Nearly perfect pumpkin-spiced medium body (circa 2012) maintains crisp composure and nifty pumpkin-spiced sparkle. Advertised cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and clove elegantly season rum-spiced caramel malt creaming. Sugary dried-fruited fig, raisin, plum and black cherry undertones soften beneath cinnamon-toasted pumpkin pie theme. Fizzy carbolic briskness adds crystalline sparkle.
Nasty contract brewed version is completely indistinguishable and cheaply mass-produced. Nominal pumpkin spicing lost amongst carbolic phenol spicing and dreary candied malting. The worst updated recipe since Blue Point Toasted Lager. Useless.
Rambunctious pumpkin pie spicing prevails for limited edition autumnal medium body in eye-catching orange bottle. Brown-sugared cinnamon, gingerbread, nutmeg and allspice nuances partially relinquished by sweet potato pie vibe. Vegetal gourd, squash, yam and zucchini astringency rides shotgun.
Compelling autumnal full body tastes like a scrumptious pumpkin-spiced gingerbread cookie with whipped cream topping. Sweet mulling-spiced pumpkin pie midst never relents as nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice rush to the top alongside the ancillary Marachino cherry uprising, pushing this 2012 limited release to great heights. Bawdy boozers will welcome its sharp grain alcohol snip.
Dryer and more alcohol burnt (8%) than most stylistic competitors, 2012 autumnal seasonal takes sinewy gourd-spiced bittering to whiskey-licked medicinal candied finish. Metallic astringency absorbs nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cinnamon spicing plus red cherry, orange and tangerine snip, leaving slight vegetal whim at the backend. Serve to open-minded British bitter imbibers during Octoberfest as a musky alternative.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, unspecific 2012 version places crisp hop sharpness above subdued autumnal gourd expectancy and wispy lemon-salted phenol spicing. Light crystal malt creaming never sweetens enough to contrast musty earthen leathering, pumpernickel-seeded breading and vegetal squash-pumpkin simmer. Moldy fig, pecan, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardomom illusions barely register below the haphazard mix.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, lackluster 2012 tapped version stays indistinct. Its autumnal pumpkin spicing fades too quickly, becoming an afterthought as bleary lemon-soured orange rind bittering eclipses seasonal expectancy. Phenol gingerbread-nutmeg-cinnamon spicing and vegetal squash-gourd acridity further mire drab liquid.