Fisherman's Imperial Pumpkin Stout - Cape Ann Brewing Company

sarajayne

3.53/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Look: very dark, almost black with a thin head

Smell: Nutmeg, cinnamon, and espresso - could not smell any pumpkin.

Taste: First thing I could taste was pumpkin, but not overwhelming, same for the spices - a really good mix, it was a little bitter with a bit of a coffee aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: dense, and smooth.

Overall: This was my very first stout, and since it was so dark, I was a little hesitant to try it at the pour. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. It was very well balanced, and easy to drink. Even without the cinnamon and sugar rim, this one flies to the top of my pumpkin beer list... perhaps that means my pallet is maturing after all!

collage girls drink GOOD beer:
www.brewreviewboston.blogspot.com

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 21:58:17 | More by sarajayne

birchstick

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours black in color with a white head. Sweet cinnamon and malt with a touch of pumpkin and nutmeg aromatically ascend out of the glass into the nose. The taste starts off with chocolate malts that move into a touch of pumpkin spice and cloves. Dark chocolates mixed in with some burnt malt / coffee finishes this one off. Medium bodied with a decent amount of carbonation that burns as it goes down. Overall, this is a good stout. It lacks a lot of pumpkin flavor that it advertises on its label, but worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 01:30:16 | More by birchstick

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

No freshness info apparent. Poured in to tulip.

A - Poured dark brown and settled black. One finger of light brown head formed and receded to a thin layer.

S - Roast and pumpkin aromas up front with lighter chocolate, molasses and brown sugar notes present.

T - A huge roast profile dominates the pumpkin pie flavours that are still present but subdued. A secondary spice profile accompanies pumpkin puree and semi-sweet chocolate flavours. Bitter, roasty finish.

M - Medium body with a decent chew. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 23:01:21 | More by TheSevenDuffs

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.23/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bottle poured into a Cigar City snifter. This beer seemed fitting for Halloween.

A - Pours midnight black with almond head. The foam is roughly a finger around the rim, cratering to a thin film in the center. I think both the glass and beer contribute to this neat effect.

S - Roasty bittersweet chocolate, marshmallow, and pumpkin pie spices. Cinnamon and nutmeg are prevalent. There is also an underlying pumpkin pulp smell coupled with some smoke.

T - Starts with sweet milk chocolate, dark fruits, and vanilla. Spices pull through in the middle. Roasty pumpkin meat on the back end with a bitter char and coffee finish. Some of the sweet cinnamon and chocolate remain in the aftertaste. This one comes full circle.

M - Medium body and silky smooth carbonation. If you told me this was 11% alcohol I wouldn't believe you.

O - I think this is my new favorite pumpkin beer. Good pumpkin flavor, mellow spices, all on top of an already great stout. Drinkability is remarkably high for a beer this big. I'll seek this one out next fall, that's for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 01:06:07 | More by NoLeafClover44

Durge

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A solid black-brown colored brew with a fairly scant ring of light chocolate colored head and few signs of lacing. The aroma is a demonstrative deep prune malt with a light floral hop and shades of lavender. Pretty decent and lots of backbone. The first sip confirms that this is a serious and slightly different imperial stout. I'm not sure that I get any instant pumpkin flavor here but perhaps that's because this one has cellared for a solid year or more. The flavor offers more of the same thing evidenced by the nice aroma. Dark fruit/prune and sweet malt and a vague minty charcoal. This stuff is certainly well constituted, pretty full bodied with a viscous, oily feel and just a very gentle carbonation. I might like a touch more texture with added carbonation but it is nice and velvety. It's also a bit cloying which I could stand to temper just a little. So if you're in the mood for a thick, sweet stout, and may I recommend some sharp cheddar to help tame this bad boy a bit, then this will do quite nicely. But I am a little disappointed that I didn't get my Halloween fix here, no pumpkin that I could detect.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 22:56:50 | More by Durge

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served in a Bruery snifter.

Thanks to cbeer88 for this bottle!

Reviewed blind as part of Blind BIF 7. This stuff pours a deep black-brown, an inky cola, topped by a finger of dusty khaki foam. The nose comprises wood, black pepper, light clove, light whiskey (in the vein of Early Times), and some light roasted malts. The taste brings in more of the same, with a deeper roast, cinnamon, brown sugar, and light cola. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a generally smooth feel. Overall, an enjoyable, if a bit thin, impy stout. 'Nuff said, really...

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 04:44:50 | More by TMoney2591

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: dark brown in color, 1/3 inch head, opaque, moderate carbonation

Smell: rich roasted malt, sugar, and light pumpkin pie spice

Taste: rich roasted malt, sugar, and light pumpkin pie spice--tastes of caramel and dark chocolate at the end

Mouthfeel: medium/heavy bodied, medium-high carbonation, sweet start, bitter middle with a sweet end

Overall: A high octane version of the original. This one tends to have more imperial stout qualities and a less pumpkin power. After the first couple sips, the pumpkin blended into the background far behind the chocolate flavors. Between the two, I would sooner go for the original non-imperial version.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 14:22:43 | More by tigg924

ckollias

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours a dark black hue with a thick tan-brown 3-finger head that quickly dissipates down the glass and ending in a solid persistent lace.

