Brewmasters Blatant Pumpkin Ale

Brewmasters BLATANT Pumpkin Ale (2014)

Brewed and Bottled by Brewmasters Brewing Co., Williamsburg, MA. USA.

Seasonal (Fall).

12 fl. oz. / $1.69 USD / ?% ABV

About: No info online about this one whatsoever, so I'll just type this off the side of the bottle. "Ale with BLATANT spices & Autumn Flavors. Full Bodied & Balanced... With REAL Pumpkins!"

Thoughts: I've seen Blatant brews on the shelves here and there, but have never picked one up. Perhaps I'm not one for overly simplistic designs (the pint glass / exlaimation point is basically the main logo on all of their bottles so they all look the same). Luckily I was searching for pumpkin ales that I'd never tried before and noticed this on. It poured a very auburn shade of light, light brown with a little bit of yellow and orange showing. It's hardly the prettiest color I've seen on a beer, I'll tell you that. Foamy white head was slim and left a ring around the glass as it dissipated.

Well, aside from the look, this one smells really good. It's got the gourd goin' for it, and quite an abundance of pumpkin spice. It really smells natural, real pumpkin flesh, sweet yet tart, and nicely spiced.

Gotta say that this one tastes pretty good too. While natural tasting, it's really clean which is a plus and it's got a nice sweet little kick on the end of things. It's got a good balance on it and never actually delves into a noticeable bitter spot, but instead always remains soft, spicy and sweet. Like all non-imperial pumpkin ales this one is missing that special something: a touch of booze. Also it's not really that peppery, but that doesn't matter too much.

It's a pretty calm beer overall with some good flavor on it. The mouth feel is tingly and a little thick. Aftertaste is soft spices and a gentle fruitiness. This one is a decent, non-offensive pumpkin beer.

Spencer Trappist Ale

Spencer Trappist Ale (2014)

Brewed by the Monks of Saint Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, MA. USA.
Year Round Brew.

11.2 fl. oz. / $4.79 USD / 6.5% ABV

About: "America's First Trappist Beer.

Our recipe was inspired by the traditional refectory ales known as patersbier (“fathers’ beer” in Flemish) in Belgium. These sessionable beers are brewed by the monks for their dinner table and are typically only available at the monastery. Only Four Ingredients; All of the Highest Quality: Water: Something about the Ice Age which I'm not going to repeat. / Hops: We use a mixture of hops, all of which are grown in Washington state’s Yakima Valley. Willamette and Nugget varieties are among our favorites / Barley: A proprietary blend of 2 row and 6 row malted barley varieties carefully selected to meet physical and nutritional requirements for optimal brewing of our Trappist ale. A caramel Munich specialty malt from Wisconsin adds color and body to our ale. Yeast: The key to Spencer’s unique aroma, and the ingredient most responsible for the maturation of its “golden center”, is the family yeast variety that we propagate at the monastery. This live yeast is left in the brew - unfiltered, unpasteurized, all natural."

Thoughts: Spencer Trappist Ale poured a dark lemony yellow color with shades of amber orange and a thick stark white head full of soft snow-like froth. I hold the beer up to the light of this white preview screen and am in awe by the impressively massive amount of sediment flakes swirling in a blizzard whirlwind of rising carbonation. There's a storm inside of this brew, and it is absolutely intense! This has to be the craziest looking beer I've ever seen, without a doubt. Just when I think I've seen it all too. That head is going nowhere, fast.

The smell on this one is pleasurable. It's very bright and citrusy, with a smooth flowing Belgian yeast running throughout the entire scent that stays side by side at all times with the stunning freshness. It's very vibrant smelling, as I'm finding I don't have to even lean in at all to have it hit me. 

First sip: Well, this beer is soft as a pillow. It pretty much turns to light-as-air foam in the mouth and fizzles away during the swallow. Interesting. So, so soft.

It's got a mild peppery flavor to it, and while the yeast plays a huge part on the overall taste, it's still pretty mellow. Despite that it's quite flavorful. It doesn't taste weak or anything like that, just not too heavy on the taste buds as the smell would suggest. It's smooth and crisp, zesty and a little floral. Getting close to finishing the glass and it's starting to get a little tart due to all the yeast flakes that are rolling around my tongue. Final gulp: Like I said this one is really bright, and really soft.

The aftertaste gets pretty bland. Not bad tasting, but just a tad bit cardboard like when it's all over. Spencer is a quality ale, there's no denying that, but for $18 a 4-pack there's no way I'd go fully go in on one of these.

The Tap PUMPKIN EATER

The Tap PUMPKIN EATER - Roasted Pumpkin Ale (2013)

Brewed and Bottled by The Tap Brewing Company (formerly Haverhill Brewery) in Haverhill, MA. USA. 

Autumn Seasonal.

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 5.5% ABV

About: "'Round these parts we respect the seasons. We use actual sugar pumpkins from Kimball Farm in Haverhill, MA, less than 3 miles from the brewery. Hand cut and roasted in the pub ovens, we can only make this beer when they’re ripe and ready. Here’s to real pumpkins at the right time."

Thoughts: Pouring this into my new Pumpkan "jar". Very light hiss and the cap popped right off a little too easy.

Totally orange. A little bit cloudy. The slightest amber shade in there, but more orange than I'm used to seeing in a pumpkin brew. Is it the new glass? Perhaps. Very white fluffy head, and long lasting on this one.

The scent is really, really mild. Hardly any spices to behold. There's something there in the background, but what I'm getting up front is just boiled pumpkin flesh. It smells a little bit sweet. But you can tell that tartness and raw bitterness is hidden just underneath the surface.

First gulp and I find that this is a lot sweeter than I thought it would be. Very much like sugar(y) pumpkins. It's got little to no bitterness at all. So much for my nostrils this time around. It's like cooked sugar pumpkins, sweet malts and some cinnamon way in the background that creeps up on you. I just sneezed four times. Something is up with this one. The peppery and spicy elements just quickly creep up and flood. But it's not heavy or overwhelming or even all that noticeable even. This tastes like a standard pumpkin ale, only it's got nothing wrong with it. No, it's not pumpkin pie, but for the style within the style that it's competing against, this one has a pretty smooth taste.

