Pumpkin Brews--a comparison by Dude and Mrs. Dude

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Dude

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SWMBO and I bought a bunch of different pumpkin brews (all we could find) and did a short little comparison, here is the lineup, and the results: I based the scores simply on a 5 point scale. Nothing tricky about it. 5 is the best, 0 is the worst. I based the scale on sight, aroma, taste and intangibles. Our intent was not so much to critique the "beer", but how the pumpkin and spices were integrated into it. The goal is simply to decide which pumpkin beer of the lot was the best one, and which one we'd buy.

The competitors:

Blue Moon Pumpkin
Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale
Weyerbacker Imperial Pumpkin
Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale
Dogfish Head Punkin' Ale
Smuttynose Pumpkin
Post Road Pumpkin Ale

The results:

gal_bluemoon.jpg

Blue Moon Pumpkin: Faint nose of pumpkin, spices. Bland, no hint of pumpkin in the beer, only faint spices.
Dude score: 2/5 SWMBO score: 2.5/5


Jacks_SpiceAle_IntBrandHightlights_cr.jpg

Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale: More prevalent spices, not much pumpkin itself in the aroma. Tastes fairly bland, but stronger spices than the Blue Moon sample. I'm not sure this even has pumpkin in it.
Dude: 2.5/5 SWMBO: 2.5/5

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Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin: Strong notes of pumpkin and spices. Taste is slightly alcholic with prevalent spices and pumpkin. All-around excellently done.

Dude: 5/5 SWMBO: 5/5

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Dogfish Head Punkin Ale: Well integrated pumpkin and spices. Nice, malty backbone to go with the pumpkin spices which are not overdone. IMHO, a pumpkin beer needs to have a bit of sweetness, this one has it.

Dude: 4.5/5 SWMBO: 4/5
 
gal_smuttynose.jpg

Smuttynose: Spices are evident, but "spicy" with clove, possibly over the top, IMHO. The beer is actually quite bitter, which detracts from the pumpkin aspect. I was disappointed in this one, I had heard good things.

Dude: 1/5 SWMBO: 1/5



gal_postroad.jpg

Post Road Pumpkin: Spices evident, good balanced of malt, spices, and possibly some vegetable. Tasted well balanced in all aspects.

Dude: 3.5/5 SWMBO: 3.5/5

gal_buffalobill.jpg

Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale: Nicely done with the spices and fruity vegetable aroma and taste. Solid beer all-around. Not as "flavorful" as a few of the others though.
Dude: 4/5 SWMBO: 4/5





And now....

...The verdict:

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Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin. This is an all-out killer beer. It has everything, malt backbone, nice balance of spices and pumpkin (it really is in there), and a good alcohol bite. This year it is available in 12 oz bottles. A clear winner for both of us. Now, we need more!
 
Awesome! Thanks for the reviews, guys, and nice score on all that pumpkin brew!

I've yet to find any for sale around here, but I did drink Jack's during my last trip East. As you noted, it was less than impressive. Watery with a hint of spice and no real pumpkin flavor.

For the skeptics...having enjoyed more than a few pints with the reviewers, I must say, the Dude family knows their beer! Have no fear in trusting their opinions.
 
Yuri, I'll send you a bottle of the DFH and the Weyerbacher--both are great, and I know you brew a good pumpkin beer so I think you'll like them both. Once my smoked porter is ready (next week?) I'll send some of that with them too.

And thanks for the kind words. ;)
 
olllllo said:
Somehow I knew that winner would be unavailable here.

Great info BTW!

I'll look for some at the beer store tonight (Weyerbacher's hit-or-miss there; they may or may not have it); if they do, you want to do a beerswap?
 
the_bird said:
I'll look for some at the beer store tonight (Weyerbacher's hit-or-miss there; they may or may not have it); if they do, you want to do a beerswap?

If you can think of a commercial left coast that you like. It may be mid November before I can bottle. Very little in the AZ market that I'd say is exceptional. Merely good.
 
Great reviews Dude. I'd love to swap someone some Elysian Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale for some of that Wyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin. Elysian won the silver this year at GABF with theirs.
great pumpkin.jpg
 
Nice review, Dude (& Mrs. Dude).

Can you get New Holland's Ichabod down there? If not, I can prolly send you a couple. Like to see where it fits (in your respected opinion) with the others. My wife and are into case #2 and enjoying it. Though I think the Horseman's Head I have in primary right now may put it to shame...
 
Bike N Brew said:
Nice review, Dude (& Mrs. Dude).

Can you get New Holland's Ichabod down there? If not, I can prolly send you a couple. Like to see where it fits (in your respected opinion) with the others. My wife and are into case #2 and enjoying it. Though I think the Horseman's Head I have in primary right now may put it to shame...

Anything you want from the east coast that you can't get there?
 
I definately must have got a bad batch of Buffalo Bills then, because mine was carbonated pumpkin pie spices with no pumpkin flavor at all.

Best pumpkin beers I've had were at Elysian Brewing and the Trippel sample that Brewtopia let me try from Stix.
 
I'd be up for a swap... we've got the Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale here that I just did a review on... if it's still available... I'd have to see if there's any left at the beer store...
 
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