Shipyard Pugsley's Signature Series - Smashed Pumpkin' - Not So Smashing.

Shipyard Brewing Company

Pugsley's Signature Series

Smashed Pumpkin - 9% ABV

On an earlier review of Shipyard's Pumpkinhead I mentioned my quest to try

Pugsley's Signature Series - Smashed Pumpkin.   I have liked the Signature Series in the past and I thought the Smashed Pumpkin would not disappoint.  My quest was done in vain.

I knew I was not going to be blown away as soon as I opened the bottle.  I did not pick up on any particular spice...or any spice!  Once poured with a heavy hand the head was about one inch high. The color had a hazy orange hue with dancing bubbles running up the glass. 

According to the bottle's description the beer has a big-bodied beer...not so much in my opinion.  I thought it was on the lighter side and lacked the level of greatness I was expecting.  This beer is not by any means Miller Lite quality but as a craft beer it was a miss. 

Shipyard once again made me want to jump ship!!!  No SHIP!  It was better than the fruity pebble Pumpkinhead but it took on water next to Southern Tier's Pumking.


Cheers!
~K~

Troegs Perpetual IPA - Good Lord (not in a good way)

Troegs Brewing Company

Perpetual IPA - 7.5% ABV

The definition of perpetual is as follows - lasting forever, everlasting, occurring continually.  Troegs named their IPA right then... the hoppy, nasty, and jump out of your skin flavor lasted FOREVER on my tongue!  GOOD LORD it was harsh!  Maybe the hops all over the bottle should have been a warning or when I opened the bottle the citrus smell slapped me right in the face!  Even after that, I still poured it into a glass to give this brew a fighting chance.  Besides my brother (who is a HOP HATER too) gave it to me it could not be that bad, right? 

As you can see the beer is light orange in color, with slight haze as you peer through the glass.  The head lasted for a few minutes and was light in color as well as texture.

Now, the taste.  Wow, how can I put this, and totally get my point across?  It was like gnawing on a pine tree and then sucking on a grapefruit.  I was jumping out of my skin, pacing in the kitchen, and then held out the glass for my husband to try.  I am sure you can imagine the look on his face, complete horror.  He was not quite as dramatic as I was but his taste buds were also assaulted by the

sheer magnitude of the hops!

After the assault I looked on Troegs website to see if the IBU (International Bittering Units) was off the charts, and I was right.  The IBU was listed at 85!!!  Just to put this number into perspective for you, an average beer is at 20-45.  Anything higher creates more bitterness.  I'll say!

I am sure there are Hop Heads that would love this beer and Gab would have been in total Hop Heaven.  Me, well from my review it is safe to say I was in Hop Hell. 

Cheers!

~K~

"Buffalo Bill" was a great hunter and brewer...Who knew!

Buffalo Bill's Brewery

Pumpkin Ale - 5.2% ABV

Buffalo Bill's Brewery has successfully bottled a piece of pumpkin pie!  Seriously!  The aroma wafting from the bottle is that of a sweet pumpkin pie laying on your Thanksgiving table!  You CAN drink your pie and eat it too!!!!

When I poured the Pumpkin Ale with a heavy hand it had a crisp white head that dissipated in seconds.  What it left behind was a hazy orange ale that had minimal lacing up the glass.

This beer has fantastic drinkability!  With a relatively low ABV (for Gab & I) and a slightly carbonated beer it did not make you feel like a overgrown buzzed pumpkin sitting on the sofa!  The spices were in total check too.  Just the right amount of cinnamon and nutmeg to off set the sweetness.  In the end it left a sweet taste of brown sugar with notes of pumpkin in your mouth. 

Buffalo Bill's Brewery also has a few more seasonal beers, such as the Imperial Pumpkin Ale (9.8 ABV only in 22oz bottles) and a Blueberry Oatmeal Stout (7.5 ABV).  I may have to get that since I do like a few of the blueberry ales available in the summer.  I also saw there is an Alimony Ale that was made by the brewer for a patron getting a divorce.  He made it extra bitter (70 IBU!!!) with a strong hop flavor.  Ewww...Hops.  I will be leaving that one for Gab to enjoy as I drink my pumpkin pie.

Cheers!

~K~

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale...ehhh



Smuttynose Brewing Company

Pumpkin Ale - 6% ABV

Do you see that color? It pours a cloudy orange color with a beautiful off white head.  It smelled of all the usual suspects...cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.  The head quickly dissipated and left you to see the carbonation slowly moving up the glass.

The flavor was not what I expected at all.  This is not all that uncommon with the pumpkin ales.  It was hoppy.  Yes, hops.  I hate hops.  The body was medium to light with a spicy kick.  I tried another sip and passed it right to my husband.  It had a bit of a malty flavor but the bitter citrus hops dominated my pallet. I had to pass. 

Smuttynose has some great products like the Robust Porter and Old Brown Dog Ale.  Overall the brew was not terrible and the hops was not all that bad either.  I just have no tolerance for hops...none!

