Bustling bourbon-barreled autumn ale loads lacquered pumpkin flesh atop generous ginger-spiced citrus spritz and distant vanilla-creamed cocoa nibs. But wavering bourbon sweetness never gains full effectiveness. Butternut squash, cucumber and zucchini illusions provide minor earthiness to contrast distant cinnamon-nutmeg wisps.
When it comes to experimenting with varied spices and offbeat accents, Imperial pumpkin ales oft-times lead the way. Complex medium-full-bodied autumnal dessert treat (with heightened 9.2% ABV) tastes like whiskey-laced pumpkin pie, bringing aboard enticing Christmastime seasoning for further enlightenment. Sweet roasted pumpkin midst picks up wintry cinnamon-toasted cardamom, allspice, clove and nutmeg sweetness to contrast peppery thyme nuance. Cherry coughdrop, plum brandy, candied fig and soured gourd illusions drift by astringent alcohol burnt .
Ambitious oak-barrel aged dessert treat (with sharp alcohol burn) evenly spreads wintry fruit spices across pumpkin pie sweetness and creamy caramel malting. Cinnamon overrides nutmeg-ginger-cardamom seasoning while cherry-bruised bourbon, sherry and burgundy wining propels oaken vanilla-tinged pumpkin puree finish.
Inconstant 2013 version vacillates between lightly spiced sugar pumpkin-skinned alacrity to raw gourd-squash-zucchini rusticity. Subtly perfumed cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice seasoning gets washed-out before soft-watered pumpkin pie likeness picks up minor clay-hopped plasticity.
On tap at Growler & Gill, peculiar Saaz-hopped fall seasonal layers moderate butternut squash roast atop raw-honeyed ginger spicing and mild Sichuan peppercorn burn. Red licorice illusions nip at the heels of herbal perfumed midst. Wafting dark floral bouquet underlies abstruse mix. For advanced thirsts only.
Sweet cinnamon apple-spiced pumpkin pie sugaring contrasts less prevalent vegetal gourd acridity. Honey-glazed yam, gingerbread and nutmeg undertones add casual splendor. Creamy vanilla snip further sweetens medium-bodied fall seasonal.
Indeterminate pumpkin-roasted fall harvest seasonal brings vegetal gourd-yam rusticity to understated brown-sugared spicing. Salty pumpkin-seeded oiling and brisk hop rasp overtake depleted cinnamon-nutmeg-clove conflux, undermining any true pumpkin pie proclivity.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, unfussy soft-toned seasonal offers sedate pumpkin spicing to dry gourd acridity above mild caramelized wheat backdrop. Laidback cinnamon-nutmeg-clove expectancy and herbal ginger snip drowned out a tad by spritzy carbolic fizz.
Fair canned pumpkin ale leans on the vegetal side just a tad as roasted pumpkin-seeded tone overrides thin caramel-malted cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice seasoning. Acrid squash and zucchini illusions settle behind spritzy lemony hop soaping.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, well-integrated medium-full body balances cinnamon-spiced pumpkin pie expectancy with gingerbread cookie doughing and light vanilla accents. Roasted pumpkin, sweet potato pie and yam illusions simmer in the backdrop. Just a tad richer than usual autumnal competition. In the bottle, brown-sugared pumpkin pie sweetness promotes candy-glazed cinnamon spicing as lemony hop spritz prickles delicate nutmeg-allspice seasoning.
Outstandingly complex full-bodied Imperial styling offsets sweet pumpkin pie spicing with vegetal butternut-squash-zucchini-yam ripeness, caraway-seeded rye breading and carrot-caked vanilla icing. Chewy wheat-honeyed caramel malting reinforces brown-sugared cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice-coriander-clove seasoning. Dried-fruiting bruised cherry, sugared fig and stewed prune illusions deepen impact while soured lemony orange snip adds supple backdrop.
On tap at Three Wise Monks, gargantuan pumpkin pie sweetness deepened by generous cinnamon-nutmeg-gingerbread-clove spicing above molasses-sapped caramel malting and chewy vanilla-dipped cookie dough yeast. Sugary rum whir provides subdued alcohol burn to rich pumpkin pureed finish.
