  rDev +21%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Elysian's "Dark O'The Moon" Pumpkin Stout @ 5.6% , from a 650 ml bottle , that took a long time to arrive here in BC
A-pours a very dark brown with a small tan head which quickly dissapates leaving minimal lace ring along my stein
S-lots of pumpkin pie spices (cinnammon , nutmeg , allspice) some coffee and chocolate
T-has a sweet cinammon start and a slight bitter chocolate finish
MF-medium/full body , medium carbonation , so smooth and tasty
Ov-my new favourite for 2012 Pumpkin beers/ale , if you like Pumpkin Beers like me it's worth the $10.99 price for a bomber , just wish it was as available as "Night Owl"

Cheers LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 02:37:48 | More by LampertLand

Nezzy

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at the SPTR Pumpkin Fest.

Appearance: very dark colors with slight orange coming through but you need to look closely to see it. Gorgeous pour and a good amount of head that was a toffee color.

Smell: Absolutely no smell of pumpkin, instead you get traditional stout fragrances: chocolate, malt, bit of caramel.

Taste: Well here is the problem. It doesn't take like pumpkin at all. I made sure to cleanse my pallet before I drank it and sorry no pumpkin. HOWEVER, when you consider it as a stout holy hell its fantastic. You get very complex tastes of coffee, caramel, malt and only in the after taste (when I was half way done) did I get the slightest hint of pumpkin.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and sweet, with little carbonation.

Drinkability: This is odd because as a stout I think its a fantastic beer. As a pumpkin beer I can't recommend it because it doesn't taste like one. However I can't deny the complexity and just overall great quality of such a stout that I could drink all night.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2009 01:03:44 | More by Nezzy

NWer

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bomber into pint glass.
Dark. Very dark. Coffee brown head with nice retention and lace.
Lives up to description well. Chocolate, coffee, pumpkin, cinnamon notes throughout. Slight tangyness in the mouthfeel reflective of the alcohol.
All in all, a game changer for me. Didn't think much of pumpkin beers until I tried this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 20:32:39 | More by NWer

DNICE555

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle from my favorite NY connect.

A: Very dark brown.

S: Chocolate Cinnamon Nutmeg Pumpkin... Smells very tasty can't wait.

T: Chocolate, Roasted Malts, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Pumpkin, Vanilla, Ginger... Damn this is amazing.

M: Medium body, Medium carbonation, Best Pumpkin stout I've had.

O: What a great pumpkin beer. I think pumpkin along with all it's associated spices add a lot to ale. Feelin it.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 22:04:11 | More by DNICE555

Gobzilla

California

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: poured a very dark brown in color almost black with a thin brown head that left very little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: lots of chocolate goodness upfront coming out of the aroma that reminded me a little of chocolate powder and not in a bad way. plenty of cinnamon to compliment, a little nutmeg and roastiness but with a little pumpkin character/

T: the chocolate flavor with was more potent and rich on the palate alongside more noticeable roastiness, cinnamon accents, hints of nutmeg, pumpkin spice with graham cracker ginger bread notes but also a touch of vanilla to round out this elixir.

M; the brew was medium in body with a moderate amount of carbonation which had a sweet, spice, chocolatey, slightly roasty and rich finish.

O: I definitely like the combination between the pumpkin beer character and the chocolate. I have to say this is my favorite out of the pumpkin beer series.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 18:35:14 | More by Gobzilla

jletts

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Dark O' the Moon is a strong Pumpkin Stout. Although I classified it as a pumpkin ale, it is actually more of a robust strong stout brewed with pumpkin and pumpkin spices. The pumpkin spices are not overly strong, and shine through more in the background of the beer creating a nice twist in this delicious stout. The Elysian seems to shine with its pumpkin style brews so I thought I'd better try this one before it is gone for good. Looked black as most stouts with aromas of coffee, cocoa, some cinnamon and cloves. The taste was roasty and deep with dark chocolate and cloves followed by sour dark cherries and nutmeg and finishing with ripe pumpkin meat. A very interesting concept for a beer and an excellent fusion of a pumpkin ale and a strong stout. Surprised I haven't seen a pumpkin stout before now. Try it on tap before it's gone. I was informed they probably won't be bottling it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2007 04:22:59 | More by jletts

doughanson78

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into a snifter. First pumpkin stout.

A: Very dark pour. One of the blacker pours I've seen. Had a slight orangish/red tint to the pour. Not a lick of light getting through in the glass. The faintest bit of mocha colored head that disappears quickly but leaves an awesome lacing.