So, my fellow beer lovers I say...Ehhh to Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale.  Don't fret...I have a few more beers up my sleeve and look out for a blog entry from Gab and I.  We had a liquid lunch with a side of tomatoes a few days ago...sigh.  

Cheers!

~K~ 

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales E.S. Bam Hoppy Farmhouse Ale (say that 5 times fast)

E.S. Bam Hoppy Farmhouse Ale 4.7% ABV 750 ml.

This fantastic seasonal beer, brewed by Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, is a real treat. Just look at that gorgeous color! And the head was so light and creamy, I was tempted to take a spoon to it. Nice and soapy with impressive staying power. I couldn't help but think of my lovely mother-in-law, Beverly, when I tasted this beer. She lives on 5 acres and has 2 horses. She could pour herself a pint of this baby, head down to the barn to muck out the stalls and fill the feed buckets and head back to the house to enjoy a few sips before the head disappeared! I think I might bring her a bottle and see if I'm right, blah ha ha!

Even though this is a hoppy ale, it is relatively mild and can be enjoyed by hop-haters and hop-whores alike. The flavor offers earthy hops, citrus notes, and some wild yeast funkiness. I really enjoyed this beer, it is a fantastic drinking ale, very easy (Gab Buzz Factor of 5) and agreeable to most palates. The price point is a little high for a 750ml bottle - around $11 at my local beer store, but well worth it, in my opinion.

Cheers!
~G~

Feeling a little Devious? You should...

Fegley's Brew Works

Devious Imperial Pumpkin

9% ABV

Ahhh, a catchy label and a local brew...but will it hold a place on my must have pumpkin ales?  In one word...YES.  Nothing bad about this Devious Imperial Pumpkin.  It is all good.

A warm amber colored brew filled my glass and a full white head topped it off  just perfectly.  The aromas wafting from the glass and bottle were simple...cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and pumpkin. It is crafted with caramel and Munich malts to give it an amber hue and sweet malty taste. The taste was just as I expected - sweet nutmeg, smooth malts, with a slight acidic ending. The ABV registered up to 9% and sometimes this makes the brew a little harsh but it still maintains it's character as a smooth pumpkin ale.  You can get this in 12oz bottles, 750ml, or on draft...but as always it has a limited shelf appearance.

Fegley's Brew Works is a decent-sized company that not only brews it's own beer but has several restaurants under it's cap, three to be exact.  Each restaurant has it's own signature brew as well as the multiple seasonal and flagship beers available.  The seasonal beers are pretty extensive and I will be sure to try a few more...especially Rude Elf's Reserve.  The name makes me laugh and the ABV of  10.5% is going to make me smirk.  Blah ha ha!!!

Cheers!

~K~

Iron Hill Brewery's release of the Imperial Pumpkin Ale

 Iron Hill Brewery

Imperial Pumpkin Ale

8.8% ABV

Finally, I made it to Iron Hill Brewery for their release party of the Imperial Pumpkin Ale.  There was music, pumpkin carving, and Chris (head brewer) walking around in a jack-o-lantern shirt. The restaurant was extremely festive!  You could not help but smile as you were pulled back to the simple childhood days when you heard the band playing the Peanuts theme song.  Ahh, memories. 

When our waitress asked us if we wanted to start with a drink I quickly rattled off three beers to try and a Imperial Pumpkin for me.  You see, my mama came with me and I had to show her why Miller Lite is not worthy.  We tried the Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Pumpkin Ale, and the Scottish Ale again.  I thought the Scottish Ale was light and low enough in ABV so her noggin would not explode.  After trying her samples, my mama went for the Imperial Pumpkin too!  I did try the Pumpkin Ale and it was a little on the bitter side and not as full bodied as the Imperial Pumpkin.

The Imperial Pumpkin is considered to be the BIG BROTHER to the Pumpkin Ale.  It has a fuller body because it is brewed with additional molasses and Belgian candi sugar along with pumpkin spices.  I certainly picked up on the spices and molasses.  It was smooth, a beautiful amber color, and the cascade in the glass made it even more enticing.  My first glass went down so fast that I had to order another so I could savor all the flavors and appreciate Chris' workmanship.  Blah ha ha...I will say anything to get another beer.

Cartoon Christmas Trio

As the music came to an end I saw the table behind me stocking up on beer like Hurricane Irene was on her way back!  Seriously, they were on a mission. They had several growlers and a few bottles of the Great Imperial Pumpkin Ale (Imperial Pumpkin Ale aged in bourbon barrels).  It was my idea of a perfect family portrait...lots of beer, smiles from ear to ear (I am sure the Imperial Pumpkin had a small part in that), and to top it off an adorable little girl with a infectious giggle!

To end my perfect afternoon, I sent my mom home with my daughter and I skipped out of Iron Hill with my son and growler in tow. 

Cheers!

~K~