S: Malty aroma with a generous pumpkin and spice scent.

T: Dark rich ale on the sweet side. Malty background with a good pumpkin mix. Hints of nutmeg and other spices.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Awesome imperial pumpkin stout. A nice sipping beer @ 11 % alcohol by volume – although the alcohol was blended in perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 02:28:00 | More by ckollias

Summerteeth

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Doughy nose with some spice. Hard for me to notice the pumpkin. One-finger head, dark color. 11% ABV. Slight pumpkin taste, but much more chocolate than expected. Heavy mouth feel. First imperial pumpkin I've had, and am surprised by the absence of pumpkin taste.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 01:15:08 | More by Summerteeth

miketd

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bomber via trade w rudzud. Thanks!!

Poured into a Cigar City snifter. Appearance is nice; dark mahogany with a small, off white head. Aroma is tons of pumpkin with spices - mostly cinnamon and allspice. Flavor is pretty decent, with pumpkin and more spices. Alcohol is not detectable at all. Highly carbonated, maybe a bit too much and fairly dry.

Overall this is a pretty nice beer and it was great to get to try the imperial version.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 00:56:26 | More by miketd

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

bomber (22oz) served in an oversized wineglass.

easily the darkest "pumpkin" ale i've had, defintely more a stout on that count - pours a deep chestnut brown/borderline black tone with a mocha finger of head; decent lacing.

nose is marked by nutmeg, allspice, some pumpkin, and roasted malt notes. a lot of roasted malts pulling through in the taste, accompanied by more muted notes of pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon... subtle dark chocolate character noticeable mid-palate, and a good amount of bitterness coming in the finish... highly well-hidden 11% ABV... unique crossbreed of pumpkin/stout styles; that said, not as robust a flavor profile as i had hoped - plenty of room for improvement.

mouthfeel might be the strength of this one... full, velvety body with appropriate carbonation. goes down fairly easily; with a little tweaking this has the potential to be a really great brew.

originally reviewed: 10-26-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 22:45:06 | More by BostonHops

paulozanello

Brazil

4.08/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a black color with orange tones against the light. Head is kaki. Low retention and lacing.

Aroma is pumpkin spice: nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, cardamom and a little pumpkin. Roasted malts linger below. If I was blindfolded this would be a pumpkin beer.

Taste is dark roasted malts at first with mollasses and a big pumpkin spice kick again with cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Ends with a spicy and bitter note maintaining a little residual sugar and with a small alcohol and astringent punch.

Body is moderate to heavy with low carbonation. Mouthfeel is silky and smooth.

Exquisite beer that is the first of it's kind that I've ever had. Props to creativity on this one. Fairly drinkable and goes well with sweet stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 00:04:58 | More by paulozanello

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Black with some dark brown at edges. Head is khaki, creamy, and leaves some lacing. Head dwindles to a thin cap. Carbonation is on the higher side.

Smell: Nice hit of pumpkin and spices. Some cinnamon and nutmeg and clove. Big roasted compliment. Chocolate and a faint grassy edge. Big pumpkin flesh. Loads of pumpkin. Bitter chocolate.

Taste: Huge hit of pumpkin. Clove and roasted malts. Spices are nicely moderated. Cinnamon and big vegetable note. Pumpkin. Lots of real pumpkin. Malts add a touch of sweetness and roasted malts. Faintly grassy. Sweet and roasty.

Mouthfeel: Moderate to full. Carbonation is on the higher side. Smooth and easily drinkable, especially for the ABV.

Overall: Much better than the standard version. The pumpkin is everywhere and greatly appreciated. Nice level of spice and malt balance.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 02:12:19 | More by Goblinmunkey7

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.78/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cheers to Goblinmunkey7 for sharing this

Review adapted from notes taken 1/22/12

Appearance: Dark, dark brown - tan head, spotty lacing

Smell: Burnt malts, roasted malts, with a strong undertone of pumpkin - like cooked pumpkin rind - some typical pumpkin pie spices, nicely balanced - not a spice bomb, probably due to the malts

Taste: Not as good as the aroma, but good - dark malts, roasty - malts are sweet, a bit too sweet - some of this sweetness might be from the pumpkin - to an extent, this kind of tastes like a burnt pumpkin pie - some alcohol

Mouthfeel: Full body, smooth, a bit sticky

Overall: As the name would imply, it's a big stout with a lot of pumpkin

This is genuinely more interesting than the non-imperial version. This has a ton of pumpkin and a ton of burnt malts. I thought it was too sweet, but I was also having some serious stomach problems when I drank this.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 05:51:58 | More by angrybabboon

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours jet black with some mahogany highlights around the rim. About 1/2 finger of dark brown head dissipates quickly. Thin lacing slides down the glass leaving a thick filmy layer.

