Stone Enjoy By IPA

Stone Enjoy By 12.21.12 IPA (2012)

Limited Rotating Release (3'rd Batch).

22 fl. oz. / $7.19 USD / 9.4% ABV

About: "Bottled On: 11.16.12 Enjoy By Date: 12.21.12 You have in your hands a devastatingly fresh double IPA. While freshness is a key component of many beers - especially big, citrusy, floral IPAs - we've taken it further, a lot further, in this IPA. You see, we specifically brewed it NOT to last. We've not only gone to extensive lengths to ensure that you're getting this beer in your hands within an extraordinarily short window, we made sure that the Enjoy By date isn't randomly etched in tiny text somewhere on the label, to be overlooked by all but the most attentive of retailers and consumers. Instead, we've sent a clear message with the name of the beer itself that there is no better time than right now to enjoy this IPA."

Thoughts: I'm reviewing this beer on 11/26/12. This IPA is ten days old. When I walked into the liquor store I didn't imagine that I'd even see this, as the last couple of special Stone releases I've seen with my own eyes, I'd had to drive an hour to find and by then it was far too late. This bottle wasn't even on the shelf. It was still in a box on the floor in front of all their other bombers. All I saw when I looked down was "JOY BY" and the Stone logo. My eyes opened up like Pixel Dan when he got Classics Mosquitor in the mail.

It let out a long hiss as I tore the cap off. Couldn't resist taking a sniff from the bottle and man does that smell fucking great! Poured it into my Stone glass and we've got a light one. This beer is super clear, light-golden yellow in hue and has one of the whitest heads you'll ever find atop a brew. The head is really sticking around too. It's been about five minutes since my pour and it's still pretty damn thick. This one has moderate carbonation.

The beautiful scent of hops is off the charts here. Abundant amounts of citrus: grapefruit and tangerine... and what's this? Pineapple too, oh, and a little bit of leafy pine. It's a bit lemony, very zesty, earthy, raw and really sweet. It just slowly climbs up inside your nostrils and you don't want to lower that glass away from your face. It's almost zombifying. Good shit. Hang on, I'm gonna let my chick smell it. She says it smells "stinky", and then she pointed to the washrag in the sink and said, "like that". She so crazy. Ha ha.

I got the weirdest sensation when I took my first big gulp of this... and that was that this beer tastes real. Like, really real real. It's got a nice toasty caramel backup that accompanies the extremely strong hops superbly, and it's really sweet. The beer is a little bitter, but with the soothing malt in the back, it stops just before it gets absurd. So let's just say it's balanced quite finely. It's really indulgent tasting too, and there's a gentle peppery tone throughout. But it's very mild. For the most part this whole beer just screams out tropical fruit! It's insanely fruity up front and after you swallow it down you get a slow, creeping crawl of leaves and pine that don't jump on you, but just make their way in almost unnoticed.

Mouth feel is damn smooth, and creamy too.  The aftertaste is great, light and doesn't fade for quite a while. I haven't gone off and tried too many Stone brews all that much, but this one really has that West Coast IPA vibe about it. Even more than the other brews from them I've ever had probably. Can't find any Pliny? You may have better luck finding this. Check their Website for the Stats! Looks like they care about their beer, doesn't it?

Stone Enjoy By 04.01.13 IPA (2013)

Limited Rotating Release (5'th Batch).

22 fl. oz. / $7.19 USD / 9.4% ABV

About: Purchased and Drank on 3/1/13! The info on their website and on all of the bottle of Enjoy By have remained the same throughout all five of the runs so far, so I'm assuming that all of these beers are meant to be the same? I'm not quite sure.

Second Thoughts: Nice hiss with a little smoke. Poured this one out pretty carefully but had expected more of a head. Got about a half finger sliver that lasted a full minute before dissolving down into a haze and a few bubbles. This beer is a dark yellow / light orange color and overall quite light in appearance. It's very clear with a little bit of carbonation rising up.

Tropical fruit up front. Real nice. Yep, this is nothing but tropical fruits all around. Tons of mango, mango rind, sweet orange, some grapefruit, juicy peaches ...a little bit of papaya and pineapple, and just a hint of pear. The hops aren't overly aggressive, they're not crawling up my nose infecting my brain the way I like, but this is one beautiful scent that's for sure. Some very gentle pine in the background.

Something I didn't get in the scent I was hit instantly with the flavor and that's a spicy peppery splash of resiny hops. Cool. The taste isn't as sweet as the smell lets on, and I'm totally fine with that, because it's not a bitter bomb either. It leans more towards the bitter side, mostly towards the end of the swallow but it starts off with a gentle sweetness and that sweetness comes slowly flowing back after breathing in a little bit so it ends up evening out rather well. Still, aside from the bitter and sweet there's that awesome oily and prickly peppery tone that mainly permeates throughout the brew. I may be mistaken, but this beer starts to taste even better once it warms up a bit. It's not really that warm yet but I had it ice cold when I pulled it out. Now that it's getting warmer all the flavors and sensations in this beer are blending together harmoniously and it is fantastic. Nothing goes over the edge here, but it taps into every area of itself in little spikes at a time. Great stuff.

It's got a very surprisingly gentle aftertaste that feels pretty good. The mouth feel is pretty dense. This beer may look light, but it doesn't feel light at all. The near 10% ABV is extremely well hidden as well.

Now I've gotta say that I did enjoy the 12.21.12 more than this batch. It had a fiercer scent and was better balanced for some reason. Though, like I said, I have no idea if this is always meant to be the same exact beer every time around or if little changes are made depending on what they've got and / or are doing. But this beer just hit the shelves, and I bought it on sight. And if I ever get the chance to get the next version, I'll do the same thing. Keep it up Stone.


Stone Enjoy By 05.17.13 IPA (2013)
Limited Rotating Release (7'th Batch).
22 fl. oz. / $7.19 USD / 9.4% ABV

About: Bottled on 4/12/13 (Sixteen Days Ago as of my writing this review).  I do believe every single new bottle I see of this beer is going to become an instant buy and review here on the Double Vision.

