Heavy Seas - The Great'er Pumpkin - Heavy Seas Beer

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got a bomber of this for 7.99 at my local beer Nutz. Not Sure of the age but with some sediment in the bottle it may be last years batch. Hoping the bourbon has rounded out in that time!

A - Poured a nice amber with an inch of fluffy white head. The pour was pretty carbonated so the sediment was disturbed and resulted in a snow storm in my glass. Ow well it's a bourbon beer so I don't think it is soured.

S - Wow this smells like a booze bomb! Heavy bourbon with just a hint of caramel sweetness with just a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.

T - Belch! Ow wow the only time I had a as much bourbon flavor was in Nemesis! Usually a beer will round out the bourbon flavor resulting in a sweetness but this is full on booze flavored! Hard to detect anything else but I did pick up mostly caramel sweetness, some wood, and a very mild if any pumpkin taste but really it good have just been bourbon with this monster!

M - Very heavy and almost undrinkable. I kind of enjoy a scotch or bourbon flavor MILDLY in my beer but this is ridiculous.

D - I don't think age will do much more with this beer since after a while the sediment starts to set in destroying the flavor. Was really hoping for more with this beer but has really opened my eyes for big ABV Pumpkin ales. Most of them (Smashed Pumpkin, Hopping Frog Double Pumpkin, and this) were total booze bombs. I will stick with my Screaming Jack from Michigan. PASS!

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2010 05:35:46 | More by DrDemento456

Pencible

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This poured a hazy dark gold with a little off-white head.
S: It smelled like lots of mulled spices and cider, with pumpkin and sweet bourbon and a bit of oak.
T: It tasted like pumpkin and apple cider / mulled spices, with bourbon and vanilla and oak and biscuit. It had a somewhat dirty bittersweet aftertaste.
M: It was fairly thick with moderate carbonation.
D: This was better than the average pumpkin ale, but not amazing. The bourbon aging was a nice twist, and it seemed to work well with the other flavor elements. But the general quality and crispness of the brew was somewhat lacking. Nice body, and it hid the alcohol well, so it was pretty easy to drink. Enjoyable, but a bit sloppy, so there was some missed potential.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 20:01:42 | More by Pencible

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

3.7/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from bomber into goblet...

A- Rusty orange. Has a nice dense off white head, settles fast with some lacing.

S- 5... Simply put: its prefect. Not sure how to describe perfection? Pumpkin pie, spice, sweetness, nuttiness, caramel, everything awesome!

T/M- A little hot from the bourbon. The pumpkin and spice flavors take a back seat as everything seems to settle down on the tongue; ends up being much more of a blend of fall flavors rather than what I hoped a bourbon barrel pumpkin beer would be. Has a slight oak taste on the middle of the palate. The end is alcohol and nutmeg. Body is medium/almost heavy with decent carbonation, but it's not airy.

O- Wished I would have gotten more pumpkin in the flavor. If taste was like aroma, this would be impeccable! Not sure how she will do with this, as I feel the pumpkin flavors I want may settle even more. Decent, but many other options out there which taste better and my wallet enjoys more.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 01:11:05 | More by TheGordianKnot

jpmclaug

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into my Deschutes snifter. I heard this was a bourbon bomb so I have high expectations

A - Hazy orange body with a small lingering white head.

S - Smells like pumpkin pie. Pumpkin aroma with subtle pumpkin spices. Not especially pungent but pleasant.

T - Pumpkin spices with a sweet bourbon flavor mixed in. The bourbon isn't as prevalent as I was led to believe. Really blends well with the spices normally found in pumpkin beers. A bit of an alcohol flavor in the finish as well.

M - medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

D - Pretty decent beer. Definitely a sipper. Warming alcohol notes makes me think this would be a good cold weather beer. Worth trying for a new experience.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 19:28:33 | More by jpmclaug

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Draft at Capones in Norristown, PA.

Pours a hazy dark golden orange color with tangerine edges and two finger, white foam head that slowly fades into a thick, lasting ring.  Streaks of lace left behind.  

Subtle aroma with some caraway seed and toasted oak along with subtle pumpkin and autumnal spices.  Hints of cinnamon and brown sugar compliment the dry, toasted oak.  Was expecting more pumpkin.  Not really much bourbon in the nose either.