N: Pumpkin meat, nutmeg, allspice and caramel along with lighter notes of chocolate, coffee and clove.

T: Toffee, raisin, sweet milk chocolate and notes of allspice upfront. This is followed by pumpkin meat, fig, allspice, cinnamon and milky semi-sweet chocolate mid-palate. Finishes with dark chocolate, molasses, nutmeg, allspice and hints of clove and earth.

M: Medium bodied, silky, soft, smooth sticky and slightly bitter.

O: Very complex and interest Imperial Stout. Pumpkin flavors are way more forward than I ever would have expected. Chocolate notes start really sweet on the front of the tongue evolving into bitter, dark chocolate in the finish. Alcohol is not detected. Spicing and dark fruit is subtle only adding to the complexity.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 16:09:38 | More by justintcoons

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from old notes.

22oz bomber poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Pours jet black with a thick brown head. The head collapses down to about a half an inch rather quickly. A light patchwork of lacing remains on the glass.

S: Big hit of allspice and pumpkin meat. Cookie-like scents from the roasted malts. Both chocolate and sugar cookies. Berry-like darkfruit scent lies dormant under all of this. Toasted pumpkin seeds. Way too over the top with the pumpkin spices.

T: Deep chocolatey roasted malt tastes give way to a toasted grain impression. Vague darkfruit, very slight acidity. Pumpkin spices poke through now and then, and assert themselves more toward the finish. Fleshy pumpkin guts. Dries a bit and finishes with deep roasted malt tastes of chocolate cookie and a touch of smoke. Taste is far better than the smell would have led me to believe.

M: Medium bodied. Thinner than I would like. Creaminess is cut by strong carbonation. Warming all the way through. The body does just enough to keep it together, but doesn't impress.

O: A mediocre Imperial Stout reduced further by over spicing. I'll pass. Do yourself a favor and get some Summit Imperial Pumpkin Porter, if you can.

Notes: Thankfully the spicing is not as dominant in taste as it is on the nose. Still, too much spicing and pumpkin and not enough beer. A somewhat frustrating beer to drink, because it does show potential at times. In the end, it just feels overblown and gimmicky.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 04:59:20 | More by ryan1788a5

GarrettMD

New York

4.3/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Black with half a finger of deep mocha head. Head retention is great.

S - Pumpkin and spices right up front. Actual pumpkin is the most dominant, which is surprising for a pumpkin beer, since the smell from a pumpkin isn't that strong to begin with. Nutmeg and ginger come right behind it.

T - Taste is interesting... it almost seems like the spices and the roasted malts are battling for dominance. The initial flavor is chocolate malts with lots of coffee, and it starts to transition towards the spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, allspice but the roasted malts continue to pop through. It's got an ever-changing flavor within a single sip.

M - Thick, heavy body. Sticky and coats the mouth with the spices. Finish is sticky sweet with all the flavors listed above still battling for dominance; chocolate, roasted malts, coffee, pumpkin, allspice, nutmeg.

O - Very interesting beer. The more you drink it, the more it rounds out, but the first few sips are confusing. Great drinkability for the ABV too, you don't notice it at all. I'll definitely be getting a few to age as well, seems like it would do fantastically after a year to meld all the flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 20:39:29 | More by GarrettMD

Dope

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A very dark brown pour with a little ruby around the edges. Big, fluffy milk chocolate brown head. Great retention. Decent lacing.

S: Tons of pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Lots of ginger mainly, followed by cinnamon and maybe some nutmeg. So strong that I can only barely discern a little roasted malt in the background.

T: Taste is a bit muddled up front with a big roasted malt competing with all the pumpkin and spices. Roasted malt fades quickly, leaving a very pleasant pumpkin spice, lots of ginger mainly. After some sips and a little bit of warmth, the separation of flavors is a little more apparent. Definitely let this one warm up. No indication of alcohol at all.

M: Pretty heavy, carbonation is just right.

O: Definitely one of the biggest pumpkin ales I've tried. Perhaps even the biggest. They definitely dumped a ton of spice into this one to prevent from being overshadowed by all the roasted malt. Dangerous beer, it feels a little lighter than it is, and there is no smell or taste of alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 03:55:52 | More by Dope

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An extra beer from recent trade with ICCULIS. HUGE thanks to you Jim!

2011 vintage; poured into tulip glass and shared with several local BA's.

Appearance: dark black bodied beer with a medium brown head. Moderate lacing noted on the glass.