Third Thoughts: Poured a real misty yellow-orange, slightly amber color with a nice solid white fluffy head on top.

The scent on this is absolutely incredible. It's just bursting with ruby red grapefruit, just sliced and squeezed mere seconds ago, right up the motherfucking nostrils. This is incredibly fresh and oh, so strong! Getting a little passion fruit in there too. Tropical fruit dominates here, man, and it smells just like juice. 100% fruit juice scent, but it's f'n beer! Can you dig it sucka? Like a mix of tangerines and grapefruit. Really wild shit.

Sweet nectar of the ungods... this shit is unreal! A little syrupy sweetness to kick things off, some peppery spice midway through and a crisp hazy bitterness to ride it out - all of that with an immense depth of flavor all the way through from beginning to end. From scent to aftertaste this is one magnificently crafted brew. Delicious! This is the reason why IPAs exist. It's tingly and tickling, coating and embedding, satisfying and savory. This is one of those beers that just hits the taste buds with every kick-back. Liquid pleasure in a bottle. The bready malts are creamy tasting, real doughy and softly under cooked like... and the pine at the end of it all is gentle but quite lingering.

Tons of resin builds up and floods in around the end of it all, and it's thick and dank.

Look at that beer this time around and the two that I had before it. I noted with this bottle that it poured real misty looking. Well, the pictures don't lie (colors are sometimes off, but a dense haze compared to a see-through brew can't be attributed to flash or lighting). First time around I got a massive head and clarity, second time I got nearly no head and still very much clarity, and now the third time I've got a solid head with some density. Interesting. Who knows, maybe it was change in glassware. ;) I highly doubt that, but nonetheless the fact remains that this beer is utterly kickass by all means.

Stone Enjoy By 09.13.13 IPA (2013)
Limited Rotating Release (10'th Batch).
22 fl. oz. / $5.99 USD / 9.4% ABV

About: Bottled on 08/09/13 - Drank on 08/23/13. Bottle was refrigerated when I bought it which was a nice touch for once. Huh, looking at my reciept I was charged $5.99 for this one instead of $7.19 like the previous bottles. It's about time! Got this along with a four pack of SN 2013 Bigfoot all for $12.23. You really can't beat that deal.

Fourth Thoughts: Nice big frothy foamy head on the fucker. This time around the beer is clear orange again. My etched glass is kicking up some moderate carbonation bubbles and it's lookin' pretty bright.

Tropical fruit notes hit the nose first and then a rush of strong and pungent pine kicks in. There's a real syrupy smelling sweetness to this one, not really fruit juice sweet like before, but rather a dank, stank caramel sweetness. Tangy wet fruits splattered and doused over pine needles. Noticeable haze of alcohol lingers beneath.

Loads of hop bitterness on the tongue. Tons of pine. Mild syrupy sweetness. A haze of soapy grass.

Mouth feel is a tad watery and leaves crisp but coats the teeth and lingers in the taste. It's a bit drying.

I really wish this one had more of that stunning tropical fruit cocktail like the last bottle. I still really love this beer, but this one just isn't as intense as before. The flavors die down a little too quickly and all you're left with is intense bitterness on the back of the tongue. It could use a little bit more of a balance and a more brain tingling aroma. This version is just a little more brutal in the alcohol fumes department.

Stone Enjoy By 11.12.13 IPA (2013)
Limited Rotating Release (12'th Batch).
22 fl. oz. / $8.99 USD / 9.4% ABV

About: Bottled on 10/4/13. Drank on 10/13/13. Nice. Got this in the next state over. It was nine bucks, but it had just been bottled and I haven't seen it locally so I grabbed it.

Fifth Thoughts: Poured a very light orange color that looks a lot yellower than it usually does. Light slightly cream colored head on top that turned to slush. The beer is very clear with a moderate amount of carbonation rising up.

The scent on this one, incredible! Ultra tropical fruit blast to the fuckin' face! Tons of piney dank resin backing that up. A pure west coast DIPA through and through, it smells fierce and magnificent.

First big gulp and interestingly enough, it's not as bitter as the last time. In fact, it's actually pretty sweet. It starts off really sweet and just when the bitterness starts to flow in the boozy fumes hit and another super syrupy sweet spike slithers its way in. The taste is just like the smell, and that's totally awesome. Drinking this is like smoking that dank sticky crystallized red hair Cali bud and then choking back some pineapple juice. What a cool taste.

Mouth feel is pretty pure. The flavor stays long after it's gone but it's not sticky or coating at all. The beer just flows away clean and leaves a very nice aftertaste for a while. This one's got a nice balance, but seems a little on the sweeter side. Those who love Enjoy By but didn't dig the harsh bitterness of the last batch will no doubt love this one.

Oh what the fuck... I just went on Beer Advocate to check what batch # this one was and I scrolled down to the reviews only to see someone describing the taste of this as freezer burn popsicles. I do see where he's coming from. I get it a little bit here. But popsicles aren't supposed to taste like pine, grass or weed.

Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin

Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin - Ale brewed with Pumpkin and Spices (2012)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release - First Batch).

22 fl. oz. / $6.94 USD / 8% ABV

2013 Artwork

About: "Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin Ale is the latest introduction to the Long Trail Brewmaster Series. This limited release seasonal treat is small batch brewed with pumpkins, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves with increased malts and a touch of bitterness for the perfect balance. Malts: 2-Row, Wheat, Caramel 80L, and Caramunich / Hops: Nugget, Mt. Hood, Willamette."

Thoughts: Poured a slightly dark orange-brown honey color with an oatmeal color head that dissolved pretty quickly. This beer is very murky. Murky and hazy. Maximum carbonation.

This one smells pretty uncooked. Not overly sweet scented like pumpkin pie brews, but rather like a moderately spiced mash. Kinda fruity. Smells a bit smokey around the back of it... like cigarette ash.

