pumpkin

This beer was the last beer from a twenty-four mix pack I received as a Christmas gift. This beer is Night Owl Pumpkin Ale from Elysian Brewing Company out of Seattle, Washington. This pumpkin ale comes in at 6.7% ABV. It uses pumpkin, raw and roasted pumpkin seeds. It also has conditioning spiced with nutmeg, clove ginger, and allspice. I am not a fan of pumpkin ale, let alone anything pumpkin/pumpkin spiced flavored. I think it’s overrated. But I’m going to review this pumpkin beer anyway. This ale pours a deep orange color with a one-and-a-half off-white head. The head does not stick around for long. The aroma is pumpkin/pumpkin spice, big cinnamon aroma, and light gram cracker. The taste is also cinnamon. It has lots of cinnamon. There is allspice, clove, and pumpkin/pumpkin spice. The mouthfeel is medium. Then this beer finishes with a cinnamon, clove, and allspice flavor. Then comes the aftertaste of light cinnamon and allspice that does linger around. Night Owl Pumpkin Ale was not gross and wasn’t good. So I give this Night Owl from Elysian Brewing Company a D. If you like this kind of beer, you should try it. But I tend to stay away from pumpkin beers. Please stay safe, be kind to everyone, and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

I’d like to thank the folks at Outsider Public Relations for sending me New Holland Brewing Company Ichabod Pumpkin Ale, 4.5% ABV. This beer is from Holland, Michigan. This beer has real pumpkin, nutmeg, and Allspice in it. I am not the biggest fan of the whole pumpkin beer, or anything pumpkin flavored/scented other than pumpkin pie. But I thought I’d give this particular pumpkin ale a fair review. It pours a deep orange color with a two-finger steady white head. The aroma is cinnamon, nutmeg, sweet, and a little pumpkin. This pumpkin beer has a big cinnamon flavor at first sip. Then it flows into sweetness with nutmeg and pumpkin. It’s spicy toward the end. It does finish with a spicy pumpkin cinnamon note. The aftertaste is sweet with pumpkin and cinnamon. New Holland Brewing Company Ichabod Pumpkin Ale is not terrible. But I also don’t care for many cinnamon-flavored things, which is better than pumpkin-flavored stuff. It has a lighter flavor to it, so it’s more approachable and easier to drink. I give New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale a D+, a high D+. This particular is one of the more popular pumpkin ale on the market, the most popular is Southern Tier Brewing Company Pumpking, which I’ve had. That one isn’t as easy to drink like this one. That has bolder sweet and candy-like pumpkin flavors too. Ichabod is more of a sessionable pumpkin beer. The flavors don’t overpower your tastebuds. I have found that some pumpkin beers to wallop your tastebuds with pumpkin or pumpkin pie flavor. I think they do that to let you know it’s a pumpkin ale. Like you can’t read the label. This New Holland Brewing Company Ichabod Pumpkin Ale would be a good starting point for someone who wants to try pumpkin ales. Please be kind, be safe, and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!