Main flavors are sweet and mild. No bitterness at all. Mouth feel is a bit watery. It goes down easy. Not too fond of this one after it's all said and drank, but happy that it doesn't have anything about it that really sucks. Take that as a plus, since companies fuck up pumpkin ales all the damn time. This one is good for a beginner to these types of beers both in terms of price and inoffensiveness, but could definitely use a more inviting scent to bring it all together. Oh, and more booze wouldn't hurt either.

Harpoon Imperial Pumpkin

Harpoon Imperial Pumpkin (2013)

Autumn Seasonal (New)

22 fl. oz. / $7.69 USD / 10.5% ABV

About: "Last fall our brewers were improvising a new beer in our 10-barrel kettle. We had some fresh pumpkin puree leftover from a recent brew of our UFO Pumpkin, so the brewers threw that in the kettle with a bit of molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some roasted malts. It turned out to be delicious, so we thought we’d share it with everyone. - Half imperial stout, half pumpkin ale, with aromas of dried fruit, chocolate, and freshly baked pumpkin pie, this black full-bodied stout is ready to be enjoyed now or saved for a chilly fall evening."

Thoughts: Not really sure why they'd cover the picture of the pumpkin with a big ass leaf like that. Ah, this is a Stout. I guess you gotta read the fine print. This generically named brew poured a straight up dense black with quite a thin dark chocolaty tan head on top.

One of the things I was afraid of when I finally took the time to look at this bottle and noticed that it's a stout, is that the beer isn't really going to smell anything like I hope. Which I hope it smells like Pumking, a standard to hold all other pumpkin beers to. As I lean in and put my nose to the glass I am pleasantly surprised. This smells great. Cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, allspice and clove - or the usual suspects as I like to call them - are all apparent when you crack the bottle. After pouring the beer into the glass and leaning in, the sensation not only changes, but becomes more interesting. A pouncing of rich, dark fruits jump out and smack ya, followed by a rush of brown sugar and them blackstrap molasses. After a while a little bit of black licorice starts to blend in, followed by the dreaded bubblegum flavored bubblegum. Kinda fruity and weird, but interesting nonetheless. I'm going to gulp it now in hopes the original scent comes back and that bubblegum fades out.

This is some cool stuff. First gulp went through about five stages, ranging from dark and malty, to really spiced, to fruity and sweet, to slightly bitter like coffee, to dry and hazy like fallen leaves. This fucking thing is all over the damn place. I'm going to sip it for a while and then jot down some more notes...

While all the pumkiny spices flow throughout this brew, they become rather subdued in the taste department. They're definitely "felt", but the scent disappeared soon after pouring the beer, and after drinking for a while it becomes a brown sugary, malty, dark fruit flavored stout. Pumpkin ale and its essence come up heavy in belches, but on the tongue it's a lot of booze and sticky sweetness. It's really roasty, got a bit of toasted oats in there, and a nice spice blend which would be stronger if that sweet and sticky overload with a gentle tart backup wasn't so powerful. The cloves are ever present though laid back at first. Once the brew starts to warm the cloves start popping and that blackstrap molasses and black licorice builds in strength as well. I've got no problem with both of those things. I just wish the 50/50 Stout slash Pumpkin ale was a bit more of a pumpkin ale than a stout.

I think it's pretty funny that Harpoon put this beer out just before Southern Tier released Warlock, which is a similar idea of an ale. I've yet to try Warlock, but I'll be sure to compare it to this. This one is fun, but man is it some intense stuff, and not really in a good way either. It's mouth numbing due to the spice, but since you don't get a lot of the spice in the taste you don't notice it happening all that fast, and that's because the super sweet tartness and alcohol blitz just fucking assaults and distracts the senses.

Blue Hills Pumpkin Lager

Blue Hills Pumpkin Lager (2013)
Autumn Seasonal (New)

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 5.8% ABV

About: "Pumpkin Lager is the perfect treat for the Halloween season. It's loaded with pumpkin spice goodness, and super smooth for a lager."

Thoughts: I had originally thought that this was the same pumpkin lager as their previous release Stingy Jack, only with new artwork due to the "legal woes" the company experienced, and was ready to file it under that review. Only once I got into it though, I realized that this one is very different.

First off, way fucking cooler label on the bottle this time. I don't know what was up with that leprechaun last time, and on top of that they had the whole lawsuit threat over the name, when in fact they should have just gone generic and done this Evil looking pumpkin motherfucker. 

Pumpkin Lager poured a very clear, rich dark orange with a quick disappearing head.

Smells a little buttery. I'm getting a ton of buttered popcorn here... that starts to transform into cheap caramel popped corn with nuts after a while. Smells kinda like cracker jacks. But I wonder where the prize is?!

I don't remember it tasting like this before. Not at all. This shit is pretty nasty. It's way fucking worse than before, and if that's possible then yes anything is possible. This tastes like I'm drinking half a cup of I can't believe it's not butter with some Sheetrock chaser. This is probably one of the worst fucking beers I've ever drank. And yet, it's still better than Shipyard's Pumpkinhead. WTF is up with that? That's a bit harsh, well, let's just say that it's more "flavorful" of a beer. ;) Don't ask me. Everyone always talks about Shipyard's beers having a buttery taste but I never really got it. THIS SHIT on the other hand tastes like straight up fucking melted butter over some nasty ass cheesecake. It's fucking disgusting. E-Gah!

It smells like vegetable oil after drinking it for a while too. Totally gross. It's slightly sour and acidic and just bullshit. I ended up chugging this to get it out of the way so no mouth feel or any other descriptions other than my final words of don't buy this.

Beer Works Black O Lantern

Beer Works Overtime Series Black O Lantern - Imperial Pumpkin Stout (2013)

Autumn Seasonal (New).

12 fl. oz. / $2.99 USD / 8.5% ABV

About: "The next release in our small batch, high gravity OT Series is a completely new formulation Black O Lantern – Imperial Pumpkin Stout. This deep, dark, and intensely rich imperial pumpkin stout has flavors of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg that complement the chocolate and roast character. At 8.5% ABV, this beer finishes surprisingly and dangerously smooth! ... As the name suggests, we work overtime on this series. These limited release, super premium beers highlight our brewers’ creativity and skill. Legends in their own right on tap at Beer Works locations, these brews are finally in bottles! Beers too big and strong for 6-packs, we had to put these higher alcohol styles into 4-packs, now available at your local liquor store and Beer Works locations. These beers are NOT for the faint of heart!"

Thoughts: Poured a solid dense black with a dark chocolatey tan head. There's no color in this one at all, just pure blackness.