Major booze sting on first gulp. Tartness. Took a bigger second gulp and there's still that booze so don't consider this one well hidden by any means. It's lightly spiced, heavy on the pulpy taste and just edging on sour. The beer is extremely malty. It's got some mild cinnamon here and is pretty heavy on the clove, and with the mix of those (the drying of the cinnamon and the flavor of the clove) makes you feel as if you just smoked a clove cigarette. It all becomes nutty as you get into it, like cashews or peanuts. A very strange brew.

Mouth feel is light and airy. A little bit foamy around the end and leaves a little bit of the sticky stuff behind.

Previous

Overall I find this beer a bit more sour than I usually like. The sweetness here is pretty much non-existent and the abundance of building spice as you continue to drink doesn't really compliment the bitterness all too well. That being said, it's not horrible. There just seems to be a lot more "beer" flavor coming through as opposed to pumpkin beer... how do I phrase this? It's as if I'm drinking a beer that is in itself two different entities. While it's blended, I'm feeling more of an individual vibe from each of the flavors here. It's weird. While the flavor of this beer falls off really quick, it's got a really nice aftertaste.

Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin - Ale brewed with Pumpkin and Spices (2013)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release - Second Batch).

22 fl. oz. / $6.99 USD / 8% ABV

Second Thoughts: Poured a dark cinnamon color with a thick and frothy orange cream colored head.

Smells great. Spices hit up front with ginger, black pepper, nutmeg, a little cinnamon sugar, and crayola crayons.

Yup. Tastes like crayons. This is like the mystery at the pumpkin wax museum. The smell is definitely better than the taste... but it's not completely horrid. There's a lot of black peppery spice which I like since I like that kind of thing. It's very malty. A little bit funky and earthy. Spicy. And a tad sour.

The new artwork got me this time around, as did the whole thought of revisiting pumpkin ales, but I'm not really much of a fan of this one overall. Totally way better label for 2013 though.

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale - Belgian Abbey Ale (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV in Watou, Belgium. Western Europe.
Winter Seasonal (Limited Release)
25.4 fl. oz. / $11.99 USD / 10% ABV

12 fl. oz. / $ 6.45 USD / 10% ABV (2013)

About: "St. Berneardus Christmas Ale is the youngest descendant in the illustrious family of delicious Abbey Ales brewed since 1946. This specialty ale is characterized by its deep dark color with a creamy, thick head, and full, almost velvety mouthful with a fruity nose. These exceptional quality ales are brewed by using only the finest malts, local grown hops, yeast and Artesian water pumped from a depth of 500 feet."

Second Thoughts: One of my very first Christmas ales and one that I've really fallen in love with with each time I drink it. Pours a dark reddish brown with a thick luxurious head full of foamy bubbles. The scent is incredible as always.

Poured this into my goblet. The smell is just beautiful. Nicely spiced and that base beer underneath is stupendous. A real treasure. The taste is out of this fucking world. It just explodes into a galaxy of flavors and all of them are amazing. Dark fruits, plums, sweet haze of booze, luscious malt bill, beautiful spice that tingles on the tongue.

A crazy mouth feel that just pops everywhere. The head hits with the liquid and gets between the gums and tingle away. It's smooth and soft. Nice.

This is one of my favorite beers of all time.

Thoughts: Uncorked this bad boy and there was a lot of smoke. It poured a very dark, almost bloody looking amber with a creamy, puffy head that foamed like mad. It's got a very unique color that I haven't seen much. A strange hue. Not really brown and not really nearly purple, but interesting nonetheless.

Alcohol, malt and hops hit the nose first as this one is still cold. I breathe in harder and get a whiff of cinnamon and spice. Smells really sweet, but there's a lingering hop in there that's being naughty! As it warms the nose stays its ground. Defiant one, aren't we!?

Malty, little attack of the hops. Spices are nice and full flavored. It's a bit peppery. Picking up dark fruits, almost like ripped open plums in blackberry juice... Dashes of nutmeg and freshly ground cinnamon. There's an undertone of grapes or wine, but it doesn't distract. The clove here, is probably the deciding factor in a brew like this. This clove is blended to perfection within the contents of the brew's entirety. It comes off sweet, mild and smokey but doesn't leave any languishing harshness. It falls back appropriately and lets the other spices, malt and hops just circle around and twirl. Very nice.

Pretty damn creamy. Heavy froth in the mouth. Thick. This is some serious drinking.

Aftertaste is bready. I really like this beer. Don't love it necessarily, as for a Christmas brew that tinge of extra-strong awkward hop comes through a bit much, but damn is it still good. A Hell of a lot better than most of the rest I've tried. So far this is ranking about 2'nd place out of the holiday feasting.

Ah, this is bottle conditioned. I just poured the rest of it into my mug. Not that I can see anything in there as it's hazy as a snowy Christmas morning. Another thing I like about this one is that this brew doesn't fuck around. The booze is hard, and these are some hard times. So therefore, I thank you St. Bernardus. You've made the moment in time a little more tolerable. Until next time.

Tröegs Mad Elf Ale

Tröegs Mad Elf Ale (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Tröegs Brewery in Harrisburg or Hershey, PA. USA.

Winter Seasonal: October thru December (Limited Release)

12 fl. oz. (x3) /$7.65 USD / 11% ABV
22 fl. oz (Giftset w/ Mad Elf glass) / $18.99 USD / 11% ABV (2013)

About: "The Mad Elf, a cheerful creation to warm your heart and enlighten your tongue. The combination of Cherries, Honey, and Chocolate Malts delivers gentle fruits and subtle spices. Fermented and aged with a unique yeast, this ruby red beer has significant warming strength that underlies the pleasant character of this intriguing yet delicious Ale. The Mad Elf, a jolly and delicious beer for the Holidays. Malts: Pilsner, Munich, Chocolate / Hops: Saaz, Hallertau / Yeast: Belgian Spicy Yeast / JuJu: Pennsylvania Honey, Sweet and Sour Cherries."

