Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter
Starr Hill Brewery

Boxcarr Pumpkin PorterBoxcarr Pumpkin Porter
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From:
Starr Hill Brewery
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
Pumpkin Beer
Ranked #217
ABV:
4.7%
Score:
77
Ranked #27,259
Avg:
3.34 | pDev: 15.87%
Reviews:
109
Ratings:
443
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 30, 2023
Added:
Jun 29, 2011
Wants:
  8
Gots:
  54
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of HoppingMadMonk
Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

3.77/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Solid black appearance
Just below average carbonation with a slightly thin body yet it had a bit of an oily feel
Aroma is black coffee,dark chocolate, with some pumpkin but not overwhelming.
Taste is very similar to aroma,leaves a pleasant dry mildly bitter coffee taste that lingers in the finish.
Overall I get why some don't like it but the mild coffee,dark chocolate bitterness made it very enjoyable to me
Oct 30, 2023
Photo of akaizer
Reviewed by akaizer from Virginia

3.41/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A more recent 6.0% ABV from a seasonal variety pack. Pours a dense dark brown with a 1/4" head of a dense light mocha head. Scent is weakly of pumpkin and a bit of smokiness. Taste follows and by virtue of the slightly more smoked porter flavor avoids a cloying sweetness that is always a risk with pumpkin-based brews. Feel is lighter than expected and aftertaste starts with a weak pumpkin before settling on a slightly smokey complexion. Overall doesn't quite bring enough pumpkin, spiced, or smoked nature to excel in any one category.
Sep 16, 2023
Photo of q33jeff
Reviewed by q33jeff from New Jersey

2.57/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
**
10/26/14
On tap at Blend.
Aroma: malt, spice.
Appearance: dark black pour, no head.
Taste: Some pumpkin, but mostly a weak porter. Ashy aftertaste.

**
Dec 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by sposter4 from Pennsylvania

Mar 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.08 by DaPan from Canada (ON)

Mar 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.33 by seanchai from Virginia

Feb 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.55 by brutalist from Pennsylvania

Jan 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by Latarnik from New Jersey

Dec 19, 2015
Photo of Taybeh
Reviewed by Taybeh from Minnesota

3.38/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
from a 3 month old single picked up in a bottle shop in Atlanta into a cervoise, pours a shiny obsidian, with a tinge of ruby when held in the light, a finger of khaki head that subsides quickly leaving a thin ring on top and no lacing. Nose is pretty elusive, very faint vanilla and allspice, a little leathery licorice, a little grain...it is all quite muted, though. Taste follows the nose, but there's also a little juicy stringy pumpkin. Nothing really emerges as a defining characteristic. It is balanced, I guess, but it is also a little nondescript. There are some acrid notes, which I often get from English porters, but it just isn't paired with any type of flavor, so...it just doesn't go anywhere, for me. Dries out at the end, and medium to thin body. Gets a little better as it warms, but all in all, this is just okay.
Nov 28, 2015
Photo of hophead723
Reviewed by hophead723 from California

4.14/5  rDev +24%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Look: Pours dark and clear, but when held to the light there are deep reddish mahogany hues that glimmer. The head is tan and the abundance of which depends on the vigor of the pour.

Smell: Light rosted grains, a touch of spices, and coco.

Taste: Clean molassesy malt, underlying pumpkin, hit of spices, a bit of a vanilla warmth, and finally acrid charcoal.

Feel: Medium, borderline-full body with a slick swallow and an acrid dry finish.

Overall: Recently I had realized that I liked the idea of a Pumpkin beer better than any pumpkin beers I had tried, and I decided to no longer seek them out. But this beer was excellent and made a lot of sense; the pumpkin was somehow not forced upon the beer. Very well done.
Nov 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by thgreatrandini from Pennsylvania

Nov 10, 2015
 
Rated: 2.72 by Mumbled from Tennessee

Nov 03, 2015
Photo of Kubishark
Reviewed by Kubishark from Maryland

2.65/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
I've had this in previous years and liked it enough, but I don't know, it just doesn't do it for me anymore.

It looks good, dark brown/black with a tan, almost orange head. It smells like pumpkin spices. (What did you expect?) It tastes pretty bland. It's boring and nothing sticks out besides for some random pumpkin spices. Meh. The feel is pretty light, nothing really notable about it.

Overall, this isn't bad, but it just isn't something I'll probably ever buy with my own money again.
Oct 30, 2015
Photo of Marraybay
Reviewed by Marraybay from District of Columbia

3.34/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Look: Dark Black in color: Very large foamy off-white head. Pretty impressive in the glass.

Smell: Espresso, roastiness.

Taste: Much like the nose: coffee, roastiness. The fall flavors not really discernible, which is
disappointing. Definitely a dry stout-like flavor: no sweetness, but not overly bitter either.
Alcohol at 4.7 ABV is understandably very subdued.

Feel: Relatively full:

Overall: A nice idea, but a bit of a failure with respect to its execution, particularly as a seasonal offering. Although even as an english porter it's a bit meh...
Oct 27, 2015
Photo of JWU
Reviewed by JWU from Pennsylvania

3.26/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
12oz. bottle poured into a porter glass

A- a very dark brown, but light penetrates the edges. Light khaki head that dissipates car to quickly. No lacing.

S- Some dark malts, cocoa, mild brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.

T- Taste is lacking. It's a mediocre porter with a flash of cinnamon and nutmeg on the finish.

M- Ample carbonation, but very thin.

O- Disappointing, to say the least. Very little pumpkin character.
Oct 25, 2015
 
Rated: 2.52 by twonder23 from Ohio

Oct 25, 2015
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

3.35/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Sampling a cellar temp 12 oz bottle poured into my snifter. THe beer pours a rich dark cola color with creamy beige head foaming up and fading to a sturdy edge layer soon after sampling.
The aroma is predictably spicy with nutmeg, clove and some cinnamon. A little sweet malt balances the spices but there dont appear to be any hops to be found on the nose.
First sip reveals an average body with smooth texture. the carbonation is fizzy and tingles my palate on each sip.
Flavor is mild with a little chocolate malt and some brown sugar sweet that then rolls to a bit of dry chalky flavor and then finishes with some cinnamon spice and a bit of cloves. Finish dries out a bit on my mouth after each sip.
The beer is average and I hoped it would have more malty porter backbone to boost the enjoyment, but there isnt really any flaws in this one. It just isnt exciting.
Oct 19, 2015
Photo of AgentMunky
Reviewed by AgentMunky from New York

4.21/5  rDev +26%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a Bear Republic tasting glass. Bottled 12 August 2015.
4.25/3.75/4.5/4/4.25
Almost opaque red-black.
It smells like pumpkins! Good, honest gourd. Hint of spice.
This is fantastic!! Roasted-sweet. Lots of pumpkin. More pumpkin than Porter.
Fairly viscous and pleasurable.
Would definitely have again. I think they've improved the recipe in the last 3 years.
Oct 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.21 by drink_like_a_wahoo from Virginia

Oct 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by GaBengal from Georgia

Oct 10, 2015
Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter from Starr Hill Brewery
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 443 ratings