Night Owl Pumpkin Ale - Elysian Brewing Company

gNasty

1.63/5  rDev -57.9%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Well the beer looked great in the grocery store, promising a hearty ale perfect for the first chilly evenings of fall. Open the beer though and things go downhill...fast, a freefall into mediocrity. First off, the brew is devastatingly under-carbonated, an attribute that contributes to a flat, thin flavor and slightly grainy texture. Second of all, the beer smells like the holiday section of Walgreens, only less saccharine. And for the record, I am not against pumpkin ales, quite the contrary. I love the full, hearty, festive flavor of a well-brewed pumpkin. I am also not against Elysian. They make a fantastic Amber, one of the best. But the Night Owl flew away with all the body and flavor somewhere before bottling...

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 06:10:49 | More by gNasty

Beaver13

Colorado

2.68/5  rDev -30.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

22 oz bottle. Pours a hazy amber bown with a thin head that quickly goes to a thin collar.

The aroma is bready malts, a touch of fruit and some spices (nutmeg, allspice).

The flavor is vegetal malts with spices. It has a bit of an off metallic finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with a little spritzy carbonation, but is mostly watery.

Overall, it sounded and smelled so good - just didn't taste good to me. I like pumpkin beers but this was a bit off (vegetal and metallic).

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 07:39:28 | More by Beaver13

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

This brew pours a cloudy orange color with sediment in the glass. Low carbonation. No head or lacing to speak of.

The smell is initially of strong pumpkin and cardamom but this quickly fades as the beer warms. There is also a wheat smell.

The taste has pumpkin in it however the spices do not shine through at all in the taste. There is also a musty wheat taste.The taste does not improve as the brew warms up.

The mouthfeel is thin, water and flat.

I have found this to be a weak pumpkin ale and I am puzzled by the good reviews it has received. I would put Wyerbacher, Post Road and Smuttynose pumpkin ales before this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 20:12:51 | More by microbrewlover

kosmoraios

Washington

2.98/5  rDev -23%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a clear orange color, with plenty of carbonation visible in the glass. Fizzy white head rises to about a quarter of my finger before settling back down, leaving little top and no lacing.

Aroma is subdued, pumpkin pie and sweet malt.

Taste is of pumpkin pie spices and light, sweet caramel malts. The raw pumpkin is noted, also. Far too light and watery for my taste. Overcarbonated, fizzy and soda-like in the mouth. Not one I'll purchase a second time.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 20:37:20 | More by kosmoraios

Domingo

Colorado

2.98/5  rDev -23%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 1.5

Pours a pretty deep dark burnt orange. It actually has a pretty decent amount of head for the style, and the foam laces really well.
Smells like a boatload of spices. Cinnamon's the main one, with allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and a surprising strong liquorice/anise smell even though I don't believe it contains any. Not much in the way of beer or pumpkins, though.
The flavor mirrors the smell. Lots of cinnamon and anise, but as a beer, I'm just getting a ton of spice. If that's what you want - this one is pretty much the king of heavily spiced pumpkin beers. If you aren't into that - beware.
The body of the beer's great, and pretty ideal for the style.
For me, the first 1/3 of the glass was great. After that, it was like drinking liquid spice mix. Definitely a splitter.

Hmmmm. Lots of talk about this being among the best pumpkin ales. I really enjoyed their Great Pumpkin at the GABF...but this is all spice and very little else. I have to think that Night Owl might be a bit overhyped. Lots of people whine about overspiced pumpkin beers, but this beer (the most spiced one of them all) seems to be getting a free pass.

Worth a shot, and good up-front, but it'll let you down pretty quickly.

(It might be worth noting that this was contract brewed at New Belgium...not sure if there's any difference between this batch and the ones brewed in Seattle)

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2009 14:01:20 | More by Domingo

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours a an amber red dark orange color with a mild lacing ring around the top and minimal carbonation.

S - Brown sugar, pumpkin, and nutmeg in a bread crust sort of way. The nose is weak.

T - Mimics the nose...brown sugar, pumpkin, and nutmeg in a bready sort of way.

M - Light bodied and somewhat watery with a spicy sugary finish. This beer leaves an annoying artificial and chemical-like aftertaste.

O - Meh. Mundane when compared to other pumpkin beers but because of the ABV, it's very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 00:08:25 | More by jzeilinger

TheBigBoy

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Ok, I am now resigned to the fact that I am just not a big pumpkin beer fan.

In line with all the reviews, this is not an overpowering pumpkin beer. Subtle pumpkin and spice flavors throughout not even close to going over the top like some of the more fragrant and sweet pumpkin ales available.