Medium bodied with a nice barrel presence that's decently integrated into the pumpkin and spice flavors.  Dry oak, vanilla and subtle bourbon sweetness followed by pumpkin purée, nutmeg, vanilla, allspice, clove and ginger.  Nice warmth in finish but the ABV is well hidden.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2013 22:30:27 | More by corby112

WesWes

New York

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy orange color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great! It has a warm pumpkin and spice scent along with a nice bourban barrel aroma. The pumpkin and bourban character works well together. The taste is decent. It has a very aggressive bourbon flavor that goes down easy and finishes warm with good pumpkin character. The barrel aging dominates the palate and diminishes the overall pumpkin and spice taste. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is the first bourbon barrel aged pumpkin ale I've ever tried. It's unique and complex, but I prefer the regular version.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2010 21:00:02 | More by WesWes

Bung

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. Lighter, semi-murky orange pour. Some white head, receded to a whispy layer.

More pumpkin, nutmeg, ginger in the aroma than I expected. Some malt caramel and booze. Just hints of oak and vanilla.

Taste is very spicy up front. A bit uneven and overbearing nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. The pumpkin and barrel don't mesh with the spices, at least at first. This improves greatly as it warms. Vanilla, caramel oak are much more present in the finish and in general when it warms up quite a bit.

Goes down all right, but it just doesn't leave me wanting more. The difference in the unwarmed state will probably cause me to not seek this out again, which is about par for the Mutiny Fleet series in general.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 04:30:20 | More by Bung

billab914

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into my Sierra Nevada shaped glass. It poured dark orange in color with a frothy and sticky white head filling the top inch of the glass. The head faded to a thin, creamy, dusting and left just some traces of lacing as I drank it.

The aroma is very interesting with woody oak and pumpkin pie spice being the most prominent. They actually come together very well. A little bit of bourbon and vanilla come through in the barrel character as well. The spices are pretty subdued, which I like. Very nice mix of pumpkin and bourbon barrel flavors overall, and definitely one of my favorite aromas for the style.

The taste has a lot of woody oak flavors to it. The bourbon shows up more in the finish with some nice vanilla notes to it as well. Some pumpkin pie spice comes through and adds some interesting flavors to it. I get a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg in the finish, along with some pumpkin like flavors. I get a moderate herbal, hoppy, bitterness in the finish as well. Cool flavors overall and they complimented each other better then I expected.

The mouthfeel is a little above medium bodied and carbonation is on the lower side. I like the lower carbonation for a barrel aged beer. Drinkability was pretty decent. The spices mixed with the barrel flavors better then I expected, but I can't say they complimented each other as well as other styles do. Pretty drinkable, really cool and unique, and a very enjoyable pumpkin beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 01:53:41 | More by billab914

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: hazy, dull orange. Very slight head that swells on an aggressive pour and recedes to a swirl or two.
Smell: Very modest for a greater pumpkin. There's pumpkin to be sure and some spice and sweetness but much lighter than I would expect from such a bold brew.
Taste: ummm. That's more like it. Chewy pumpkin pie. Very smooth.
Overall: Very tasty, smooth drinker. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 21:33:55 | More by cindyjeffsmith

EkimGram

New York

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: 22oz bottle poured into Duvel tulip. Colour is a hazy-orange brown. Very thin head fades to a thin film. No visible carbonation.

Smell: Cutting spice of nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper. Mild aromas of malt and pumpkin.

Taste: Sweet, boozy flavour, definitely from the bourbon barrels. Spices are not so strong in the taste as they are in the smell. Aftertaste is the faintest touch of peeper and cinnamon.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, a hint of carbonation, somewhat silky, a little sticky.

Overall: The bourbon comes off a little too strong. the sweetness compliments it well but the lack of spices in the flavour make it a little imbalanced. A very noteworthy attempt.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 06:23:53 | More by EkimGram

yesyouam

New York

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Heavy Seas The Great'er Pumpkin is a cloudy orange/amber beer with an off white head that fades quickly and leaves nice lacing. There's lots of oak in the nose. That's pretty much the aroma: bourbon barrel. It's full bodied and bubbly. It leaves the tongue a little silty. Charred oak dominates the taste. There is possible nutmeg detected, but no pumpkin. This is a bourbon flavored beer. Fortunately, I like bourbon. This is some heavy stuff, though.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2010 18:45:59 | More by yesyouam

MarkCyrAmanda

California

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It has a very appealing look right off the bat; smooth, lacy, and just the right amount of sediment. The color is a deep orange copper.