Thoughts: Poured a very rich deep red like cherries or cinnamon. Very cool. There was little to no head, that slowly formed once the brew was poured and faded pretty quickly.

Smells delightfully mischievous. Honey and cherries come out upon first present inspeciton, then some spicy, ultra-grassy hops. 

Hit with a pretty sour mix of the hops and Belgian spicy yeast at first, then the sweet cherry flavor rushes in... and then those strong hops and yeast again. Alcohol tingling follows and lingers. I expected this to be sweeter than it is. In fact, I'm a bit turned off by the strange taste... that I can't figure out what it reminds me of. [I decided to check some words on ratebeer.com ("big no-no" to rate beer and read reviews at the same time, but I'm flabbergasted here) and one guy said it tastes like Cherry cough syrup with pennies and band-aids in it. Right when I read that shit, all I could think of was band-aids. That's what the smell is! I guess people who don't get cut a lot might not notice it. I'm not getting cough syrup or medicine at all, and the pennies, well, they're light.]

This sucker dried me out mad quick. I've never got this much of a dry mouth from any booze in this short amount of time. It's medium, goes down quick and that's about it.

Alright, so I poured two of my three bottles in a glass and it was very clear red. Yet I just held up the third bottle and it has floaties all throughout it (didn't check the first two). They've all got the same batch number and are only about fifteen minutes apart. I just poured the third beer into my new TapouT glass and they're gone. It looks just like the other glass. As I hold it up in front of this white blog screen, they're both identical with several rising bubbles throughout (it seems like there's minimal carbonation as there was no head, but bubbles are going crazy rising up - more than I've seen in a lot of other brews). Am I going Mad? Or is this Elf fucking with me!?

I find this incredibly disheartening and feel saddened. I've got two buddies who have been talking to me about going in on that huge ass bottle of this stuff with myself paying half and them covering the rest (me keeping the bottle and the box), and at this point I'm sure it's not going to happen. In fact, one of 'em just said to me earlier today, "Yeah, but wouldn't that suck if we bought it and it tasted like shit?" to which I replied, "There's no fuckin' way. I'll try one out and let you know." Well, it doesn't taste like actual shit. But I'm not growing fond of this one at all as I continue to drink these 36 ounces.

Man, I so wanted this beer to rock. I've had it in the fridge for two or three weeks! Just waiting for the right time. But it's so funky, and I've got this dry tickle in the back of my throat and my tongue is dry and the aftertaste is so bitter. And while the sweet and sour cherries, honey and near-invisible cinnamon is a nice touch, it really doesn't balance out that obscene Saaz hop and yeast taste... or whatever else that is.

It's been warming for a while now as I write this. I just poured both halves of each cups into my mug. The head gets a little thicker this time around, but it's gone just as I finish typing this sentence. I'm having a tough time finishing this. Fuckin' Saaz hops! I can kinda taste what goodness there is in the brew, but I'm searching for it and that is wrong. Bottle reads: 2011-2012 11:57 Batch # 110718. High alcohol. A semi-sweet flavor, that's totally corrupted. I'm feeling pretty buzzed and I guess that's the best thing I can say for this brew. Sadly.

Tröegs Mad Elf Ale (2012)
Winter Seasonal.

12 fl. oz. /$2.99 USD / 11% ABV

About: "2012-2013 13:44 BATCH# 120913"

Second Thoughts: Cap let out a loud hiss. Poured a honey color out of the bottle that developed into a ruby red in the glass. Head was super quick to form and left a nice look to the beer in this glass.

Well, it certainly smells like I remember it! Though, back then I didn't really know what the hell was going on in this one. There's tons of Belgian yeast. It's strong... real heavy, man! Sour cherries and a hint of natural honey comb back it up. Smells pretty good. Sour, tart, heavy and quite simply nuts.

Time to dig in! E-gah man. Yup. It's still some harsh ass brew that's for sure. Even now that I've become more accustomed to stuff like this particularly with trying some experimental beers, meads and strong ales, this stuff still made me wince on the first gulp. This ale is majorly boozy, and it comes on strong. The tart cherries blast you with puckering flavor, and the honey (while it's a very nice touch) doesn't hold that sour stuff back. Not that it's really a problem. The flavors of everything here mingle together very well after all. But man, is this stuff intense. Nice malts though.

Mouth is very tingly, and hazy on the back of the tongue.

I was really looking forward to trying this one again after last year's batch completely baffled me. This year's edition  however, reminds me of the exact same thing... which is a good thing, that they're consistent at least. I'm pretty sure that Sazz Hops might not be the culprit here, as I've tried a few more brews with them, but they weren't really strong in any factor. Now that I'm a bit more "educated" I think that it may be the yeast and that mix of cherries. Then again, these fuckers could be drinking the stuff and pissing it back into the bottles for all I know.

Anthony1138's Pumpkin Brown Ale

Anthony1138's Pumpkin Brown Ale (2011)
Homebrewed and Bottled by Anthony1138 over at Eat the deaD!
Home Brewed.
12 fl. oz. / $N/A USD / 4.9% ABV

About: Movie fiend. Beer fiend. Fiend in general? General Fiend... All salute! Generally Fiendish in nature... but all around a cool 80's kid who knows what's worthwhile in life. What can I say about a guy as laid-back cool as Anthony, from the blog Eat-the-deaD? I can say that we've got a lot in common. We were both born in the same era. We both love pumpkin beer and Italian horror films (particularly the one's of Fulci and Argento, and of course Burial Ground[who doesn't love that flick?]... oh, and Jean Rollin too!). We're both necrophiliacs who love jello shots out of the ombligos of sticky stiff girls. And we're both completely in of our fuckin' minds!

Thoughts: Poured a dark, dark brown with a small fizzy off-white head that dissipated quickly.