This smells like one of those pumpkin coffees only without the awesomeness of shitloads of cinnamon and sugar. Too bad. It does smell like a cold black coffee with raw earthy pumpkin puree though, and it's still kinda nice. There's also a little bit of nutmeg sprinkled in there as well. Not really getting much alcohol in the scent either.

This actually tastes pretty good, though I wish it were more extreme! It's got a good enough foundation, a real heavy natural pumpkin flavor and a decent amount of spice - mostly nutmeg - that tingles. It's not too heavy on the cinnamon, but it's there, though it joins forces with the 40 IBUs for a damper of a combination. Upon belching pumpkin spice comes forward and then some tasty freshly cut grass. Mmmm... There's something weird happening on the back end of this one all of a sudden, like smokey burnt rubber. It's not overly strong or atrocious or anything, but I caught a quick rush of it. I don't think anybody would ever call this beer "sweet" but there's a certain level of sweetness to it. Finishing up the glass now, breathing in heavily and I caught some cigarette ash in there.

Mouthfeel is a lot lighter than expected. The first gulp was pretty watery and surprisingly so considering the stuff looks like thick black sludge. It's also got a foamy quality to it.

Despite the aftertaste of a mouthful of burnt He-Man heads, this one isn't all that bad. It's more interesting than their standard pumpkin ale at least. Even if they're made from most of the same stuff.

Beer Works Pumpkin Works Ale

Beer Works Pumpkin Works Ale - Autumn Works (2013)

Brewed and Bottled by Beer Works Brewery in Lowell, MA. USA. 

Autumn Seasonal (New)

12 fl. oz. / $1.79 USD / 5% ABV

About: "Nothing says fall like pumpkin, spice and everything nice - it’s with that in mind that we release our latest bottled brew: Pumpkin Works Ale, now available! Brewed at Beer Works since 1992, this ale leads with a tantalizing aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg. Made with real pumpkin, this beer is medium bodied with a balance of malt and spice that creates a finish reminiscent of the perfect bite of pumpkin pie. A tasty New England Autumn tradition!"

Thoughts: Totally "stoked" to find two pumpkin beers that I haven't tried before from Beer Works Brewery and Eatery in Lowell, Mass of all fuckin' places. Hey good luck with that guys. This one has the better of the two labels, with a really cool fiery jack-o-lantern face along the bottom. They must really be into the word WORKS too, since it's on this bottle a total of six times(!) including the cap. WTF dudes?

I got something that works too. It's in my pants. But I don't constantly bring it up! Wait a minute... not on purpose at least. Okay okay, so I bring it up on purpose all the time, what the hell do you expect? I'm always over at Day of the Woman and I just can't help it! Pumpkin Works Ale poured a light but bright orange hue with a loud fizzing head that popped away quickly. There was a loud sharp hiss upon opening the bottle and now it seems as if all the forced carbonation has been depleted. 

Scent wise we've got your standard pumpkin ale... there's that mild fleshy pumpkin droning over everything, and a whole lotta nutmeg. Sweet malts and cinnamon are in backup mode. It's a mild spiced ale, and it doesn't really scream out pumpkin pie to me.

The taste has that gentle bitterness that pumpkin ales usually bring. It's a bit raw tasting. There's a peppery quality to it as well, kinda smokey like cloves but not really. It's got a strange tartness about it. Not sour, but kinda like a weird squashy fruitiness. Aside from that funky pumpkin, it's a little bit bready and spicy like rye. It tastes a little bit like dirt. Not that there's anything wrong with that, right? I'm not really getting any cinnamon, and it's not drying at all either so there must not be that much spice in here. It's a bit empty feeling with each gulp. It doesn't go down too easily, like the liquid has some weight to it, but overall it's got no real character - aside from that label.

This beer is very middle ground. It's acceptable, but rather forgettable. Did I expect as much? Probably so. Did that really cool artwork draw me in only to ultimately let me down? Story of my fuckin' life g-sta!

Harpoon Pumpkin Cider

Harpoon Pumpkin Cider (2013)

Autumn Seasonal (New)

12 fl. oz. / $2.05 USD / 4.8% ABV

About: "Apples and pumpkins are two of the best things about fall in New England. It was only a matter of time before we decided to bring them together. We combined fresh apples and pumpkins, along with some subtle spices, to make this cider. We left out preservatives, artificial colors, sweeteners and anything else that could get in the way of the flavors we wanted. Locally harvested pumpkins and apples are combined with seasonal spices to craft this pure and natural craft cider. Harpoon Pumpkin Cider is also naturally gluten-free. Its gluten content has been independently measured at less than 20 parts per million, meeting the FDA's proposed threshold for gluten-free."

Thoughts: Love the art on this label. An apple Jack-O-Lantern, man that's cool stuff. Heard a loud fizzy hiss when I popped the cap. Boringly named Pumpkin Cider poured an extremely light yellow color that so light it may as well be clear. Kinda looks like pee.

This shit smells like watery melted down gummy bears. I'm getting no pumpkin spices at all. It doesn't really smell "bad", but it's not strong and really not what I expected. It kinda just smells like a really, really light, sweet cider.

Onto the taste... first gulp, aaaaaaaannnnnnnnnddd, nothin'. Wow, this really doesn't taste like anything. It's super-duper watery tasting, kid. You know how ciders have that pungent kind of sting to them? Not this one. This is like slightly sweetened water. What the fuck, did they use one apple a barrel for this? If I really try to taste something while reading the ingredients on the bottle, I maybe get some nutmeg, way far off in the distance. Hardly any apple, barely any pumpkin, and the cinnamon and cloves are nowhere to be found.

This is some weak ass shit let me tell you. It actually tastes like three whole gummy bears were melted and mixed in with the glass with water. It's kinda sweet tasting overall, but man, it's just a total failure of a product.

I have only had one other "pumpkin cider" before this and that's the Woodchuck Pumpkin release. While that one let me down as well (it needed moar), their cider was fucking gloriously amazing compared to this shit! Sure it's not all too pumpkin pie-like but at least you can tell it's an adult beverage. This stuff was water.

Wormtown Dark Day BLACK IPA

Wormtown Dark Day BLACK IPA (2013)

Limited Release (March).

