Wick For Brains
Nebraska Brewing Company Production Brewery & Tap Room

Wick For BrainsWick For Brains
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From:
Nebraska Brewing Company Production Brewery & Tap Room
 
Nebraska, United States
Style:
Pumpkin Beer
Ranked #200
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
81
Ranked #25,635
Avg:
3.56 | pDev: 11.8%
Reviews:
52
Ratings:
199
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 20, 2022
Added:
Nov 10, 2010
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  44
Wick for Brains is our classic and painstakingly produced Fall Pumpkin Ale. Instead of simply using spice, we use real pumpkin which lends a sweetness and pumpkin flavor not found in many Pumpkin Ales. Wonderful pumpkin pie spice intertwined in an Amber Ale creates a pumpkin sensation which is elegantly crafted. Notes of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger and Allspice blend perfectly in this seasonal Ale. There are many Pumpkin Ales out there crafted by some wonderful breweries – we feel that ours stands among them and in some cases – stands apart.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Pegasus
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a hazy golden orange, with a small, fine beaded head, which soon fades quickly, leaving only a scattering of foam on the surface. A few beads of scattered foam on the glass wall define the lacing.

Aroma: Understated notes of pumpkin pie spices, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg spices vie with pumpkin flesh to comprise the aroma. There is also a mineral note and a hint of pastry crust.

Taste: The taste opens with mild pumpkin spice, particularly cinnamon and cloves. This is soon followed by a quite understated wave of caramel and brown sugar. Underlying it all throughout the taste is lightly toasted pumpkin. Towards the end of the taste, there is a bit of earthiness and some mild herbal hops. A bit of pumpkin spice and brown sugar linger on, well past the end of the taste.

Mouth feel: Slightly thin, but some and pleasant, with just a hint of carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: There are, in my view, two basic types of pumpkin beers: liquid pumpkin pie in a glass, and something more traditional, like might have been made by early Americans using pumpkin and other local ingredients that they had at hand to make an ordinary ale. Wick For Brains is more of the latter type than the former. In the interest of full disclosure, I love pumpkin beers, have had many different examples and enjoyed them all. Wick For Brains reminds me more of Brooklyn Post Road than say, St. Arnold Pumpkinator or Prairie Basic Becky. Well done!

Presentation: Packaged in a standard twelve-ounce aluminum can, served in a South American-style Pilsener glass.
Oct 20, 2022
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.55/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a can into a pint glass
Appearance – The beer pours a clear orange amber color with a one finger head of lightly tinted orange foam. The head fades rather fast leaving a tiny bit of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is massive of a raw pumpkin smell mixed with some light spice of cinnamon and nutmeg. Along with these smells comes some aromas of a cracker and bready malt, giving it a almost raw canned pumpkin puree smell.
Taste - The taste begins with a sweeter bready and doughy taste mixed with a moderate showing of a caramel and brown sugar sweetened pumpkin taste. As the taste advances some flavors of pumpkin seeds as a moderate showing of some confectioners sugar like sweetness comes to the tongue. All the while flavors of nutmeg and clove, as well as a touch of cinnamon, come to the tongue, leaving one with a sweet, but raw pumpkin like taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is medium in thickness and creaminess with a carbonation level that is rather average. Overall, the feel is pretty decent for the sweeter pumpkin flavors of the brew.
Overall – An alright pumpkin brew, but nothing too special.
Aug 24, 2020
Photo of Beerboe
Reviewed by Beerboe from Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
I got a 6-pack on clearance Nov. 15. I had the beer last year but just remembered that I had enjoyed it. I like the can artistry and the full-aperture pull tab. The smell is of a pumpkin and spice ale, but not overwhelming.

The taste is the same, with subtle spices, which I like better than too much cinnamon, clove nutmeg. I like the roasted pumpkin and floral hops. There is no "disagreeable hop flavor" at all. I like that it's made with pumpkin, not just pumpkin spices. It could use a little more pumpkin in my opinion, but having less probably makes it more drinkable.
Mouthfeel is good, not too thin and not a lot of carbonation, which I don't care for. It's pretty smooth and easy to drink.
In summary, if you're looking for lots of sweet pumpkin pie flavor in a can, you should look elsewhere, but for an easy drinker with some (enough) pumpkin taste, this fills the bill.
Nov 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3.93 by Jodio from Texas