Smells really good. Very natural and nothing off about it. It also seems pretty mellow. Cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon are all in harmony here. Nothing overpowering the other in terms of scent. Smells a little malty as well. Getting some allspice once it warms up, little bit of a Chinese five spices thing going on.

Well the taste is certainly more powerful than the smell. It seems to change flavors as you drink it. Along with the heavy clove and nutmeg, I'm getting a little black licorice and a faint taste of coffee. There's a slight smokey flavor and just a drop of sour mash in there. Cinnamon takes a back seat to the malt and very light hops.

Mouth feel is about a full medium with very minimal carbonation. It's a little filmy, like silk, and not as grainy as I usually like. It's a little watery, but it doesn't feel like water. I can't recall the carbonation, and that's the hardest thing I've had to think about with this one.

This is a brew along the lines of Post Road's Pumpkin, or a lighter version of Dogfish Head's Punkin. It's not a sweet brew at all, but it is spicy. Bitterness is pretty light and well evened out. It's a very good spiced beer, that isn't subtle at all. For me, it could use another pound of earthy pumpkin... and I wonder what it would have tasted like if Belgian Candi Sugar was incorporated. I say go all out next time and go Pumpkin Pie flavor all the way.

I'm not really good with Brown Ales. Don't know why, but out of the few that I've been trying lately, I've not had the best of experiences. For this one though, I'd like to thank Eat-the-deaD for giving me my very first taste of a home brewed beer. Hop-fully, someday, I'll be at your level!

Anthony1138's Pumpkin Nut Brown Ale 2 (2012)
Home Brewed.
12 fl. oz. / $N/A (Gift) / 4.9% ABV

About: "The pumpkin is the same basic recipe as last year, but it's all grain this time. I cut down the chocolate malt and used more pumpkin. Also, I used a different yeast that's better suited for nut browns. It's from Yorkshire, some say it's Sam Smith's strain or close to it. I personally like this year's better, but would like to try dialing in the spices better next time around."

Second Thoughts: Poured a dense, foggy dark brown with a one finger bubbly light-tan head that popped away after about a minute. Looking at the top of the beer I notice a lot of small bubbles popping once they reach the surface.

The scent is definitely amped up from the last time. Tons of allspice in the initial smell when that cap popped off. Massive amounts. Chinese five spice blend comes through in a flood, nutmeg and cloves, a lot of licorice on the back of it. It starts to smell like a mischievous root beer after a few minutes of leaning in and out.

The frosty dark malt base slowly floods in and it's pretty heavy. Way in the background there's a prickly fruity note and something like a creamy sugar. A lot of tickling hazy spices roam around the tongue before slowly fading away and leaving a blast of black licorice, allspice and nutmeg. Ginger is hiding out in the background, as is the attributes from those hops that hit just right at the last second. This isn't a sweet beer at all, but there's a hint of it here. Not sour at all, but fairly bitter all around. It's very earthy, raw, a little grassy, with a heavy touch of smoke and what seems as if there would be a dry haze but it's not drying at all. A little bit of roastyness in the aftertaste.

Mouth feel is carbonated and puffy at first, and then afterwards leaves a silky like film all over the inside of your mouth and teeth.

A real big shoutout to Anthony, wherever he is. The dude is amazing and truthfully nobody has ever done something this cool, sending me beers these two times like this. I appreciate your work my fiend. Thank you.

Wolaver's Organic Pumpkin Ale

Wolaver's Organic Pumpkin Ale (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Otter Creek Brewing Co., in Middlebury, Vermont. USA.
Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)
12  fl. oz / $1.79 USD / ?.?% ABV (Most likely 5.0% - I can't find the info anywhere.)

About: "This pumpkin ale is brewed with organic pumpkins grown by Will and Judy Stevens, of Golden Russet Farm in Shoreham, VT, less than 15 miles away from our brewery. They have been growing organic vegetables and flowers for more than 25 years. Using local, organic ingredients whenever possible and supporting local farmers is just one of the many ways that we strive to minimize our impact on the environment. The subtle flavor of pumpkin and mild notes of spice enhance this golden amber ale, making it a perfect choice for the season."

Thoughts: Their creepy faceless harvester is standing in a pumpkin patch this time around. Usually when I see a guy holding an open container and a pitchfork I get the hell out of Dodge, but I still stuck around to try this one out.

Pours a light amber with shades of orange, and a somewhat dark frothy head that fades fast.

Now that's more like it! I was hit with a major dose of pumpkin followed by warm pumpkin pie. This smells damn good.

Straight off, putting a lot of the other so-called pumpkin ales to shame. You get hit with the spice up front, then the pumpkin flavor consumes the palate, and then the lingering hints of spice bounce around in your mouth at the end. The little bit of clove isn't overbearing, and the brew simply put, tastes good. A fine, fine ale.

Fizzy, goes down smooth.

Very drinkable. Everything blends perfectly and it's so well balanced. The spice and the bitter even each other out. It's not strong, but it's not weak. Perhaps slightly watery, but that doesn't matter at all since it tastes awesome and is smooth as hell. I don't really have an opinion on the whole Organic aspect of this one, other than it tastes like they really care about their beer and the price wasn't higher than normal.

Wolaver's Organic Pumpkin Ale (2013)

Autumn Seasonal.

12  fl. oz / $1.49 USD / 5.35% ABV?

Second Thoughts: Wolaver's poured a cloudy amber orange with an off white head that fizzled away fast.

I just had a Post Road and a Smutty's and this smells a hell of a lot better than both of those. Still as a sessionable I find it a bit on the lighter side.. It's mellow, but a lot sweeter and that raw pumpkin in a little subdued. Spices are low and droning, but it's sugary.

It's a mild one, but tasty nonetheless. It's good. It tastes real. The balance is nicely done. You get a little bit of everything in there, and it's well rounded. Everything from the spices to the pumpkin flesh to the sweetness to the slight sourness all make their rounds. It's pretty cool how all around well done this one is. Though, it still leaves something to be desired. It's just not strong enough. For a non-imperial pumpkin ale this one is fantastic. Though still a little watery and not over the top, it's heads above a lot of the other guys.