22 fl. oz. / $8.99 USD / 6% ABV

About: "Dark Day refers to an event that occurred on May 19, 1780, when an unusual darkening of the day sky was observed over the New England states and parts of Canada. The darkness was so complete that candles were required from noon on. Dark Day IPA is a collaboration with Dave Richardson from Gardner Ale House. Herbal hop aroma is complimented with roasted malt character. American de-husked roasted barley does not lend a bitter acrid flavor but imparts a roasted character that melds with low level caramelized malts. Big herbal, citrus hop flavors and bitterness clash with roasted and mildly sweet malt. Try Dark Day IPA and then drive to Gardner to try its sister brew Nightcrawler IPA."

Thoughts: Poured a dreadfully dark brown color that's not completely black in the glass but is impossible to see through. The eggshell head started slow and then uprooted itself, leaving a three finger top full of small bubbles.

Smells crisp. I like what I'm getting here. Though pretty hop forward there's a sweetness to the scent that really accents the herbal, minty qualities. There's some slight pine, but it's mild and very earthy, and a hidden punch of citrus behind that mint.

There's a lot of roasted malt to start off the taste. It was hardly evident in the scent, very background stuff, though with a black ale you know it's gotta be there. Aside from the boost of roasted dark malt, the taste is pretty consistent with the smell. It's got a potent herbal tone that flows through from start to finish. At the end of the gulp a slow rising bitterness builds and forms a minor haze of leaves and smoke. It's a pretty weird blend of flavors but they all intermingle nicely. After warming it gets a little bready and some caramel notes start to shine through. The aftertaste kind of tastes like raw sourdough that's been charred with a blowtorch.

The mouth feel is very light and bubbly. This stuff pretty much immediately turns to foam once it enters the mouth. I guess we can say that it's an airy situation. This is a decent black ale. It could have used some black licorice and some barrel aging, but at least it didn't reek of chocolate and coffee. Dark Day is my second beer from Wormtown and won't be my last.

Cambridge Brewing Heather Ale and Weekapaug Gruit

Cambridge Brewing Heather Ale - Brewed with Heather Flowers (2012)

First Batch Brew.

22 fl. oz. / $6.99 USD / 5% ABV

About: "From out of the darkness of pre-recorded history, Heather Ale is an altogether unique brew. Originally crafted by the inhabitants of coastal Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and the Northern British Isles, fresh heather flowers and other herbs were used to balance and flavor the rustic yet sweet toasted character of the malted barley. Its brewing tradition existed long before the advent of hopped beers, and has continued, sporadically, in small rural communities for millennia.

Brewed with imported Scottish floor-malted barley, fresh hand-harvested heather flowers were added to the kettle during the boil along with sweet gale and lavender, with a further addition of fresh heather and yarrow to the conditioning tanks. Each year the CBC brew-staff handpicks the fresh herbs for this beer from a field along the Atlantic Coast, and adds them into the brew-kettle the very next day. The aroma and flavor are a surprising jog of ancient memory, with commingling subtle notes of heather and honey and an obscure wildflower spiciness complemented by the interplay of mild but assertive, toasty-sweet malt.

Note: Pregnant or breastfeeding women may wish to avoid consuming this beer due to the mild medicinal nature of the herbs used in crafting this beer."

Thoughts: Heather Ale poured a slightly hazy auburn yellow with a huge fluffy white head full of small incredibly small bubbles. The carbonation in this thing is going nuts!

This beer smells really cool. Probably no surprise that it smells of a floral brew. It reminds me a little bit of Samuel Adams White Christmas for some reason. It's got a winter spiced ale type of thing going underneath those huge floral notes. When breathing in real hard, it's like putting your nose right inside a blossoming flower. Really cool stuff.

Before I even get to the taste, I gotta comment on this mouth feel. This beer has an insane feeling to it, it's great. It's incredibly thin and airy, and it just explodes into bubbles and dissolves... now that probably doesn't sound too appealing, but it is so weird and unique and just feels so funny that I love it. It's reminiscent of a soapy type of texture, but doesn't really taste soapy which is a fear that some brewers have with lavender additions.

Of course it's got all of that floral tone from the scent right in there with the taste. A light malt backup gives off a gentle semi-sweetness, and among that there's a soft peppery flavor that goes along with it. It's very crisp. Toasted malts aren't all too sweet, and do have a little bit of raw touch to them, but that helps this beer right along without taking it to any extreme area. It's got a decent bitterness, a decent sweetness, tons of flavor all around and it genuinely interesting.

Overall the taste is pretty unique, and it's got a great aftertaste too. A fun little beer.

Cambridge Brewing Weekapaug Gruit (2012)

Limited Release - First Batch (April 2012)

22 fl. oz. / $6.59 USD / 5.5% ABV

About: "A modern take on a mideaval, unhopped herbal beer! Produced for centuries, long before the use of hops, Gruit (pronounced “grew-it” or “groot”) was what beer was throughout the Middle Ages. Our contemporary interpretation of gruit is brewed with malted barley, wheat, and oats, and fermented with our Belgian yeast. It also incorporates the traditional brewing herbs sweet gale, yarrow, and wild  rosemary, along with Labrador tea, licorice root and nettles, all organic and wildcrafted."

Thoughts: Weekapaug poured a deep and hazy dark-auburn orange and featured a big, light-auburn almost tan head that began to rapidly deplete as I started snapping photos. It's loud too. Definately the loudest head I've ever heard before. Kinda sounds like rice crispies, that's how loud these bubbles are popping! Nuts.

Speaking of nuts. It's very nutty. Not really peanuts though, slightly off. Yeasty nuts more like it. And yes, I did stop and giggle to myself after I wrote that. The scent immediately reminds me of a certain Dogfish Head brew... Pangaea.

Taste is that of the smell. It's very mellow. There's a hint of light butter in there, or are the herbs just playing tricks with my mind. It's not remarkably sweet, but there's a lingering sweetness throughout the whole beer. When you first get some in your mouth it's just slightly tingly and almost hints at being spicy, but not really. There's an almost sour-like tinge that can attack if you let it hit the right spot, but mostly it's only a weak puckering effect. It's a bit fruity up front, like a semi-sour citrus, but the herbs mix in quick and take the flavor to a strange otherworldly dimension... then after it's swallowed there's that lingering Belgian yeast / peanut note. It's not bad.

Mouthfeel is that of a semi-flat soda. It's very smooth and crisp through. Starts to dry the throat after a while.