S: Pumpkin, chocolate, coffee, nutmeg, cinnamon, roasted malts, and some smoke. Different with the pumpkin mixed with all that but nicely blended.

T: Sweet pumpkin upfront, with a touch of cinnamon. A light coffee bitterness along with chocolate and nutmeg. The pumpkin continues to linger through the finish. Roastiness comes through in the middle and fades into smokiness. Pretty complex. A tad off in the aftertaste but nothing bad.

M: A bit light in body. Not real creamy. Lighter carbonation. This may be the one area this beer is really lacking.

O: Was kind of put off by the thought of pumpkin in my stout, but this is well done. I really like it. Wish it was a lot thicker but hey. Nobody makes a perfect beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 04:01:33 | More by doughanson78

grittybrews

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured near-black with two fingers of dark khaki head. Roasty aroma of chocolate and cinnamon.

Moderate carbonation and a thick, creamy mouthfeel. Big cocoa up front with hints of caramel/molasses sweetness. Big pumpkin and cinnamon bread backbone followed by light espresso bitterness on the tail end.

For a 6.5% stout, this had some pretty huge flavors going on. Really nice.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 21:42:05 | More by grittybrews

aaron12

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A. So I was a little worried when I poured this into my glass, (especially since it was $6.99 for a 22oz). Pretty much no head, low carbonation. It's dark, dark brown, with an orange hue.

S. Smells like a stout. A bit of nutmeg spice.

T. OK, this is fuckin' good. I really like Elysian's night owl pumpkin ale, (In fact it's my favorite pumpkin ale), but this is better... So for being 6.5%, this is such a tasty stout! Perfect amount of coffee, mixed with pumpkin pie, dark chocolate, and caramel malt. I don't like sweet stouts, but this is well done.

M. Feels good...

D. VERY, VERY GOOD! This is a pretty strong beer, and I could put four of em' away quick, (if I had them, and if they were not 7 bucks a bottle...), but yeah, for a stout, this is easy.

cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2009 01:29:09 | More by aaron12

boogyman

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First review of this out of the bottle! I am gonna try to get a good picture and upload it. It's a pretty cool label. It sounds like this was limited to 120 cases total. Got it at my local beer store, Bottleworks in Seattle. They had ONE case that they hid in the back and I am sure they had a limit but there was two guys in front of me who got two each but I only got one. As far as I know the only way they advertised that they received it was on their Twitter feed which I happen to follow.

Anyways, to the review!

A- Poured into my trusty tulip glass. It pours black, maybe a super dark brown, but held up to the light, I don't see any light passing through. Not much head for me but it was straight from the fridge so it was cold and it was a fairly gentle pour. A little bubbles around the edge of the glass. On my second pour, after it warmed up a bit and on a more aggressive pour, there was a nice light tan head that stuck around a lot longer.

S- The pumpkin spices are fairly subtle on the nose. But there is the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice. It has a similar smell to Punkin Ale from DFH just not as strong.

T- As in the nose, the pumpkin spices are fairly light but most definitely there. The roasty malty flavors are much more prevalent. This beer doesn't seem as complex as some other stouts or imperial stouts, but it is definitely very tasty. I am starting to notice some slightly chocolaty notes but only so faint.

M- Fairly nice feel. Very smooth going in and going down. The alcohol burn is pretty well hidden.

D- Overall this beer is very tasty from the bottle. I could drink a few of these if i was blessed with more then one bottle that I probably wont get again till next year. I am gonna see if I can some of this at the Great Pumpkin Beer Fest they will be throwing soon. If you see this in your local store, buy it because it is worth trying. If you can get more then one bottle, do it because it wont last long until next year.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2009 02:29:53 | More by boogyman

MasterSki

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to bgramer for this intriguing extra. Served in a Leinenkugel's pint glass.

A - Pours with a nice finger-plus of tan foam that settles to a solid cap, leaving a few lace fingers. Black body with a faint glint of brown at the fringes.

S - Pumpkin, roasted malts, a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg, typical stout flavors of milk chocolate and hazelnuts. Surprisingly heavy on actual pumpkin aroma.

T - More cinnamon and spice in the flavor, and some nice chocolate notes as well. I'm not a huge spice lover, so I prefer the aroma a bit, but these are well-integrated and tastefully deployed.

M - Smooth and creamy, medium body, medium-low carbonation. Seemed bigger than 6.5%, though not through any overt alcohol presence but merely through heft.

