Sunday, October 24, 2010

Pumpkin Beer Taste Off

Today my wife and I set up three different Pumpkin Beers to taste and decide which one we liked best.

On the picture going left to right – Screamin’-Pumpkin Spiced Ale, Imperial Pumking, la parcela no. 1 pumpkin ale

Michigan Brewing Screamin’-Pumpkin Spiced Ale
Michiganbrewing.com

The aroma is fresh pumpkin pie and the taste follows right along. The taste is nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, a little pumpkin note. This is pretty tasty for a pumpkin beer. I am ready for some pumpkin pie – Oh, I won’t have to eat one, I just drank one.





Southern Tier Imperial pumking

Nothing to inspiring on the nose – just malty. Right off the taste I notice a peppery spice from the 9% abv alcohol. There is a very slight pumpkin but, nothing to wow you for the fall season. There is a lingering peppery spice on the back of the palate. I just don’t get this brew. Pepper on pumpkin pie – really? I just don’t like this beer. $7.99 for a 650ml bottle.



Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales – la parcela no.1 pumpkin ale
Jollypumpkin.com

This ale has pumpkin, cocao, spices and then is aged in oak. This 5.9% abv ale has a spicy little nose and I think I notice a little oak and a funky little sour smell. The flavor comes across as an herbal spice. The oak is playing a role in this pumpkin ale. There is an interesting tart-sweet style. I don’t think I have noticed much pumpkin. Call this a ‘Fallfest beer’ – okay I get it. Call it “pumpkin ale’ – I am not inspired. I want a better pumpkin flavor and spices that represent the season and oak and herbal spice don’t make me think pumpkin. $13.99 for a 750ml bottle. I like this ale long as I am not expecting a pumpkin treat.

Overall, my wife and I agreed (wow, that does not happen often) Michigan Brewings Screamin’-Pumpkin is our choice for a pumpkin beer. The pumpkin taste was the best of the bunch by a long shot and the spices make sense to the season - nutmeg and cinnamon – and I liked the nutmeg note.

I just went to beeradvocate to read up on some reviews. Sometimes I find these humors. For example one guy writes about the la parcela that it is not a good interpretation of a pumpkin beer but, gives it an A-. Wow, I wish that guy was my college poetry class instructor. ‘hey that is not a good interpretation of that poem – but, here is an A-.’ Damn, I remember getting a D for a bad interpretation.

On the pumking beer beeradvocate raters give it an A- out of 868 reviewers. That is impressive. What do they taste that I don’t. So, I look on the bottle for an expiration date – none. Is this an old bottle from last year – could be. But, I give this beer a pure F. Pepper and a little pumpkin? I might have to make a trip to Lakewood, New York to try a fresh one – if that is the problem.

From beeradvocate they say, B+ out of 78 reviewers. Once again the humor – one rater says, taste full of pumpkin and has a cinnamon taste – D+. I guess he never had pumpkin pie before – and if you don’t like pumpkin pie why would you buy this beer! I am really glad this guy was not my college instructor. Hey, great job getting the interpretation right – smells right, taste like pumpkin, but that is not what I wanted from a pumpkin ale – D+.

Now, I have to admit – I do not care for Pumpkin Ales. It has to be one of my least favorite seasonal brews. Give me an Oktoberfest for the fall season.

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