This beer goes through a few fun little stages but it doesn't seem terribly complex. It's like a strong tea rather, with a bready malt backdrop. This beer is ranking for me as a very decent end enjoyable experience. I'm not going to go out and re-buying it anytime soon, but I would like to try other beers of this seemingly rare style. After all, the very few beers I have tried that taste like (two or three of them) have all been unique and also pretty good, though all very similar tasting. Something about these types of beers intrigue me in a strange way. I don't yearn for them, but I'm still rather fascinated and want more.

Night Shift Viva Habanera

Night Shift Viva Habanera - Rye Ale brewed with Agave Nectar and Aged on Habanero Peppers (2012)

Core Lineup Brew (Special Edition, Version 4a: Brewed Once).

25.4 fl. oz. / $12.99 USD / 7.2% ABV

About: "Brewed with rye malts that bring their own natural spice, this invigorating cerveza gets its zesty kick and peppery flavor from habanero peppers that we add after fermentation. Agave nectar, produced in Mexico, helps to sweeten and lighten the body, while our Belgian house yeast strain tempers the beer’s fiery disposition.

Batch #4 - Kappy’s Barrel Series (Release No. 04) - Bottled on 10/18/12: Aged in a bourbon barrel for two months, this is one of our favorite brewery releases to date. Whiskey vanilla and hints of pepper spice in the nose. The flavor itself is ripe with bourbon, oak, rye and and a crisp, peppery burn. We pitched fresh peppers into the beer after  barrel-aging, so there’s no missing the heat."

Thoughts: Cage was tough as hell to unwind, yet the cork slid out easier than any cork I've ever pulled in my life. Poured a very hazy, dark blood red with a light tan head that faded out pretty quickly. This beer is cloudy as all fuck man.

It smells super fruity. Very unexpected. I'm getting pineapple, yeast, rye, a tiny bit of grapefruit, a little bit of funky bubblegum... it doesn't really smell too spicy or much like habanero though, not until it warms up a bit. Later on it's just pepper oil and assorted fruits. Weird, but interesting.

A sour puck on the first bite, and after the swallow a sting in the back of the mouth and throat. It's actually very mild. This is way different than what I was expecting it to be. There's a definite peppery vibe here, but it's sweet to boot. The heat starts to work its way in after a while, but it never gets really spicy or even close to overwhelming... but this is one flavorful beer. There's a burst of spice in every bite, the flavor of the peppers are just so deeply embedded in this beer that it's always there no matter what, giving that unique addition to the main ingredients. Malts are especially strong here and so is the yeast. Rye is the order of the day, and it's got a worthy little backup from those bourbon barrels to develop a nicely done taste. Since I haven't tried any other version of this (there are eight or nine batches so far, with #5 reportedly being the hottest), I can't say whether or not the barrel aging has mellowed the recipe. It says in the description that they added more peppers after the barrels, most likely to compensate for this, but I would still like to try the hottest batch just to see how this one compares.

Mouth has a strange level of foam with each gulp that takes the watery nature of the initial sip to an interesting medium, and then when the tingling from the peppers kick you swallow and it's all but gone. It's pretty clean and dry, but fortunately the small amount of heat and all those flavors stick around for a long time. Very nice.

Too bad this one couldn't be a little more extreme. I would have loved it to burn the shit out of me. For lovers of Rye bread and Juicy Pepper Oil, I'd say grab this if you see it. I'm always on the hunt for beers with heat and well, this one pretty much falls in place with all of the others I've tried so far. Still waiting for the one that kicks my ass. This one may not be it, but it sure is mighty tasty. Smooth too.

Cambridge Brewing 2012 Pumpkin Beer Festival

Freaks, Geeks and Weirdos - and not to mention some Totally Hot Babes - all united yesterday for a fun filled elbow to elbow beer-breath-a-thon in Cambridge, Mass, known as LineFest! Uhhh, I mean PumpkinFest. Well, it was LineFest for anyone who got there after 2:30 PM, as the small venue was jam f'n packed with thirsty hipsters and pumpkin-lovin' nerdlings alike! Everybody was in the pumpkin pool. A couple of times I even stood in line for a few minutes, only to realize that it wasn't even a line. What in the fuck is that? Just a bunch of people standing around near a line that's so bombarded by other lines that it's nothing short of a rabid zombie horde. There were lines everywhere man. People were getting felt up... warm, wet breath hit the back of necks... boobs were grazed... crotches were pressed upon unsuspecting

And did I mention totally hot babes? Well, there were some pretty hot babes there. One girl looked like Mary Jane's slightly thicker sister. She was wearing a hello kitty shirt and was by far the hottest chick at the place (I fell instantly in lust)... she was Gourd-gous! And there were quite a few ladies there in ultra-tight leather and pleather and spandex outfits as Bayonetta, Black Widow and Baroness. OK, they were all Black Widow. Or trying to be. Whatever. The point is they were hot, and babes too. There was also a guy in a low budget homemade old-school Captain America outfit that really looked the part, so well done on him. Oh, and the girl in the red cloak that works there was really jacking my lantern. If you know what I

Also, I don't know if there were really so many hipsters there, or if they were just dressed up that way for the costume party? Hey, is everyone utilizing Belgian Yeast in their beer now? I thought my tongue was playing tricks on me, but apparently not. I rinsed out my cup each time before getting my next beers, but I could still taste that Belgian Yeast! I thought I didn't clean the cup well enough, but in fact it was because nearly every beer I drank at the place has it in it. What gives? Anyways, I got there at 12:30, a half hour before the doors opened, and ended up being in the middle of a huge ass line down and around the block. The last half of my stay at the establishment, people weren't being allowed to enter until someone else left. So that sucks for them... I guess? But I read that you gotta go either early or late to these things so, yeah. Since I like to get my drinking out of the way early

Onto the hot babes beers:

1. The Bruery Autumn Maple - Belgian Style Brown Ale (2012)

Brewed by The Bruery, in Placentia, CA. USA.

4 fl. oz. / 1 Ticket / 10% ABV

About: "Brewed with 17 lbs. of yams per barrel (in other words, a lot of yams!), this Autumn Seasonal is a different take on the “Pumpkin” beer style. Brewed with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice, Vanilla, Molasses, and Maple Syrup, and fermented with our traditional Belgian Yeast strain, this bold and spicy beer is perfect on a cold autumn evening."

Thoughts: Autumn Maple. Alright. Oh, The Bruery. Sweet. This looks to be a  good beer to start with. Autumn Maple poured a thick and cloudy burnt orange color with a small white bubbly head.