Smell: Traditional stout notes of roasted malts, chocolate, and a mild coffee note. Also, nutmeg and a decent dose of pumpkin and graham crackers.

Taste: Honestly... its a nice stout mixed with pumpkin pie and a graham cracker crust. The flavors are in a great balance here. Total surprise! It's 11% and not even a hinting of booze.

Mouthfeel: Moderate bodied beer with low carbination. Smooth, creamy, and silky.

Overall: A great desert beer. This was a fantastic extra. Did not know what to expect and it really impressed me. I am floored. Great beer experience.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 07:08:22 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Duff27

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a half inch mid mocha head on a dark broen body. Average head retention, no lacing.

Sweet pumpkin aroma layered on a cocoa background.

More of the same. On the sweet side. Pumpkin is there but not overwhelming. Would never even come close to guessing this at 11%abv.

Thicker side of the mouthfeel, good carbonation. Lovin' the mouthfeel...smooth.

Solid solid solid. Very good representation of a pumpkin stout. No artificialness here. Unsuspecting winner here, thanks 4DAloveofSTOUT.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 03:32:01 | More by Duff27

Viciousknishs

Virginia

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

A- pours very dark. Pitch black in fact. Minimal half a finger of tan head. Head retention is not very good.

S-big pumpkin aromas with nutmeg and cinnamon spices intermingled. Smooth Belgian chocolate blends in with a touch of alchohol.

T- gigantic chocolate covered roasted pumpkin with pumpkin pie spice extraordinaire. Smooth creamy texture imparts a chocolate pumpkin cheesecake like flavor throughout the beer. Little alchohol warmth on the finish. Delicious.

MF- silky mouthfeel full medium body and low soft carbonation.

D- very drinkable

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 02:46:34 | More by Viciousknishs

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.65/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bottle poured into a snifter. I tried to split this with my wife since she loves Pumpkin Ales, but she took one sip and gave me her glass. Looks like this one's all me.

Appearance - Small tan head tops a pretty dark body. No retention. No lacing. Lifeless, but hey, it's an imperial stout.

Smell - Complex blend of aromas that I really enjoy. Pumpkin and some pumpkin pie spices, roasted malts in the back. Interesting blend.

Taste - Immediately bitter. I'm amazed by that, really. Otherwise, it's got the same, slightly less elegant blend of flavors from the smell. The pumpkin really cuts the roasted malt flavors significantly. It adds a dimension, but that bitterness is just overwhelming.

Mouthfeel - Not thick at all, really. Surprising. I didn't even realize it was 11% until I signed on to review it. I thought maybe 8%. So bitter, though, that it's tough to drink.

Overall - If only that bitterness weren't there. It's an RIS, not a pumpkin ale. Interesting take, though. I'd like to try one of these that wasn't hopped to hell.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 01:57:09 | More by Alieniloquium

JayAre46

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to my man D for sharing this one. From notes, pours a pitch black deep with a deep mocha 2 inch head and shows no retention which i feel can be attribiuted to the GD jet dry...the nose suggests a big warming cinnamon presence, maybe some brown sugar and nutmeg but the cin is dominant, some maple way in the back with a touch of chocolate malt. on the tongue we get a much more balanced act between the spices where the aroma was leading to be overpowering the taste is more balanced with a big chocolate malt crutching the field and some light pumpkin flavors. light finishing bitterness helps along the ride as well with a heavy full bodied movement on the palate, creamy and filling. solid brew and a pleasant surprise perhaps some time could calm the aroma down and meld things together much better but nonetheless and good offering in the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 06:22:30 | More by JayAre46

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Purchased a 2011 bottle for $6.99. Poured into a Brooklyn Brewery stemmed tulip glass. Extremely dark black in color. Small brown head forms, then fades away quickly. There is some lacing at first, then less is visible the more I drink. Smell was like brown sugar and pumpkin puree. Taste was pretty pleasant. Nice flavors of cinnamon, pumpkin pie, and a hint of wood smoke. My one issue with this beer was the mouthfeel. I found it very slick and cloying. I was looking for a bit more heartiness out of an imperial stout. The high abv was not overtly noticeable. I liked this beer because of its uniqueness. It would appeal to both a pumpkin ale drinker and a stout drinker alike.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 05:40:46 | More by morebeergood

puboflyons

New Hampshire

4.38/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

From the 2011 series. Sampled afte Halloween on November 16, 2011. The pour is a deep and rich dark brown with a good head due to the aggressive pour but it quickly evaporates into a ring. The aroma is a delicate balance of dark malts, smoke, and pumpkin spice with a slight hop hint on the back end. It really invites me to sip it. The body was smooth and medium which made it easy to drink. Loads of character in the taste thanks to its marriage of smokey, sweet malts and pumpkin spice followed up on the tail end with a biting hop bitterness that is neither earthy or floral but it definitely helps me remember the experience. A fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 02:07:32 | More by puboflyons