Spinal Pumpkin
Cambridge Brewing Company

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Cambridge Brewing Company
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Pumpkin Beer
ABV:
11%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 5.81%
Reviews:
4
Ratings:
4
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 02, 2008
Added:
Nov 05, 2008
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Photo of lordofthewiens
Reviewed by lordofthewiens from New Mexico

4.32/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a snifter, the beer was a hazy red/amber color with a thin head. Strong pumpkin aroma, with some faint cinnamon. Pumpkin taste up front, then caramel, and finally a hit of spice. A touch on the sweet side. The alcohol was not too noticeable, just a little warming. Never had a barleywine like this (not even sure I'd call it a barleywine), but I certainly enjoyed it.
Dec 02, 2008
Photo of EPICAC
Reviewed by EPICAC from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a hazy, amber brown with a thin, wispy head that fades to a few stray bubbles. Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin. Strong aromas of pumpkin flesh with a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to complement.

Sweet pumpkin upfront, caramel malts in the center, with a finish of cinnamon and nutmeg complemented by a mild bitterness. Full-bodied and smooth with a mild carbonation.

The alcohol is so well hidden. The beer is a tad sweet but a light, lingering bitterness goes a long way for balance.
Nov 15, 2008
Photo of SFLpunk
Reviewed by SFLpunk from Vermont

3.78/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5
Had a snifter of this one a couple days ago at the CBC. Here's my notes from the back of my coaster:

"App: Tawny w/ warm orange-brown hue, no lacing.

Nose: Wow! Pumpkin - nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, dulche de leche.

Palate: Spicy texture w/ prickly alc. Medium-sweet - the spices dominate and the hops clean up the finish w/ nice bitterness. Almost no carbonation.

Notes: A solid beer, very spicy though. I wish more b.w. (Barley-wine) showed through. The bitter finish is appreciated. B+"

Looking back on it, it was rather sweet, but the spices tampered that fact. Also, I'm proud of myself for picking out the spices without consulting the description on the menu! Glad my expensive wine education is paying off!
Nov 14, 2008
Photo of Kegatron
Reviewed by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
"This pumpkin 'barleywine' is brewed with eleven varietals of heirloom pumpkins and squashes, and spiced subtly with cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Nearly 11% alcohol by volume, but smooth as a pumpkin's bottom. Served in our barleywine snifters to further the hilarity."

On tap at the Cambridge Brewing Company on 10/31/08 during their Great Pumpkin Festival. Served in a snifter.

Pours a deep, hazy, rosy amber with no head and just the thinnest bit of foam around the edges. Swirling does actually leave some lacing down the sides of the glass. The aroma is a thick smelling mix of pumpkin spices, malt sweetness, and alcohol. Not quite as assertive as I would have thought.

The taste is intense pumpkin and spices set against a thick base of malty sweetness. Finishes sweet, spicy, and warm in the finish. The mouth full bodied with a beefy and viscous feel. Alcohol heft is present in the body but it isn't stinging.

This was my capper for the event and a good place to end things, as this was definitely the most extreme of the evening's offerings. It came off as a concentrated high alcohol Pumpkin Ale and a slow sipper for sure, which I'm pretty sure is what the brewers were shooting for. This was interesting stuff and a good way to get a final warm up before heading out home into that chilly Halloween evening.
Nov 05, 2008
Spinal Pumpkin from Cambridge Brewing Company
Beer rating: 3.96 out of 5 with 4 ratings