For years we have been brewing a pumpkin ale for our brewery Halloween party using local pumpkins. We began experimenting and found that the richness and smoothness of the roasted malts and pumpkin could be brought to a new level in a much stronger brew.

Ahh, a double pumpkin! I couldn’t wait to try this; A double of a fine seasonal brew just has to be amazing. And you can it it is as you raise the glass to your nose; a strong, sweet pumpkiny smell lovingly warms the heart. But this isn’t a real-wholesome pumpkin scent that would be typical vegetable. No, this is layered with a nice caramel sweetness, a nip of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a dash of hops to remind you that this is indeed a beer.

Initially it hits the lips with a salty taste, quickly flooding the mouth with a strong pumpkin flavor that’s distinctly sweet with a malty-like essence. The spices then do their thing and tingle the tongue with that noticeable cinnamon-bite, a nutmeg melt and a slightly smokey note. In the aftertaste, a rich, sweet malty aftertaste remains, where you can find the hops hiding.

Overall this is an enjoyable Pumpkin beer that is more on the sweeter side than the raw-pumpkin side. If you dislike eating a real pumpkin, you’ll like this beer as it balances the pumpkin taste well with other characters. While not as sweet as Southern Tier’s Pumpking, it’s a great similarity that isn’t as ice-cream sweet as Southern Tier’s pumpkin brew, which may be a good thing. Highly quaffable!