Split out of a 22oz bomber on Halloween.This one was just Ok for me. Happy to now be past the Halloween beers and looking forward to Winter Ales now coming into season.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 14:24:41 | More by TheBigBoy

Toddzillamz

3/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho. I know something you don't know. That's right y'all, Toddzilla is back! Ready to drop some knowledge on you wannabe beer guzzlers. You probably some other kind of guzzler, if ya know what I mean.

This beer leaves me saying, "I don't know." And maybe it's not just this particular beer, but the overall feeling I get from a pumpkin ale. Football starts, the leaves turn, and the days grow shorter. This is when the brewers turn their focus to this niche of pumpkin style brews. We all wait for it to happen, and jump in head first, only to be disappointed. But, then again, I don't know. Maybe we should try other gourds. Well, here's the quick and dirty:

A: The color of urine when you drink nothing but beer.
S: The standard selection of fall spice. Nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon. Not too strong though. Not the warm feeling you get when sniffing a Pumking, that's for sure.
T: It was definitely better the night before, when I first opened the bottle. Things happen. You get a call/text and you take care of business. The usual suspects are here.
M: Dry, clean, crisp. Like listerine without the burn.
O: I don't know. It's a smooth, drinkable brew, but these pumpkin ales just rub me the wrong way. Like a sandpaper handjob, or a farmgirl with roughened, callous hands. All the same to me. They don't live up to the hype of "autumn beers". Not that a sandpaper handjob lives up to the hype, but you know what I mean.

This unnerving feeling takes me back to a time in Rome. Not that I was time traveling back to the glory days of gladiator fights and chariot races, but a trip I had where an experience left me guessing, forever. So, I'm back at the hostel with a slew of two euro bottles of wine, and run into the other cast members of that week. I happily share my wealth, and drinking breeds more drinking, so we all wander off to a club. This is where somebody drugged me. When I come to, I'm back in my room and see this smokin' girl from Israel right in my face. My shirt is being pulled off. I black out. I wake up in the morning with three chinese girls across the room staring at me and giggling. I was in my bed with nothing on but my underwear halfway up. There was what seemed like dried blood all over the place. All over me, the bed, and the floor. I later found out that this was wine, which was puked up. And, I puked all over the girl and her belongings. What I never found out is what happened. Did she take advantage of me and sex me up without me knowing? I don't know. Where did my clothes go? I don't know. Similar feeling with all these pumpkin beers. I don't know. Don't love em. Don't hate em. Just don't know.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 17:12:11 | More by Toddzillamz

BigMike

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Best by 3-6-11

A: Pours a crystal clear copper penny color. Topped with a thin soapy eggshell colored head.

S: smells alot like Ginger bread. Nutmeg clove ANd allspice too. Pretty good pumpkin aroma. Doesn't smell fake.

T: Man, what a let down. There's almost a sour like quality to this and not in a good way. Almost non of the aroma transfers over to the taste. Very watery and plain.

M: Light bodied. Pretty easy to drink but not very enjoyable.
Smooth.

Overall: I want to love pumpkin beers. I love all pumpkin flavored pies, cakes, coffee ect. I have yet to find a beer that captures the real pumpkin pie essence. Does such a beer exsist? Possibly. I haven't found it yet. Alot of times the nose is promising only to be a let down once tasted. This beer suffers from that. It's really not a good pumpkin beer at all.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2010 23:59:28 | More by BigMike

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

First had: on tap at ?

Poured clear orange-copper with a nice head. Malts in the nose and some pumpkin. Pretty much straight-up malts and the pumpkin and spice is not too spectacular, as opposed to other brews of the style. Like, when I order a pumpkin beer, I want pumpkin and spice...no need for subtlety. Light-medium mouthfeel, a bit watered down. Fairly drinkable, but not worth going out of the way for.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2011 16:44:26 | More by Rifugium

froghop

Washington

3.05/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

pours a semi-clear burnt auburn with little to no head, some lacing.

smell of spice, pumpkin, baked crust, just like a pumpkin pie.

taste is of spice, pumpkin, malt, some cinnamon.

overall an okay beer, i really don't care for the taste of the pumpkin brews that come out in the fall, but this one is better than most.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2008 16:25:29 | More by froghop

DaggerEyes

New York

3.1/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle
poured an amber orange, off-white head, patchy but abundant lacing clinging to the glass.

Sweet pumpkin pie, kind of like pumpkin pie out of the can. lots of spice, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.