D - This was shockingly gourd. Easily the best pumpkin beer I've ever had. Hopefully The Great Pumpkin is similarly good.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 20:14:24 | More by MasterSki

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

As the original poster noted, this a pumpkin stout. Brewed with Maris Otter, crystal, and chocolate malts. In the mash are roasted barley, Castle Cara-Vienne, Cara-Munich, and Special B malts, along with roasted pumpkin seeds. Pureed Golden Delicious pumpkin is in the mash, kettle, and fermenter. Crushed cinnamon in the kettle and bittered with Magnum hops and finished with Hersbrucker hops. Starting gravity of 18.8 degrees plato and abv is 7.3%.

Pours almost black with a thin head and some lacing. Aside from the roasted grain in the nose, you can really smell the cinnamon and roasted pumpkin seeds. The taste has a more pronounced pumpkin flavor and sweetness. The cinnamon is also evident here as is a late, nutty roastiness. Mouthfeel is smooth and dry. Once again, a very interesting pumpkin brew from this brewery and another one that works.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2007 15:53:14 | More by Georgiabeer

erikm25

Washington

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Review from 10/10/2009. Dark, practically black, like typical stouts with a tan head. Nice retention and lacing.

S: Dark fudge with some spiced aroma hints. But generally the cinnamon is masked by the malty sweetness.

T: Roasted chocolate and bready malts. Toasted cinnamon and nutty caramel. Cocoa and cloves. Pumpkin flavors are subdued by the richness of the other flavors but still adds a nice and unique compliment like chocolate covered pumpkin seeds. Per the brochure at the Elysian Great Pumpkin Beer Festival: "Great Western Pale, Crisp 77° Crystal, Cara-Vienne, roasted chocolate, and Special B malts with roasted pumpkin seeds in the mash. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle, and fermentor. Bittered with Magnum and finished with Saaz and crushed cinnamon. 0G 19.35° Plato (1.080), alcohol 6.5% by volume."

M: Medium to full body. Rich and smooth.

D: Cool take on the stout style and the pumpkin spices add a nice backdrop. Hopefully this will become a year round bottled beer. I love that Elysian does all these different styles of pumpkin inspired beers.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2010 00:15:51 | More by erikm25

beerandcycling88

Washington

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a snifter.

A Pours a dark brown almost black color with a tan head that dissipates very quickly.

S For a pumpkin beer not a lot of pumpkin in the nose. It's mostly cinnamon with some chocolate with the pumpkin being almost an after thought. Still quite nice

T Lots of chocolate, roasted coffee with some more cinnamon. Like the nose the pumpkin takes a back seat and is just hinted at instead of being the sole focus.

M Thick yet smooth

Overall I love this beer. Very subtle and doesn't club you over the head with pumpkin. More of a stout that has some pumpkin flavor then a pumpkin ale. Excellent seasonal by Elysian.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 01:50:45 | More by beerandcycling88

cbarrett4

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from tap at Saraveza Portland during Elysian Pumpkin Festival into spooky little Elysian Halloween snifter.

Pours deep brown/black with short cream colored head that slowly fades leaving not much lace.

Smells of roasted coffee and autumn baking spices - cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. A little fig and dark chocolate thing going on as well. Really the spices are what shine here.

On the palate I finally meet the pumpkin. Though it is light, it's there. The spices really add a nice note. The cinnamon and clove really come to the front. Some dark roasted malt, coffee and chocolate notes back it up. Terribly complex.

Texture is full on the medium to full side of the scale. Not a heavyweight. Alcohol is moderate and kept well in check. Nice balance. Shorter finish though.

Overall one of the better pumpkin ales I have tasted, and a proper stout to boot. Worth a taste if you come across it. Even if you're not a fan of pumpkin.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2011 23:52:48 | More by cbarrett4

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Been a while since I reviewed...and this oddball brought me out of the dark...one of the beers I received from mikesgroove's LIF...thanks again buddy!

Poured into a Duck Rabbit snifter. A single finger of dark caramel head formed on top of the blackish brown body. Poor retention time, but decent legs.

The nose is a combo of roasted malts, pumpkin spice and nutmeg...smells like my box of Halloween/Thanksgiving decorations...which somehow, isn't a bad thing...

The taste is similar to the nose, but infused with a ton of chocolate. Pretty much how I imagined it would taste based upon the name...a pumpkin flavored stout. A pretty strong pepper flavor comes through in the aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is great...medium on the palate, but slick and well carbonated...compliments the black pepper flavor perfectly.