It's a light smelling ale, toasty, very lightly spiced.... I'm getting loads of Belgian Yeast. There's a little bit of cinnamon lingering about, and a real subtle blend of spices. For a 10%, I expected more of a scent on this one, not one so mild.

It's very tasty. There's a harsh booze sting on the first sip, and I guess that's where that strength was. I'm really trying to get that maple syrup here, it's what I want to taste. Feel is about a medium  and it's a bit fizzy. There's a sticky quality to this beer, and I guess that's the maple syrup coming into play, but it's not really all too evident in the taste itself. I guess I should expect that by now though. However, the beer is very pleasant tasting, and has a classic type taste for the Autumn season. Gotta love those yams! And it's strong, which is always a plus.

2. Hill Farmstead Autumn Saison - Belgian Farmhouse Ale  (2012?)
Brewed by Hill Farmstead Brewery, in Greensboro, VT. USA.

4 fl. oz. / 1 Ticket / 5.5% ABV

About: "Shaun Hill's 1'st Pumpkin Beer, brewed in collaboration with Jackie O's Brewing Co. and Grassroots Brewing after years of goading from Will Myers. A simple malt bill provides an orange hue. Ben's Pumpkins from Snug Valley Farm provided the requisite squash. The goal: A complex Belgian style pumpkin ale with little to no spicing."

Thoughts: This beer is a very light orange color, especially light compared to the rest actually, but it's still a pretty orange. Kinda murky too. The head was tiny and not condensed at all.

There's a lot of malt in the scent, and it's very straightforward. An underlying Belgian yeast comes up from the back, but overall everything here seems pretty light.

The taste is pretty damn sour. It's very mushy tasting. It gets slightly peppery once that yeast kicks in, and once all the flavors mingle together the beer gets more of a fruity tone about it. Still pretty sour though.

Mouth is light and that sour tone brings on the puckering.

3. Stewart's Brewing Mischief Night - Pumpkin Ale (2012)

Brewed by Stewart's Brewing Company, in Bear, DE. USA.

4 fl. oz. / 1 Ticket / 5.5% ABV

About:  "Many innocent pumpkins met a gruesome fate so that you sadistic people could have your annual spiced treat. We hope you're happy! Straight from the mind of the ‘Beer Admiral’ himself. Head Brewer Rick Hoffman presents a ‘traditional’ spiced pumpkin ale. Rick added over 10 lbs of pumpkin per barrel. Brewed with a touch of Maize for softness, and to fit the harvest spirit. Spiced with a custom blend of whole botanicals including Cinnamon, Ginger, Allspice, Cloves and Nutmeg."

Thoughts: Mischief Night. What a cool name huh? This one poured a reddish-orange with a minimal haze to it. One of the filtered offering of the venue perhaps. The head was pretty frothy, yet faded quickly.

This beer smells really sweet. Kind of like spiced apples, or strawberry syrup! Really cool.

The taste is unique. It's rich and malty, but with a weird kind of tang to it. Not bad at all. It's sweet, spicy and has a a mild sourness to it that creeps up on you.

It's pretty frothy. I'm sure the corn brings it back from being a total malt bomb, but the more you sip this one the sweeter it gets. Is that cloying sweetness? It's a very interesting brew, that's for sure.

4. Elysian Headless Horsey - Pumpkin Brett Beer (2011/2012?)

Brewed by Elysian Brewing Company, in Seattle, WA. USA.

8 fl. oz. / 4 Tickets / 6.7% ABV / SPECIAL TAPPING: 2 PM!

About: "100% Brettanomyces-fermented Pumpkin Ale brewed with Pale and Wheat malts and unmalted wheat. With some time to age, it has become more of an elegant thoroughbred than drayhorse. The inspiration for this beer? They thought of the name first, and knew they had to brew it." What the hell kind of description is that?

Thoughts: Headless Horsey poured a super cloudy auburn orange hue with no head whatsoever, which was weird.

And speaking of weird, this one smells weird as shit too! It's very tart, kinda like pineapple juice. Pineapple juice... and funk. Yeah. Not incredibly pleasant.

The taste is a sour pineapple hit to the mouth. Whew! This is a strange ass beer, man. I'm not really diggin' it all too much. And by the looks of things, the people that just got this brew before me aren't really into it either. There's a lot of strange WTF faces around and some not too flattering banter on this one.

This is the funkiest one so far. Like watered down juice with a double extra tart thrown in, and a touch of funk.

5. Cambridge Brewing Valley Ghoul - Scotch Ale with Pumpkin and Heather Flowers (2011)

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 8.5% ABV

About: "2011 Strong Scotch Ale with Pumpkins and local barley. Our Valley Girl series of local-ingredient-beers gets ghoulish with barley grown and malted in MA from our Valley Malt BSA. Super rich malt character presides over Pumpkin, Brown Sugar, Molasses, and Heather Flowers in the finish. Subtle, like a swift kick in the kilt. Adding pumpkins was a seasonal no-brainer, and a last-minute addition of heather flowers contributes subtle, delicate floral notes to this robust, malty beer. Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!"

Thoughts: Valley Ghoul poured a dark and gloomy raspberry red / orangy brown color and was very hazy. The head was small due to the pour but lasted a long while.

This smells Awesome! Wait, what the hell... bubblegum just came rushing in. Oh, and loads of booze! It's flowery, and well, just an insane mix of things going on. This is like a Bride of Frankenbeer.

The taste is hard caramel, molasses, and literally tons of brown sugar. This is some serious malt. It's intense. Very sweet, a little peppery, and then those Heather Flowers come in again and it's bubblegum booze.

There's a bit too much bubblegum for my liking, but I did enjoy the hell out of this one while it lasted. And I'm sure there's a market for a beer like this. A weird market.

6. Cambridge Brewing Kraftwerk - Belgian Tripel brewed with Pumpkins and Aged in White Wine Barrels (2011)

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 9.75% ABV

About: "Kraftwerk is brewed in the style of a Belgian strong ale known as Tripel, but to it we have added hundreds of pounds of pumpkin, along with a very subtle addition of assorted autumnal spices. After a very warm fermentation with our house Belgian ale yeast, Kraftwerk was sent to the CBC Barrel Cellar to age for several months in Sauvignon Blanc barrels where the beer transmogrified into a striking beverage like no other. The result is a classic version of a traditional Tripel, with subtle pumpkin flavors, and notes of oak and a white wine-like finish. The combination of esters from fermentation, barrel aging, and lingering wine character has created a beer with crazy fruitiness, a super dry and sparkling body, and a grape/stone fruit/tropical finish. Simply unlike any pumpkin beer you've ever had."