Oct 24, 2019
 
Rated: 3.78 by rsuarez1982 from Texas

Sep 15, 2019
Photo of JohnDee
Reviewed by JohnDee from Texas

3.02/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Clear, medium amber in color with an off-white head. Mild aroma—malt, nutmeg, cinnamon, slight vegetal scent. Pumpkin and spices don't really come through in the flavor as they are overwhelmed by a disagreeable hop flavor. Light to medium bodied.
Sep 11, 2019
 
Rated: 3.88 by JoshuaShort13 from Texas

Sep 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by tcbro023 from Wisconsin

Aug 11, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by gangstabobangsta from Colorado

Oct 18, 2018
Photo of JohnDon
Reviewed by JohnDon from Texas

4.08/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A pumpkin beer with real pumpkin taste. Taste - you can taste the real pumpkin used, with subtle hints of cinnamon and spices. Feel is light and slightly carbonated. Overall a very enjoyable and drinkable pumpkin beer. (Also a fun can top to open.)
Sep 30, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by megaman85 from Texas

Sep 24, 2018
 
Rated: 3.42 by GarbageMan10 from Texas

Sep 10, 2018
 
Rated: 2.87 by Nick4444 from Texas

Sep 10, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by zbooks from Texas

Aug 31, 2018
Photo of Franziskaner
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri

3.49/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Copper to light orange in color with just a hint of sediment is present. There's a fingernail of beige about the size of a nickel on top. The aroma is of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice. I'm tasting pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and dulled cinnamon. The mouth is heavily spiced and lightly gritty.
Dec 17, 2017
 
Rated: 3.69 by blissfulNemo from Michigan

Nov 10, 2017
Photo of BlunderfulGuy
Reviewed by BlunderfulGuy from Nebraska

3.88/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Drank one month after canning from a fancy schmancy full-aperture can that let's me smell the beer fairly well without bothering our busy waitress for a glass. I obviously couldn't see much other than the can label, which I will say is nice.

Light fermented pumpkin, hint of ginger and spices in a clean, classic amber ale aroma. Subtle spices compared to the typical cinnamon clove nutmeg pumpkin beers.
Caramel, oat crackers, fresh and roasted pumpkin, floral hops throughout. Light bitter and biscuity finish, long pleasant lingering pumpkin pie spice. Definitely made with pumpkin, but not a spice bomb.
Mouthfeel is as expected for an amber or pumpkin ale and pretty smooth to me.

Refreshing, both for a long day with a pizza and overcast weather and for a pumpkin beer. I like it even though I've tended to lean more towards sweet pumpkin pie overload in the past.
Oct 01, 2017
Photo of maddogruss
Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey

3.31/5  rDev -7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
A: pours oranges Amber body with a small white head with minimal retention and lacing
S: sweet, pumpkin pie spice smell; clove and nutmeg a little
more evident
T: sweet, nutmeg and clove taste with a nutty aftertaste
M: medium bodied and fairly smooth
D: pretty good pumpkin beer; pretty easy drinking
Feb 13, 2017
Photo of dacrza1
Reviewed by dacrza1 from New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
DATE: December 22, 2016... OCCASION: Christmas so close, and the new TV is up and functional in 4K... GLASSWARE: Hobgoblin pint... sallow orange amber body with zesty swirling bubbles... a fizzing white head flatlines to a thin halo... ginger, nutmeg, soft pumpkin and allspice invite a second breathe...mint tea and clove as well... some bread malts suggest the amber aspect... mellow, light-bodied and easily downable... its finish is lively... spicy, with plenty of pumpkin to spare as promised... the profile is nutmeg, allspice and pumpkin--as indicated, an organic, natural pumpkin ale that wins in its accessibility... not a beer that demands its own night, but one that at 6% ABV could accompany adults on a Halloween night...
Dec 23, 2016
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.42/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
From a 12 oz can with an August 2016 canning date and attractive art.

Appearance: Pours sightly hazy, and golden with a decent head that has very good retention.

Aroma: Pumpkin, light spices including cinnamon and nutmeg. Approaches 8.

Taste: Conservatively spiced with baked pumpkin and biscuits.

Feel: Medium-light body and near medium carbonation.

Overall: OK.
Dec 23, 2016
Wick For Brains from Nebraska Brewing Company Production Brewery & Tap Room
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 199 ratings