The taste at times reminds me of ginger bread, though the pumpkin is undoubtedly there. Not much in the way of carbonation, smooth and slick mouthfeel, with a watery body. The body is a real turn off for me I like my pumpkin ales heartier than this one. There is also a strange and somewhat awkward off-dry quality on the finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2008 01:33:50 | More by DaggerEyes

Neorebel

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a ruddy amber hue, carbonated, with some minute sediment present. Bubbly head dissipates quickly, leaving no lacing in its wake. The aroma is nice, with sugary malts, graham cracker, nutmeg, pumpkin, and citrusy hops. I find the flavor to be rather straight forward... it's an APA with subtle pumpkin/spice characteristics in the finish. It's a bit watery and thin. I would recommend if you are looking for a good APA based session beer, otherwise, there are far better tasting beers of the pumpkin persuasion...

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 21:16:53 | More by Neorebel

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.13/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet.

A: No head. Pale, dark copper. Translucent.

S: Ginger? Very strange. Rice? Spicy, dead yeast.

T: Interesting. Heavy pumpkin, but only on the foretaste. Still tastes like rice though. Lots of subtle spice. Enjoying the ginger and cinnamon.

M: Thin and a touch sour.

O: Not a bad beer, especially in gulps, but not as tasty as I was anticipating. Wouldn't recommend, even if I'd have another.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 02:00:52 | More by AgentMunky

dborginis

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22 oz bomber to pint glass.

Appearance is a somewhat opaque amber, like looking through a rod of plastic. Interesting.

Smell is very lightly of pumpkin. Can't get too much else.

Taste is a little bit of spices, a little darker smoky malt with a little bit of a carbonation bite. The aftertaste though, is very watery, almost like a lowfat milk. The more I drink it, the more I feel it is watered down, with the above mentioned flavors hiding out and creating a quick sensation, then dying out quickly.

It is drinkable, but I think I'd rather spend my time drinking something with a little more flavor going on.

Nothing against Elysian, but their two offerings I have tried, this and the Jasmine IPA, have been a little too subtle for me, almost watered down. Probably just me, as I have had friends who really enjoy Elysian. Maybe its the coast to coast trip?

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2009 01:27:04 | More by dborginis

Gobzilla

California

3.18/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: poured a translucent golden orange in color with yellow highlights and a finger of head that left good bubbly lacing sticking to the glass.

S: noticeable grainy aroma upfront in the nose with very light spice notes such as ginger, cinnamon and all spice.

T: the cinnamon, ginger, all spice and clove were a tad more potent on the taste alongside plenty of grainy flavor a touch of pumpkin character a mild citrus notes.

M: the beer was light in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a spice, semi sweet, mildly fruity and crisp finish.

O: not really big on pumpkin flavor and was my least favorite in the pumpkin beer series.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 01:16:46 | More by Gobzilla

VaTechHopHead

California

3.2/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - typical pumpkin brown, nice head and lace that lasts

S - much spicer than pumpkin aroma, lots of nutmeg and cinnamon and some brown sugar

T - Not a lot of pumpkin flavor but lots of nutmeg and cinnamon. Weird blend of spices. Would like to have tasted more pumpkin, a little watered down

M - Medium body and a little under carbonated. Spicy finish but doesn't last very long

O - Not one of the best pumpkins I've had but if one likes more spice in their beer than this is for you

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 01:25:35 | More by VaTechHopHead

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Consumed at our pumpkin beer tasting. Thanks to Pete for bringing this one.

Pours an orange copper color with a bit of haze. Smell brings loads of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. A bit of roasted pumpkin. The taste layers on the spice even more. A bit of toasted bread as well. Feel is strange, as the my entire palate is overcome with pumpkin spices. Drinks okay, but a bit lopsided in balance.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2010 12:51:21 | More by Thorpe429

Cavalier92

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not your typical pumpkin ale. A good bit of dryness and hops. Strong nose of ginger and nutmeg. Deep amber brown body with thick off white head. Pumpkin flavor comes through on the finish, but still feels a bit thin in the mouth. 6un because it,s different from the standard pumpkin brew, but nothing to go out of your way for.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2009 18:05:17 | More by Cavalier92

JoeAmerican77

Colorado

3.3/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The darkest pumpkin beer I've reviewed yet. A lovely deep amber hue with some cream on the top...Sweet brown sugar, pumpkin flesh and allspice on the nose. Beautiful template for flavor. Cinnamon and clove mesh on the tongue with sweet brown sugar. Medium light body has a load of miniature carbonation to hail in the nectar of the fall.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 01:37:14 | More by JoeAmerican77

antilogic

California

3.33/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had it on tap @ the Horsebrass in Portland. Got a free taster from the bar staff.

Aroma of light spicing, but lacking a pumpkin. Head was big, low carbonation, appears a standard "brown" in low bar lighting. Taste was smooth, and some pumpkin was definitely there. It was a lot lighter than I expected, leaving me disappointed.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2008 07:44:48 | More by antilogic

Dieseldynamo

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -14%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-Poured from a bomber with little head and no lacing, plenty of (what I'm guessing is) pumpkin residue floating in the glass from adding it to the fermenter!