Thoughts: Werk poured a lighter yellowy orange color with a fluffed white top. The beer is of course quite hazy.

Scent is on the lighter side of things, but really interesting and inviting. It's fruity, and you get a big presence of that white wine. It's pretty cool. Smells a bit like fruit cocktail after a while. Nice.

This tastes excellent! You really get that mix of the oak and white wine straight away. There's a lot of ripe pear, mild squash, and a ton of fruitiness. The spices have all but been lost in the mix, and you wouldn't immediately think of this as a "pumpkin beer", but that flavor is still inherent to the beer. Only muted. Overall though this is a really interesting beer, it has some intriguing layers of taste and it's just "delightful".

7. Cambridge Brewing Fire and Brimstone - Cask-conditioned Ale with Chipotle Peppers and Cacao Nibs (2012)

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 6.66% ABV

About: "S.A.T.D cask-conditioned with Ancho, Chipotle, and Habanero Peppers, plus Cinnamon Sticks, Cacao Nibs, and Dried Pumpkin Flakes. Rich, chocolaty, smokey and maybe a little hot. You have no one but yourself to blame!"

Thoughts: Yeah, I suppose after that I may as well hit up the beer with the Habaneros in it. Why the hell not wreck the palate after that whimsical brew above.

This beer is dark. It smells harsh. There's tons of chilies in this. A smile, comes to my face.

That's hot. Not only is this beer just spicy as all hell on the first gulp, but it's got a creeper quality about it too, because halfway through that burn is just rushing in and doesn't let up. There's a nice mingling of flavors going on here. The chocolate really takes a backseat to the peppery flavor and the smoke, and for that I am thankful.

Fire and Brimstone is super tasty, has a slight tartness to it, is rich, malty and brings the heat. Did I taste the dried pumpkin flakes? Nah... but whatever.

8. Elysian The Gourdfather - Pumpkin Barleywine (2012)

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 11.2% ABV

About: "The Gourdfather is a Pumpkin Barleywine you can’t refuse, mellowing with age but still reminding you who’s boss. A veritable pushcart of malt bill brings Pale, Munich, Cara-hell, Cara-vienne, C-15 Crystal and Pumpkin Seeds up against a rival neighborhood armed with Magnum hops. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Thoughts: Gourdfather poured an auburn red, honey like color with a foamy white head atop.

This smells like red wine. Ah, memories. There's a super strong barley flow to this one, but at the same time the hops and seeds give off this weird otherworldly type scent to it. It smells slightly acidic and maybe a little bitter. It's pretty cool.

The taste is unexpectedly more sweet than I had expected. It was a bit of a shock. There's not much of that red wine vibe in the taste, but rather a booming slam from those malts. It's slightly tart, there's a heavy dose of dark fruit, plums especially, and a lot of sweetness. After a while some caramel notes start to come out and it gets a little twang from that fruitiness and the hops.

Despite being so heavy and rich, this is some easy drinking.

9. Iron Hill Ichabod - Imperial Pumpkin Ale (2012)

Brewed by Iron Hill Brewery, in West Chester, PA. USA.

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 9.5% ABV

About: "This extra strong spicy Belgian Pumpkin Ale is truly a beer from the farm. It is unfiltered with a beautiful burnt orange color. Ichabod’s nose is filled with flavors of the harvest including Clove, Allspice, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg. The palette is sweet with hints of Roasted Pumpkin, and Caramel. There is a warming finish that is both fruity and aromatic. Over 6 pounds of pumpkin per barrel were added right to the mash. Drink enough and you’ll lose your head too!"

Thoughts: This beer poured a semi-dark auburn haze that's blood orange in color. The head was extremely minimal.

I'm picking up scents of light bubblegum (again!?), toasty malt, a little bit of booze. The spices are light, and aside from that roasted tone to it, it seems pretty mild.

Well, it tastes a bit rubbery. It's malty and the spices are indeed light. Not really too interesting of a beer. It's kind of got this burnt embers mixed with old He-Man toys going on. I've tasted beers with similar problems, and this one isn't too offensive in that area, but it's there. This beer is very boozy, but it's also pretty meh.

Mouth on this one is slightly drying, but I have been ingesting good dose of cinnamon throughout the day. Not to mention that oak. But the drying is just starting to hit after this one particularly so take that into consideration.

10. Stewart's Brewing Gourdzilla - Pumpkin Ale (2012)

8 fl. oz. / 4 Tickets / 8.666% ABV / SPECIAL TAPPING: 4 PM!

About: "This Monstrous Pumpkin Ale is brewed with Radioactive Pumpkins grown at a secret location in the South Pacific, and fermented with Genetically Modified yeast. Gourdzilla is sure to please even the most finicky pumpkin zombies, and still have time to lay waste to Tokyo in its spare time."

Thoughts: Radioactive Pumpkins huh?

Gourdzilla poured a honey gold with orange tones, and featured a frothy light beige head on top. This one's got the biggest head out of all the beers so far. Huh. Must be that "Genetically Modified Yeast"!

The smell starts off with a "traditional" Imperial Pumpkin Ale style scent, which is promising since none of the other beers so far have had this. Spices are present, but a little light, and I can actually smell the water in this one. It's nice.

The taste is very peppery up front. This one isn't too sweet, not too bitter, and while the taste is rich and savory, it feels a little light. There's no kick to this beer, and that's a bit unfortunate. It's the closest thing to tasting pumpkin out of this lineup though, and it's still pretty good.

I guess everything in some way will always be compared to Pumking. If this one had a longer linger to it and a spicier kick, it could very well compete.

11. Cambridge Brewing Grey Ghost - Belgain-Style Double White Ale with Grey Ghost Pumpkins (2012)

12 fl. oz. / 3 Tickets / 6.75% ABV

About: "300 pounds of Grey Ghost heirloom pumpkins from Sylvan Nursery flavor this strong version of a traditional Belgian White Ale, along with Orange Peel, Coriander, and Grains of Paradise. Freshly chopped and shredded, the pumpkin is added to a mash of Pilsner and wheat malt, raw wheat, and flaked oats and fermented with our house Belgian yeast."