I would love for them to make a strong version of this. I'm sure it would kick some major ass!

Cambridge Brewing The Great Pumpkin Ale

Cambridge Brewing The Great Pumpkin Ale (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by The Cambridge Brewing Company in Cambridge, MA. USA.
Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release) - Batch #1.
22 fl. oz.  / $ 5.99 USD / 4.4% ABV 

About: "New England’s first pumpkin ale is finally in a bottle. Made with fresh MA organic sugar pumpkins and organic MA malt, real pumpkin flavor is complemented by just a touch of spice. All hail the original Great Pumpkin!"

Thoughts: I didn't even notice the guy with the axe walking away from that destroyed pumpkin whistling a guilty tune. I love the colors on this. I'm not really down with stripes (aside from Freddy) but this artwork is pretty killer. I wouldn't mind a poster of it actually. It's also pretty cool that they put the batch number and when it was bottled on the side. I think I'll show that off here. Their website states that this is the first time the ale has been bottled in the 22 years of its existence.

Whiter than usual head that fades fairly fast but doesn't completely disappear. Minimal carbonation. It's a bit of a darkish orange with a little bit of amber.

 

Smells really good. Hit first with a lot of caramel... smells of sugar and brown sugar. It's a little smokey and fleshy at the same time.

Very earthy. Not terribly over-spiced, but I'm getting some pepper. It's not strong and there's no kick to it, but it tastes pretty damn good. Nothing synthetic or generic here. It's a little malty and rich with the pumpkin. This is one damn fine ale. For a Light Ale with a lower ABV than many of the others, it still manages to obliterate them taste wise.

It's a bit watery with a slight foaming. Tingles the tongue but doesn't abuse the mouth. Leaves behind no film and doesn't dry you out.

 

Such a minimal bitter aftertaste. It may not be as thick as I would have liked, but this one doesn't cop out on the taste with cheap ass ingredients. It's nice to see a light pumpkin ale in a bomber bottle that kicks the ass of its brethren. This one really does deserve to be in a tall standing bottle all its own. Nice work.

 

  Cambridge Brewing The Great Pumpkin Ale (2012)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release) - Batch #3.

22 fl. oz.  / $ 5.99 USD / 4.4% ABV

Second Thoughts: I reviewed the first bottling of this beer last year, and this bottle is from the third batch. I wonder what happened to batch #2? Hmmm...

Holding this beer in front of this white screen the color is a pretty light orange, shades of yellow, slightly amber even. There's loads of carbonation and the beer itself is pretty clean looking. The stark white head faded in about a minute's time, but left a thin layer with some black bubbles on top.

The scent is very earthy pumpkin with brown sugar and a hint of mild Belgian style yeast. It smells sweet, but not overly sweet, and just a tad spicy.

The taste is very raw pumpkin, slightly tart, with lots of pepper up front and soft tingling spices on the tongue just after the swallow. With that tingling after a while, it's as if you can feel the sugar dancing around in your mouth. Despite nothing be to up front or overpowering, there's a ton of flavor presented here. It's not weak, despite not being as sugary or spicy as others and having a rather low ABV, but believe me when I tell you that this tastes pretty damn good. If something like Pumking is too strong for you, and cinnamon/clove bombs aren't your thing, but you're looking for a worthwhile pumpkin ale, then this is the perfect beer in those regards. Very little bitterness on the end.

Mouth feel is a heavy medium, pretty thick actually. Slightly coating, but very clean feeling.

I'm satisfied with purchasing this one again. It's one of my favorite pumpkin ales out there, near the top for sure, but on top in its own way.

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series) (2011)
Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)
Brewed and Bottled by Shipyard Brewing Co., in Portland, ME. USA.
22  fl. oz /  $8.99 USD / 9.0% ABV

About: "Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aroma of pumpkin and nutmeg. The OG and final Alc./Vol. provide the structure and body. Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich Malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of Willamette and Hallertau Hops to balance the sweetness of the fruit. To fully enjoy all the flavors, this ale is best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Smashed Pumpkin pairs well with sharp cheeses, nuts, lamb, hearty stews and desserts like flan or pumpkin pie. Chefs find this an excellent beer to cook with in dishes such as braised short ribs."

Thoughts: Take a look at that absolutely beautiful packaging. This label is very classy, well done and the gold foil lettering is a great touch that really makes it stand out.

Big foamy bubbles that fade in a bout a minute and a half. Golden orange, just like a pumpkin. Not getting too many carbonation bubbles rising up, which is strange as I had expected there would be more.

 

Nose isn't too sweet, but damn those spices really hit, and you can tell it's going to have a bite to it. Nutmeg and ginger notes. Smells slightly similar to their Pumpkinhead, only taken to the next level. Way to the next level.

Alright, I've been looking forward to this one. Smashed is heavy on the booze factor which I like. You get all of the spices at the start of every gulp and then you're hit with bitter clove, then caramel-like nutmeg. This one isn't too sweet, and the taste maintains itself very well. It doesn't get any worse once you start getting through it like their other pumpkin brew does. I'm drinking mine very chilled by the way. I left about a fourth of it in the bottle to warm up to room temperature. Not as much dirty pumpkin as I would have hoped, but it's definitely out there, and a major step up from their best seller.

Feels good, man. There's a little tingling in the back of my throat. This brew gives off a sweet and relaxing warmth in the stomach. It's pretty smooth at first, but it gets frothy as hell, then tingly. Getting some extremely frothy belches out of this which aren't too pleasing, but at least the aftertaste isn't horrible. I've yet to try any of Shipyard's non-pumpkin brews, but I would say do away with the Pumpkinhead Ale and stick with making this one. Of course their Pumpkinhead is so ridiculously popular around here despite being below average, that it'll never happen. Bottom line, if you're going to buy anything from Shipyard like say, ever, get the Smashed Pumpkin.