S-Light ginger and cinnimon over biscuit malt. Almost a bit perfumey...

T-Similar to smell but with beer flavor...no bitterness (as to be expected) and no apparent pumpkin flavors despite the intense additions. The spices are nicely displayed however a bit strong on the ginger perhaps.

M-Nice and medium-full bodied for a 6 % abv beer, great texture and consistency.

O-Not the best (certainly not the worst) example of the style I've had, I think they put too much emphasis on getting pumpkin flavor into the beer and missed the balance of spices that should compliment the type of texture that comes with adding pumpkin to a beer. It does make a nice fall beer however.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 22:39:49 | More by Dieseldynamo

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -14%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy orange-ish to yellow color, a bit chunky, and a small to no white head. In the aroma, big cinnamon and allspice all the way through. In the taste, big spice, quite heavy on the cinnamon, with nutmeg and allspice, and notes of gourd. A spice bite and a medium to lighter body, with a dry over use of cinnamon and ginger in the aftertaste. Overuse of cinnamon and big spice presence, although, just about average.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2012 15:23:13 | More by OWSLEY069

scootpolute

Washington

3.35/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1 Pint, 6 FL OZ. bottle into tulip glass.

A - Pours dark-amber, with a full, cloudy-light-brown head...-some great lacing!

S - Hops and hints of a combination of spices; pumpkin, clove, cinamon & ginger!

T - A bit bland...The combo of spices is weak (which I think is 'good,' rather than over-doing the flavor), but...something is missing. Perhaps more hops would have helped, eh?!

M - Good carbonation! The carbination disappears quickly to the combo of bland flavors.

O - At the top, there's a feel like your're going to get (with flavor) much more than you actually 'get!' The bland combo of flavors kind of go all over, then, die off to a relatively 'weird' place...sort of a soapy-cinamon ending..?

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 23:23:17 | More by scootpolute

AltBock

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bomber bottle with a pumpkin orange label that has an up close head shot picture of an owl. This owl is serious! He has that look in his eyes that he wants to scratch the eyes out out of everybody that looks at him. Behind the serious owl is big red full moon. To the left of the owl is is the mandatory US information and on the owl's right side are two paragraphs. One talks about all the ingredients that went into this beer and the second one talks about the Brewhouse. Below the paragraphs is the brewmaster's signature and if you have a magnifying glass handy, a best before date. It said best before December 26th, 2008. OOPS!

When poured into a Sly Fox Imperial pint glass, this Pumpkin Ale almost poured a solid pumpkin orange. If it wasn't for that small tint of amber, this beer would have shared the same shade of orange that a Pumpkin has. On top of this beer was a creamy 3/4 of an inch head of pure white foam. This head of foam never receded. It was one of those heads of foam where the only time it receded was when I took some sweet liquid out of the glass. When the head of foam receded, it left behind plenty of milky white streaks of lace around the glass.

This beer smelled like baked pumpkin. Not a baked pumpkin pie, it was more like an aroma you'd get if you threw a whole pumpkin into a oven. Right behind the baked pumpkin was a hint of nutmeg, a dash of sweet ginger, a pinch of cinnamon, and a subtle speck of cloves. This aroma had a surprise, but it only came out when it was swirled around. When it was swirled around, out comes the scent of over ripe cantaloupe. What that was doing in a Pumpkin Ale is beyond me. The cantaloupe completely took over the aroma. When it settled down, it comes the baked pumpkin aroma again. Take my advice, don't swirl this beer around.

Most of the Pumpkin Ales I've had in the past tasted like pumpkin pie. This one tasted a little bit like pumpkin cheesecake. But this beer only tasted like cheesecake at the very end of the taste. This beer started off with the baked pumpkin and then that was quickly followed by cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. That would have been great, it they didn't water down the pumpkin pie spices. I honestly don't know if they were watered down, but I do know that something was holding them back. I don't like my Pumpkin Ales overly spicy, but this one was holding back the spices. It was the pumpkin cheesecake at the end that saved this beer. if it didn't come in, this beer would have been nothing but baked pumpkin and watered down spices.

This was a light bodied Pumpkin Ale with a dry baked pumpkin aftertaste of baked pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. The baked pumpkin was the only taste that stuck around after the liquid was long gone.

I don't know what to say about this Pumpkin Ale. It had the taste of pumpkin in it, but it was holding back the spices for some reason. I guess the baked pumpkin was scared that the spices would over run the taste so that it beat the spices down. Overall, it's not a bad Pumpkin Ale. It's just not my favorite one and it's definitely not my favorite beer from Elysian.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2009 23:16:33 | More by AltBock