The aroma isn't overpowering, but leaves something to be desired. The association with the bourbon barrels definitely influences the fullness of the aroma, but there are notes of nutmeg and other seasonably appropriate spices.

Possesses a well-balanced malt profile and silky smooth texture. A biting astringency is conferred by the whiskey barrel aging process, giving the impression that your glass has been used previously for a whiskey drink.

The competition between the flavors of autumn and the bourbon creates a battlefield on the palate, leaving way for improvement. Balancing the sweetness and astringency with a spicy hop would turn this from a good beer to a great beer.

Overall, a wholly enjoyable beer (but it's like the Pumking's alcoholic cousin, that is difficult to tolerate in large portions).

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 02:27:21 | More by MarkCyrAmanda

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice creamy 1 finger head that fades at a med pace with a bit of lacing, over mostly clear pumpkin orange colored beer.

Nose is huge, explodes with heavy fruity pumpkin, fresh pumpkin not really pie or canned, then a light non-gourd like fruit like a sour berry kinda fruit, light holiday spices, a creamy malt with hints of caramel and toasty malt, and light bourbon to round it off which also brings light oak.

Taste starts with more bourbon, much more than the nose. A nice bourbon flavor with some buttery oak, a lot more oak as well, and hint of vanilla. Then the pumpkin but not a ton, again more like fresh pumpkin more so than pie filling or canned, with more of a juicy fruit kick but no berry this time, although maybe a hint of pear like fruit, and light spices. the fruit really starts to take over, and it's not really a pumpkin fruit just an overall fruity taste that seems to make the beer a bit too weird as it dominates. Semi sweet with a hint of booze coming through with the sweet malts, a bit creamy malt and light toasty, as well as hint of caramel. Finish is semi sweet still and sticky, little bit more warming booze and pumpkin, hints of spices and bitterness, and little more bourbon and oak.

Mouth is med to a bit heavier bodied, decent carb, some warming almost tingly booze.

Overall not bad, it has some decent bourbon and buttery oak, decent pumpkin that adds a nice flavor not canned flavor, spices are kept in check, drinkable, light bitterness, a bit too sticky and sweet esp on the finish. Nothing special but tasty and done well.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 20:56:28 | More by jlindros

cosmicevan

New York

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

saw this locally and had to jump at it. just looked too interesting to miss.

a - opened the bottle and filled my cbs snifter. poured a soft orange, but settled in the glass as a darker brown with a thin white bubbly head that fizzed away somewhat quickly. to the light, this beer is chunky!?!

s - nice festive spiciness of a craft store with a soft barrel. the bourbon here is more in the vein of backwoods than in various -bal stouts. smells pretty fantastic.

t - full bodied pumpkin with a slap in the face of booze. has a kind of sangria type vibe with a pumpkin twist. the booze is REALLY in your face on this one.

m - boozy tingle. full bodied. the heat is on.

o - overall, who would've guessed it...barrel aged pumpkin!?! and it works!!! overall it is good, but the alc is just intense and i never say that. enjoyable none-the-less and a must try for the fans of the pumpkins.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 01:11:37 | More by cosmicevan

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up at Julio's. Poured into a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a crystal clear light copper with a creamy almost two finger head that faded to leave a nice blanket and rich halo.

S - Nice sweet malts, pumpkin spices, and some smooth bourbon. Very creamy and smooth smelling.

T - More of the sweeter malts with lighter pumpkin spices. A fair amount of bourbon and oak notes as well as alcohol. Just not enough pumpkin for me in this one.

M - Nice and creamy mouthfeel. Quite drinkable considering the higher ABV. Bourbon is nicely present.

O - Overall, I'm mixed on this beer. As a bourbon beer, its not too shabby. As a pumpkin beer though, it leaves somethign to be desired. Wish there was more pumpkin in here than bourbon, but its still not a bad brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 00:11:45 | More by rudzud

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 vintage
A - pours a rich brownish orange with very little foam with no lacing, just a ring of soapy bubbles making a ring around the glass
S - aroma is mostly pumpkin with hints of the bourbon and some pumpkin spices. It actually smells really nice.
T - nice pumpkin base with a nice mix of spices to round this one out. The bourbon is faint yet still very present. Its mellow but tastes very nice. I guess I'm saing that there is no alcohol burn.
M - medium bodied with some nice carbonation. a bit tingly.
D - a very nice pumpkin ale, all of the flavors seem to meld together nicely, including the bourbon. Nothing overpowers and makes this one very easy to drink. Not sure if this is due to a year of aging.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 05:33:48 | More by mikereaser

jampics2

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle into a snifter. Sampled alongside the regular Great Pumpkin, which I believe I actually prefer to this.