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series) (2013)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)

22  fl. oz /  $7.49 USD / 9.0% ABV

Second Thoughts: It's been nearly two years since I first had this beer. It was one of the first ten I ever reviewed. I remember liking it and hating its little brother Pumpkinhead the abomination. Last year I didn't go near it, but this year I decided what the hell. This is one of the first pumpkin beers out in the "season". I'm quite skeptical to whether or not Shipyard has cases of this from two years ago just wasting away in their warehouse and I'm really just drinking the same beer again.

Bottlecap let out a loud hiss. Smells pretty damn good. It's like a decent quality pumpkin pie slice. It's got all the usual suspects but something strange is coming through on the back end of it all. The malt and hop profiles shine through beyond the spice, and it's a little boozy, but I like boozy and that booziness really mixes well with the pumpkin spice.

It's very sweet up front, spicy and full of pumpkiny goodness, then immediately after the swallow a messy slap of hazy bitter booze comes through and well - doesn't' quite ruin things - but puts a little damper on it all. The hops really come on strong, not that there's anything wrong with that, but combined with that not-so-subtlety hidden booze it doesn't quite make for the ultimate pumpkin pie experience. Still, it is a heavy beer and there's a lot to be admired about this one. It's sweet, spicy, harsh, uneven, beautiful and ugly all at the same time. It's flawed but in a very good way. I still say that from what I've tried, this is Shipyard's best beer.

What really saves this beer from being "messy" is the thick bready feel to it. It's like a meal in itself. It gets a little sour after a while, but that's all in the aftertaste. Overall it's what's to be expected from any standard pumpkin beer as far as I'm concerned. It's heavy hitting, spicy up front, the spices linger, it's got the "right taste" for a pumpkin brew, and it's savory. The only problem is that there's this underlying weirdness to the whole thing, like a certain part of it didn't get properly integrated into the beer and was left a harsh semi-sour muddy grassness.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale (2011)
Autumn Seasonal. 
Brewed and Bottled by Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. USA.
12  fl. oz /  $1.79 USD /  5.1% ABV

About: "Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale is a crisp and refreshing wheat ale with delightful aromatics and subtle spiced flavor. This beer was first brewed in August of 2002 at Federal Jack’s Restaurant and Brew Pub in Kennebunk, Maine where Shipyard began. Awards include a 2008 European Beer Star Silver Medal and 1st Place at the 2007 California Brewers Festival. Malts: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Light Munich, Malted Wheat  / Hops: Willamette, Hallertau / Yeast: Top-Fermenting English."

Thoughts: I dig the whole Headless Horseman dude on the label, but will I dig the beer?

Pumpkinhead poured a slightly cloudy yellow. Kinda looks like pee. Even though the head faded in less than a minute, there are a lot of rising bubbles in this, so it seems that there's some pretty decent carbonation.

 

Well if it smells like pee that's for me. I'm just kiddin'... smells like a watered down malt liquor mixed with natural ice with a little bit of creeping nutmeg and cinnamon. Huh, I guess I wasn't kiddin' after all.

Tastes pretty standard for a second then the flavor disappears and it's like a quick fading seltzer. It's weird too, because you can feel the spices when the brew fills your mouth, but when your brain goes to process it they run like hell. Not getting any of the pumpkin either. Wait, is there pumpkin in this? QUOTE: "To make Pumpkinhead, the brewery doesn't just toss some pumpkins into the brew kettle. The beer is made with a natural concentrated spiced pumpkin extract, which is added to a wheat beer during the brewing process." They don't toss pumpkins into the brew kettle? Well why the fuck not?!

Kinda foamy, and a little bit silky.

 

Aftertaste is pretty horrid. Not that I mind the taste of Natural Ice (I'm no snob when it comes to that beer - bring it on!) but I'm not intent on pouring concentrated pumpkin spice in the stuff. How is this beer so popular? I see frat boys and chicks buying it all the time. Oh wait, that explains it. Sorry Shipyard's Pumpkinhead "ale", but we're not going to be partying down anytime soon. Moving on.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale (2013)

Autumn Seasonal.

12  fl. oz /  $1.49 USD / 5.1% ABV

Second Thoughts: TWO YEARS LATER. So a few weeks ago the really small divebar that I frequent got rid of their Budweiser on tap and replaced it with Shipyard Pumpkinhead, a drink that I consider to be the Bud Light of pumpkin beers. Bud Light is still on tap though, as are Coors Light, Heineken, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. SN Pale Ale took the place of Shock Top Raspberry Wheat which took the place of Miller Light I think. That particular tap line made a huge step up. It's cool that they have a real craft brew and a seasonal on tap now, but this place really only caters to Coors Light drinkers. Nobody ever drank Bud there, except for myself and a pal from work. Of course a pint of regular beers are $2.50 while SN is $3.25 and Pumpkinhead is $3.75. I got four pints of the Shipyard Pumpkinhead at $2.50 before the price was set on it. I also got it with Cinnamon and Sugar around the rim.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead is a piss yellow beer that smells like cinnamon, wheat and water. It actually smells OK at first, but gets worse as you start to drink it. The taste is watery as hell and the spices are really subtle, with cinnamon coming out on top of everything. There's no real pumpkin whatsoever and it just tastes really synthetic. It's pretty pathetic for a pumpkin beer, though it's probably the most popular pumpkin beer in the world. Considering Coors Light is more than likely the most consumed beer on the planet, that shouldn't surprise anyone. The cinnamon and sugar around the rim of the glass didn't do much to improve upon the beer itself, aside from giving me a distraction from the watery nature of it. And I don't think that a pumpkin beer should NEED to have this done to it in the first place. It should taste good enough on its own.

Saranac Pumpkin Ale

Saranac Pumpkin Ale (2011)
Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)
Brewed and Bottled by Matt Brewing Company in Utica, NY. USA.
32  fl. oz /  $3.99 USD / 5.4% ABV

About: "Saranac Pumpkin Ale is brewed with Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Ginger and Vanilla. Look for a full-body and amber color. We're sure you'll enjoy this special brew! Malt Selections: Maris Otter, Wheat / Hop Selections: Cascade."

