Drink-a-Pint

I’m a big fan of everything pumpkin: pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks, pumpkin bread from Trader Joe’s and, my favorite, Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale. In fact, after the first time I had it, I made my wife go with me on an all-day tour of every liquor store in the area searching for a case to buy. (She wasn’t happy and neither was I, as every store was sold out…)

So, when I was walking down the aisle at the local Canal’s Liquor Store the other day, you can imagine the look on my face when I saw a lone bottle of Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale sitting on the shelf. Pumpkin ale in March? That’s better than Christmas in July! And, at $5 for 22oz, that’s not a bad deal at all.

After letting it chill in the fridge for a few days, a cracked open the bottle and prepared to settle in for an unexpected evening of springtime pumpkin fun. But, the question is, how did the Weyerbacher measure up to Shipyard and the many, many other pumpkin ales I’ve tried over the past couple of years? 

To put it simple, this beer is like pumpkin pie without the crust and, at 8% abv, a much better kick. As you can see from the picture, it pours a Copper-red color with a small head. Without getting too close to the glass, you can immediately smell the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and sweet caramel. Ahhh… this is what pumpkin ale is all about.

The cinnamon is the most noticeable flavor and there is a hint of spice as it passes over the tongue, but no so much that it’s overpowering. The only downside is that the taste doesn’t linger for long, but that’s just more of an excuse to take another sip.

Weyerbacher describes the beer as a “perfect finisher on a cool autumn night, or match it up with a slice of pumpkin pie and fresh whipped cream” and I have to agree. While I’m still planning on buying my annual case of Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale this Fall, I’ll definitely be picking up a couple bottles of Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale as well (especially if I happen to run across any other stray bottles floating around out-of season!)