The pour produces an off white head on top of the dirty pumpkin orangeish brown body. Not a great looking beer, the head quickly recedes and doesn't leave good lace. Just a bit above average here, but mostly the same look as the Great Pumpkin.

The smell is where the two beers start to differ. This has some spices, namely cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, but also features some well-integrated bourbon. There's not a lot of malt, and the bourbon is just barely there - enough to notice but not a huge dominant component. There's also some notes of vanilla and butterscotch, and maybe even some brown sugar, but they're not very expressive. This was a step back from the very expressive and pleasant nose of the Great Pumpkin. Also, some really heavy booze emerges. This gained a single percent but apparently that was all raw booze.

Whereas the Great Pumpkin has a nice sweetness to the taste, that quality is taken away by the bourbon in this version, and I can't say it's for the best. The caramel is replaced with dry bourbon and wood, but the notes I would have liked - oak tannins, coconut, vanilla - aren't prominent or, in some cases, even present. Some spice and bourbon sting don't work that well together, and, while it has bready tastes and isn't a bourbon bomb, the beer just looses so much sweetness and replaces it with bourbon and booze.

The mouthfeel is OK, medium body and medium carbonation, with some lingering booze and spice. Overall, this was just not working for me, and I was very excited by the idea. The execution, however, was just not great, but an admirable attempt. I'd love if someone made a bourbon barrel aged pumpkin beer with lots of vanilla from the barrel, maybe a barrel aged imperial chocolate pumpkin stout. That's the ticket. Until that get's released, stick to the regular Great Pumpkin or pour a bit of Makers Mark into a Southern Tier Pumking (don't try that at home, I'm kidding).

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 16:43:35 | More by jampics2

gford217

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a bright, completely opaque orange with a soapy white head that recedes to a small swirl along the top.

The smell starts with the spices, nutmeg and cinnamon especially, balanced by the vanilla sweetness from the bourbon barrels. There is a sweet sugary pumpkin aroma that floats underneath the alcohol.

The taste is more of the same but probably a bit sweeter with the vanilla and pumpkin up front, giving way to the light spices. The spices don't last long before the bourbon barrel knocks them out of the way and dominates the finish with a definite burn going down.

The mouthfeel is smooth and boozy with a nice tingle on the palette from the combination of alcohol and pumpkin spices.

The bourbon mellows the spices from the base beer pretty well and gives the impression of a well-balanced pumpkin beer. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 02:19:07 | More by gford217

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle into a tulip glass. 2011 Edition.

Pours a clear copper, with a ½ finger covering of slight off-white head. This retains with more of a thin frothy fizziness, which leaves back a foamy cascade of lace that quickly slides down the sides of the glass. The aroma smells of vanilla, oak, pumpkin spices, a touch of softer fruity orange character, and then some underlying greenness. It’s tough to say if it’s pumpkin or not, as a bit of stiff warmth starts to come out as this warms and muddles things a bit.

The taste has a lot of vanilla going on, with additional notes of sweet caramel, orange zest, green pumpkin (it’s definitely standing out more here), and then some festive feeling spices that are scattered throughout the profile. The bourbon flavor mostly sits in the back here, and it rather nicely done, with a pleasant lightly charred burn on the back of the palate. More barrel flavor creeps into the finish, with a woody dryness that lingers with some leftover sugars and a touch of spice. The mouthfeel is full bodied and fairly effervescent in the mouth. Things do get a little smoother though as this runs over the tongue and the alcohol itself it pretty well hid. There is some warmth to the body here and the bourbon leaves a bit of heat behind but I was a bit shocked at how overall smooth this was in the mouth.

This was nice and was much better than I thought a BA Imperial Pumpkin Ale would have turned out. Besides some misgivings with the nose, I really enjoyed the overall integration of the flavors here and I was extremely surprised at how much of a smooth sipper this ended up being in the end. A full bottle was a little too much for me in one sitting but this is a perfect one to split.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 14:35:56 | More by Kegatron

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a stemmed tulip: Hazy, translucent russet with just a dusting of head & a thin, beige collar. A few strands of nucleation.

Smell has some orange peel, typical spice profile (a little cinnamon, a little nutmeg, clove, allspice, a tiny bit of ginger). Some lightly caramel malts, only trace amounts of the bourbon barrel, with very subtle oak & vanilla. Booze is apparent, too.