Thoughts: Ghost poured a light gold, yellowy orange color. It's slightly hazy and the white head left a ring around the top of the brew for a long while.

The scent is sweet and tart, and of course that Belgian yeast is making an appearance. There's some mild zest and a gentle flow of spice to this one.

The taste, just like the last beer and many other pumpkin beers, is peppery at first. This one has got a heavy taste to it though from that mash. It's also very fruity on the tongue... that orange peel really brings some nice citrusy tones to the brew, and there's almost like a lemon lime thing going on. The wheat and grey ghost pumpkins really blend well and I think adding coriander was a nice choice.

It's slightly watery, and goes down smooth. 

To me, most of these beers are more of an experiment in brewing rather than what's normally classified as a "Pumpkin Ale". These are like "Ale with Pumpkin in it" instead. Of course, I didn't try anything that I have already tasted before when I went to this event. They had Pumking, DFH Punkin, Weyerbacher Imperial Pumkin, Heavy Seas and a slew of others. I forgot to try Wormtown's offerings, but I'm not going to cry over it. What I really wanted to try was the Ultra-Rare Allagash Ghoulschip (a Barrel Aged Sour Pumpkin Ale brewed on Halloween night 2008 and aged in oak!), but they were tapping that at 8 PM and I wasn't going to stay that long. They tapped the Avery Rumpkin about forty-five minutes after I left as well, but I just drank that a few days ago.

I had a real mellow time at this extremely festive event. The overly large Pumpkin Ravioli was a really sweet and good tasting dish, though I should have saved some cash and ate a Sausage with Pumpkin Mustard outside. And it would have been a lot more comfortable it I wasn't rushed off of my table, but they've got time limits set up so I don't really give a fuck. Plus it was hot in there. It was just the hovering that bugged me. I also would have liked the Pint Glass to have the pumpkin design from their previous logo above. It looks a lot more sinister with that jagged mouth. Will I ever go to another one of these? Probably. Will I do reviews? Not sure. I would of loved to have drank tons of Pumking on tap and chased it with Rumpkin, but hey, I like trying the new shit. Maybe next time. Hopefully there will be more Totally Hot Babes for me to

Blue Hills Stingy Jack Pumpkin Lager

Blue Hills Brewery Stingy Jack Pumpkin Lager (2012)

Autumn Seasonal.

22 fl. oz. / $4.49 USD / 5.8% ABV

About: "The legend of Stingy Jack is rooted deep in Irish folklore. He was always known as a fellow of questionable morals." Hey, I like him already! "Twice in his life, he tricked the Devil into sparing his life. When Jack's final day came, he was informed in heaven that he would not be allowed to enter. When Jack went to into the fiery depths, the Devil told him he didn't want him either." Wow, now I really like the guy. "The Devil gave Jack a flaming rock and hallowed out gourd and banished him to an eternity of wandering the earth with just a glowing pumpkin to light his way. Thus the legend of Jack O'Lantern was born. As you enjoy our pumpkin lager, if you happen to encounter Jack, think twice before offering him a pint." Cool story bro.

Thoughts: Thanks to The Yankee Brew News (my favorite newspaper in the whole wide wurld!) I knew that Blue Hills was releasing a pumpkin ale this year. Though, I never figured it'd show up since it's well into October and all the pumpkin beer has already been released and dismissed. And I wouldn't have known that this was a pumpkin ale when I found a row of bottles in the liquor store fridge down the street. Why you ask? Well, first of all there's a fuckin' grinning Leprechaun on the bottle! It was new to the rotation though, so I took a closer look at the label, only to find that the name of the beer had a round sticker over the name! This sticker however, had the face of Frankenstein's Monster on it! Boo-yah. The one behind it had another round sticker that read "Trick or Treat" and behind that "Happy Halloween." There I noticed the words below said shit-eating-grin Leprechaun: Pumpkin Lager. Nice. But why the sticker over the label I wondered to myself!? It wasn't until I checked online to find their statement: "The Blue Hills Brewery beer formerly known as "Stingy Jack Pumpkin Lager" is in no way associated with Les Trois Emme Winery's "Stingy Jack Pumpkin Wine". Blue Hills Brewery apologizes for any confusion this may have caused." Which seems weird to me, because when I looked this beer up on my Untappd account, I found that there are like seven other fucking beers with this name. And their covering up their own shit... over some local wine? G H E Y.

BHB Stingy jack poured a lighter pumpkin shade of orange, with maybe a little bit of potted gold at the end of the rainbow. Or is that rusty copper? It's very carbonated and there are a ton of flakes everywhere throughout the brew. It's very grainy, but not a complete haze. There's a ton of shit suspended in there, slowly floating throughout the beer, but you can make out each speck so it's not cloudy. Pretty cool looking actually. The eggshell head was super quick dissolving, which made my clover welt, but left a puddle of foam and a ring.

It doesn't smell half bad. It smells more like a pumpkin bread rather than pie. It's a little nutty, and toasty... I'm getting a hint of butter. Lots of grain, cereal, almond butter and rice. Whatever spices they've got in here are pretty low on the totem. The scent is a mild earthy one.

The taste is surprisingly not as bitter as I thought it would be. It's mild, but it starts out pretty sweet actually. The cinnamon and spice comes out a little more in the taste, and mixes well with that buttery biscuit type thing it's got going on. It tastes almost like cinnamon rolls, kinda, but nowhere near as sweet. As it warms it starts to smell better, but not necessarily taste better. Alright, now it tastes like a rice cake drizzled with some light caramel, with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg on it, dipped in a Budweiser. That being said, it's still not half bad. Would I lie to you? 

Mouth is pretty watery (especially after it warms), but it's frothy too. And the carbonation gives off a neat tingling sensation.

While this beer isn't all that exciting or groundbreaking, there's a really solid upside to it and that's the fact that it doesn't taste bad. I'd say it ranks right down there with Sam Adams Pumpkin, it's probably slightly better than Harpoon's UFO Unfiltered Pumpkin and just edges out Shock Top's Pumpkin Wheat. Good job Blue Hills, even more so considering the only other beer from them I've tried so far (Black Hops) I pretty much hated. Maybe I will end up trying that Watermelon beer of theirs. Or is that just the Doubloons talking!? ;) Wow. Such a long post for a beer that I really don't give a fuck for.