Overall, this is a very unique and well done beer. Once the flavor combination grows on you, it becomes very drinkable. I am going to seek this one out again...

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 03:41:31 | More by mgbickel

Wetpaperbag

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Since this beer fits two style (Stout and Pumpkin Ale) I'm gonna have to try and review with both styles in mind.

A- Very dark black, yeah I know how dark can black get huh? The head is a dark brown with nice lacing. The pour looked thick.

S- This has a great smell for a stout, chocolate, roasty, vanilla, coffee, and a hint of nutty pumpkin.

T- Wow this has a great complexity. The stout flavors are there first up front, then this great nutty pumpkin flavor kicks though. The finish is a bit dry, but at the same time there is this lingering pumpkin seed flavor coating my mouth. The more I drink it the more the pumpkin spices come through, but there is still a great roasty stout flavor with a touch of chocolate.

M- The dry after taste is ok, but I could have lived without that effect.

D- Very drinkable, and complex. This is definitely blurring the style lines.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2009 02:05:57 | More by Wetpaperbag

Docer

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: (3.0)
- Heavy pour into a glass hardly rendered even a finger of head. Quick light mocha fizz settled immediately to a light bubbly ring, and some scattered thin skin on top. Stout is rather dark, and I can't see through it. Light ruby at the edges.

Smell: (4.0)
- Sweet chocolate grains, and spicy pumpkin pie notes. Lots of clove and cinnamon action going on. Perhaps a little grassy earthy hop bitterness. Some nice fig and esters as well going on.

Taste: (4.5)
- Taste is saving the overall experience of this beer so far for me. Very good chocolaty smooth grainy stout with a nice kick of bitterness to boot. Very well balanced bouquet of spices.. vanilla, clove, fig, nutmeg, hops. Nice roasty pumpkin touch, seeds perhaps.

Mouth Feel: (4.0)
- This brew is somewhat dry like a good stout should be, a bit chewy as it should be given its strength, and is actually well carbonated minus the lack of head. It must be brewed with just some standard house ale yeast, which does get on my nerves sometimes. Medium bodied stout, and a nice dry finish.

Overall: (4.0)
- My initial reaction at the pour was not so good, as I poured it heavily into a glass with little to no head or glorious mocha foam like I was expecting.. but with a good smell, and an even better taste.. the beer still holds high marks. I don't know about being worth the $9, but it would be one to buy a lot of if it were fairly priced.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 21:41:25 | More by Docer

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.15/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I got this brew from eallured, Thanks Ethan!

22oz bottle served in a glass beer mug.

Black brew with a tan head that thinned to a layer but still left bits of lacing.
Roasted coffee, malt, molases, light spices.
Good tasting stout, the pumpkin spice is light and blends in well enough with a good stout.
Medium bodied, smooth and creamy feel.
Goes down smooth and easy.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2009 23:51:32 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

dirtylou

Washington

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomber, made sure to stock up on this guy and the great pumpkin from the Tangletown outpost before the public caught wind

appearance: split and served in my great lakes goblet, dark brown body, creamy mocha head with a light ring of lace

smell: relatively subdued nose - some baking spices that line up with those coming from my oven at the moment - nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon. light roasted malt, baking chocolate

taste: rich and velvety - creamy chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, roasted pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. A very lovely ensemble of flavor resulting in a great stout that would be a favorite of the style year-round

mouthfeel: rich and creamy

overall: solid stuff

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 23:59:05 | More by dirtylou

CHILLINDYLAN

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep brown, small tan head. Thin organic lace.

Clove and cinnamon, pumpkin pie. Chocolate and heavily-toasted marshmellow.

Roasty chocolate, toasted marshmellow. Pumpkin and pie crust. Clove, Cinn, molasses. some excess sweetness. moderate bitterness.

Full body. Smooth and sticky.

A little sweet, otherwise a very great brew. Very drinkable and good for the winter season.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 02:19:11 | More by CHILLINDYLAN

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle poured into a large goblet. Most recent bottling just appeared on the shelf last week.

A - Pours a nearly black color with an inch of mocha colored head. Retention leaves something to be desired, but it sure leaves a pretty lacing on the glass.

S - Smells like the pumpkin beer I have been longing for. Bitter chocolate, pumpkin, and burnt malts meld for a creamy stout aroma with some bite. Bits of cinnamon are the icing on the cake for this brew.