Starts off with the spices & pumpkin flavor, followed by a substantial alcohol presence & rolling into the bourbon characteristics & settling there nicely. Very nice, long aftertaste, moving through the spice notes, oak, & vanilla again. Bourbon verges on becoming unwieldy, but stops just short. Not bad, but not sure if the pumpkin is big enough to balance the booze & barrel.

Full-bodied, a little prick from alcohol & spices. Heats up in the middle & gives the palate a little bit of a work-over.

This is a style I just couldn't resist trying -- while it's got some flaws & I don't necessarily think the pumpkin is enough to support the bourbon barrel, it's enjoyable nonetheless. Definitely a sipper, & I can think of a handful of pumpkin ales I'd go to before this, but I'd be up for it again sometime for sure.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2010 00:19:05 | More by OneDropSoup

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The Greater Pumpkin has a hazy orange body with a ton of sediment floating throughout it. The head is off-white in color and more than two fingers tall.

The aroma is really nice: pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, bourbon and some sweet malt.

I really liked the idea of a pumpkin beer aged in bourbon barrels, because I figured that pumpkin beers have such strong flavors that they could stand up to barrel-aging. I think I was right, as I like how the flavors work together in Greater Pumpkin. Bourbon and pumpkin mix together at first, coupled with an array of spices that include cinnamon and nutmeg. As the spices fade they mix with a woody flavor. A little bit of sweet malts shine through toward the finish, and also a low hop-bitterness. A blast of warmth from the alcohol finishes it.

The body is pretty full with a creamy smoothness. Good mouthfeel for a beer that is this big and packed with strong flavors.

Pumpkin spices and bourbon are two flavors that can be unpleasantly overpowering in a beer. Mixed together, the two manage to complement each other quite nicely. This beer is a little bit hot and boozy, especially as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 00:43:27 | More by Hojaminbag

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz. bottle served in my Darkness tulip. Pours a semi-hazy burnt-orange with a creamy, loose, one inch bright white head. Head gradually disperses into a creamy slick with some thin, but densely packed strands of lacing evident during the tasting. Nose expresses bourbon, a buttery quality, pumpkin spice aromas and a trace of citrus. Taste follows nose - pumpkin pie flavors dominate upfront; nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, followed by bourbon flavors that nicely integrate with the other elements. Mouthfeel is light-medium (but closer to medium), with a lively carbonation, a slightly silky texture and some residual alcohol heat detectable at the finish. A very pleasant variation on the style and makes a great post-Thanksgiving digestif. That being said, 22oz. is perhaps a bit much. A 12oz. bottle split amongst two is more than satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 00:24:07 | More by Jwale73

biggred1

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dense, deep pumpkin-orange with a creamy eggshell head that leaves pretty lace on the glass. The aroma is pumpkin spice and bourbon barrel, toasted oak notes. A creamy, custard-like pumpkin pie and whiskey barrel quality..who wouldn't like that? A toasty, oaky whisky barrel version of a pumpkin beer. Good stuff. Full bodied,oaky and sticky.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 03:16:29 | More by biggred1

clayrock81

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a hazy auburn w/ good carbonation leading to a large head that dies slow (not much lace). The aroma is a mix of pumpkin (not overbearing), some caramel/sugary sweetness, cinnamon, spicy pepper, some bready dry malt and hints of bitter citric hop. First impression is real sweet and smooth, as a sweet pumpkin (along w/ sugar, caramel, and maybe vanilla) taste hovers over the spicy, alcoholic edge. This sweetness is thin, however, and there is a crisp, dry finish of spice and a touch of hops, plus a touch of that bourbon barrel (I think...might be power of suggestion). This finish amplifies the sweetness on the next sip so I couldn't put this beer down and overall I'd say it's nicely balanced, although some might find it too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 21:14:14 | More by clayrock81

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Malty aroma has firm notes of pumpkin and cinnamon and a bourbon overtone that comes from the barrels in which it was aged. It pours a slightly hazy dark orange amber with a pale orange-tan head that does not stick around for long and leaves minimal lacing. Flavor has a strong bourbon note that dominates the flavor but does not overwhelm it, allowing the malt, pumpkin and cinnamon notes along with the whisper of caramel to have their say. Thick, smooth texture is fairly tingly and has a strong nip thanks to the bourbon. A perfect beer to begin October!

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 02:34:11 | More by Cyberkedi