2013 Artwork

Thoughts: There is no denying that when you look at this bottle you immediately think of Halloween. The design is pretty simple and would look a lot better with some additional details on the pumpkin.

It's not as orangy as the others. This one looks a bit more brownish, almost coppery. The head built up quick and then bamf! was gone in a flash.

All the usual suspects are there, but they're being subdued in the mix. Like the spices are drowning but keep coming up for air. And it's hard to make out, but I'm getting kinda like funky week old cinnamon rolls.

Bread. Malt. Nutmeg with low levels of cinnamon, but I'm not getting the huge pumpkin flavor that I desire. Maybe I'm just not one for spice balance when it comes to pumpkin ale. I either want full on pumpkin flavor or the horribly over-sweetened pie. I'm finding that I'm not really a down the middle guy with this shit. The flavor however isn't lacking.

Medium body. Bubbles and fizz attack your tongue but the coating inside the mouth isn't thick or weighing. Drying afterwards.

 

Decent aftertaste. It's hard when the tongue goes from bitter to spice filled and then back again. Is that what balanced is? Or is my tongue just confused? It's not weak or watery, and it's a little different, but it could be better.

Old Artwork

Saranac Pumpkin Ale (2012)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)

32  fl. oz /  $3.99 USD / 5.4% ABV

Second Thoughts: First off, I couldn't pass up this 32 oz mini-growler with a Jack-O-Lantern on it. You nuts? Also, it's been a year since I've last had this beer (and having reviewed 30 Pumpkin Ales as of this writing, about half of them pretty shite mind you), I wanted to see how it holds up to my newly acquired knowledge of tasting.

So what do I think of this one a year later you don't ask? After trying so many pumpkin ales and coming back to this one, I find that Saranac's version of our seasonal favorite is a very flavorful, spicy and great seasonable representation of the style. This beer is jumping out at you in every way possible. It's all around spicy, bursting with intense flavor and best of all, it doesn't fade out on you.

I remembered this one as being a clove driven brew, and it still kinda is, but the other spices are really coming out as well (especially this time around). It seems a little fresher, and the cinnamon / nutmeg blend is outstanding. This beer isn't weak. It ain't no watered down bullshit pumpkin beer. And that's a great thing. I'd say that it deserves to be in growler form.

While it doesn't have that boozy warmth that I enjoy with stronger Pumpkin Ales, this one doesn't lack in the flavor department. It's heavy. I've since gotten used to the "standard" (non-imperial) pumpkin beer taste, and man, there are a lot of fluctuating representations out there. So many weak brews and so many just plain fowl brews out there... not this one. It's still not the greatest thing out there, but as far as standard pumpkin brews goes it near the top of that list.

Harpoon UFO Pumpkin Unfiltered Ale

Harpoon UFO Pumpkin Unfiltered Ale (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA. USA.
Summer and Autumn Seasonal (Yearly Release)
12 fl. oz. / $ 1.69 USD / 5.9% ABV 

About: "Imagine a pumpkin vine wound its way in a field of barley, and a brewer harvested it all to make a beer. Add Northwestern hops and a blend of spices, and you've got UFO Pumpkin. The malt combination provides a smooth body and slightly sweet flavor, which balances perfectly with the earthy notes derived from the pure pumpkin. And like all of our UFO beers, UFO Pumpkin is unfiltered so all the wonderful flavors are right there in your glass. Cheers!"

Thoughts: I really like the artwork on this. It's great. The orange in the background darkens around the corners, leaving focus on this crazy pumpkin seemingly floating in space. The oval shape of the sticker along with the vibrant colors really make it stand out.

Amber. Foamy head with tons of bubbles. 

Hmm... There's not much of a scent. It's very faint, definitely not the same impact as the others I've tried. I'm getting some sweet spices that seem far away (maybe someone down the street just baked a pie) but nothing is really standing out.

This one is pretty average, tasting like a regular lager or light beer with a hint of soft spices thrown in. I was excited too, by the artwork, and the fact that it says unfiltered twice on the logo. It's smooth and sweet like their ad states, but this one is pretty unremarkable and rather lacking. Yep, this one is for the girlfriends.

Feels like a lager, rather watery and uneventful. 

Perhaps Harpoon should have filtered a little bit more flavor into this one. Har har! Now, this isn't horribly bland, but those expecting something special edition will be seriously let down. If you're down for the Plain Jane standard stuff though (which Pumpkin Ale probably shouldn't be), this will do. This of course is bound to happen when trying all different sorts of specialty ales, as there's always something for everyone on the other end of the spectrum.

Harpoon UFO Pumpkin Unfiltered Ale (2013)

Autumn Seasonal.

12 fl. oz. / $ 1.49 USD / 5.9% ABV 

Second Thoughts: "Best by 12/15/13". I wonder if this one was brewed in MA or VT... and I then ponder, does it fucking matter? UFO Pumpkin pours a very foggy amber orange with lots of carbonation and a one finger fizzy white head.

Smells really plain. Malty. Biscuity. A little bit of spice that really adds to the scent but seems light, although it's always there. Little bit of nutmeg, cinnamon, raisin bread... vanilla and pumpkin extracts?

Taste is pretty sweet upon first impact. Then you can taste the water. It's got a cute little rush that comes with each swig, but overall it's a pretty bland beer base. Loads of cinnamon dries out the mouth instantly and there's not really much of an aftertaste here aside from simultaneous water and dryness.

I'm going to experiment by dumping a shot of Dr McGillicudy's Apple Pie liquor into the last half of this and see where it takes it. Hmm... well that didn't help much. Not only does this beer totally ruin the awesomeness that is these apple pie nips, but the liquor completely flattened the beer. Bleh. Makes me wonder if anything could make this stuff taste better?