T - My initial pour was cold, probably too cold. As a result, the first few sips were loaded with toasted malts and a bit of a harsh char aftertaste. I allowed it to warm a bit and it turned into a completely different beer. Very smooth chocolate notes transition to the now mellowed char flavors of the malt. The pumpkin comes through in the finish, although it is not very big.

M - Medium body with tingly carbonation. Smooth and drinkable.

O - I was happy to see this sitting on the shelf right next to The Great Pumpkin. It would be a very good stout in it's own right, but it stands out above the rest in the pumpkin beer category. Perfect for anyone who wants solid pumpkin flavors without the cloying sweetness that come with most of them.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 00:24:31 | More by NoLeafClover44

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally! The week-long chill of December recedes to a more autumn-like night of steady rain...reminds me of October, when I *should* have tried this beer. Didn't have that option tho', as this 22 oz'er came in trade from Seattle BA Beerzebub at the Hair of the Dog Dock Sale a few weeks back. Warmed outside the fridge for about 30 minutes, cracked open and poured to a pint glass.

"Stout brewed with Pumpkin, and Pumpkin Seeds with Cinnamon added"

A: Perfectly dark and 'stout-y', a midnight blackness that shows a a trace of rusty auburn at the edges when held to light. Creamy head crests around one-finger; it's a caramel-mocha dollop that winnows away over several minutes, leaving a coating lace blanket.

S: First whiff isn't cocoa nor pumpkin nor spice nor hops - it's smoke, a puff of ashy charcoal - or something not unlike burning leaves. Bottled 'Fall'. As much as I like the char, I really don't get much else from the aroma and that's kinda too bad...maybe I hoped for a more notable cinnamon or 'pumpkin [spice]' than was intended. At its warmest, fleeting sweet/spice notes emerge, but they are subtle to the point where one really has to search.

T: Dark and roasted grain, a mouthful of bittersweet chocolate, black coffee, a touch of burnt molasses. The fudgy-ness is perhaps surprising, as it's more a 'STOUT...with pumpkin [afterthought]' initially. Smokiness comes on and an earthiness that 'seems' like the pumpkin/gourd grows as well. Cinnamon spice is benign, a dusting that barely registers except as a lingering rooty aftertaste. Really interesting flavors pop up continually; while I don't think this entirely comes together, it sure has 'intrigue' going for it.

M: At 'just' 6.5%, this isn't a particularly heavy brew...medium feel and weight are solid, if unspectacular, at first. Then the creamy smoothness builds: a rich coating layers across the tongue, plasters the cheeks, smacks on the lips.

D: Can't think of many stouts, especially local ones, with this kind of appeal to my taste buds (Alaskan Smoked Porter comes to mind). Though DotM isn't at the ASP level for me, it has really good flavor and a beautiful feel in a very attractive brew; Elysian packs plenty besides 'pumpkin' and 'stout' into this 'Pumpkin Stout'. A seasonal that's DEFINITELY worth hunting down - I'll be on the prowl next year. Thanks for the bottle, Jon!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2009 06:09:16 | More by msubulldog25

julian89

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: A fantastic blackness with an off white cream head of about 1.5 inches and good retention.

Smell: A grain bitterness with strong coffee and chocolate notes. The pumpkin is on the back end (I love pumpkin beers that are more subtle than prominent). The spices are there, but only become more pronounced after the taste.

Taste: Oh such a great mix of coffee, fall season spice, dark malts, dark chocolate, and finally a little pumpkin. It's probably one of the top on my list for Pumpkin beers this year. It's only downside is a little bitterness as it warms.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy, with a good amount of carbonation.

Overall: I am glad that this was my first try at Elysian. I look forward to drinking the Immortal IPA which is currently in my "cellar".

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 21:07:02 | More by julian89

Cookeeman

4.08/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I really enjoyed this beer, but not for the reasons that I thought I would. Yes, it was a thick stout, with a creamy chocolate flavour and smooth malty finish. But what really jumped out at me was the pumpkin flavour: this wasn't some tame or demure pumpkin pie overtone, this was a smash of fresh pumpkin with a sprinkling of vibrant cinnamon! I'm rarely impressed by pumpkin flavour, I tend to judge the pumpkin beers more harshly than others. I'm pretty picky when it comes down to the balance of spices, and the texture of the pumpkin. The reason this one stood out to me was the freshness; the flavour seemed to jump out of the glass, as if it had just been brewed this morning. And I don't mean it was raw or harsh, it was still smooth and creamy but with a liveliness that was new to me. I will definitely be going back for another bottle of this for Halloween night.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 04:33:45 | More by Cookeeman