Dark O' The Moon
Elysian Brewing Company

Dark O' The MoonDark O' The Moon
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From:
Elysian Brewing Company
 
Washington, United States
Style:
Pumpkin Beer
Ranked #58
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
88
Ranked #13,955
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 10.94%
Reviews:
226
Ratings:
787
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 03, 2024
Added:
Nov 06, 2007
Wants:
  107
Gots:
  133
Spookily smooth and chocolatey. A perennial favorite and 2010 Silver medalist in the Great American Beer Festival Field Beer category, Dark o' the Moon is brewed with Great Western pale, Crisp 77° Crystal, Munich, Cara-Vienne, roasted, chocolate and Special B malts with roasted pumpkin seeds in the mash. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Bittered with Magnum and finished with Saaz and crushed cinnamon.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Whiteturtle:
Photo of Whiteturtle
Reviewed by Whiteturtle from New York

3.12/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Poured into a Rogue Spiegelau stout glass. A sumptuous bubbly cocoa brown 2 finger head rests at the top.

Its a stout, so its black. I know James Page's brewing up in Wisconsin is messing around with some sort of white stout; but come on, you know a stout is black.

As they say in the movies, it was love at first sniff. Its like a hot chocolate mix got thrown in with the ingredients of a pumpkin pie. Chocolate, peanut butter, and cinnamon attack the nostrils like ninjas. Yankee candles should be contacting Elysian right now to make overpriced wax. But in this case it would only be slightly overpriced.

I took one sip about 3 minutes after the pour, and it was still pretty cold.. I'll do us all a favor and wait about 15-20 minutes to let this puppy really be ready for a walk. 5.. 10.. 15.. O lets not tease her anymore, she's gonna start begging ;)

Its milky, clovey, and a big cinnamon kick. But man, a lot lighter than expected. Not a lot of rich malty flavors like I was bracing for. Its like a yoohoo with a cinnamon stick and a dash of pumpkin pie mix. It is sweet though, in the dairy sort of way. As is the case with many of its counterparts, a lot more spice and very little pumpkin. (A few more sips and Im starting to get a hazelnut bite.) Although with this beer I like the spice/malt/cocoa mix notes that are the result. But Im still let down by the overall body and flavor that is produced. Maybe a higher ABV would have helped in this case.. I'm not sure. But this walk is looking like its getting cut short.

I didn't dislike it, I was just disappointed. I have heard so many good things about this beer for the past few years and this was my first opportunity to try it. it looks like I'm in the minority as far as my opinion on this beer goes. I feel like I just wanted a bit more of a heavier base, you know? I wish there was a richer and more solid malt layer to rest my head on.

I feel like Im back in high school and the very rare case of all the guys thinking that this one girl is really hot, and I just don't think she's all that. I mean, I'd go out with her if she asked me, but even in my fantasies thats a lot to ask for... Who am I kidding? Id go out with her if she asked, and I'd have a good time. We would split the check though, and she would be home on time.
Nov 11, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.85 by Costa417 from Massachusetts

Feb 03, 2024
 
Rated: 3.6 by BalancingBrooms from California

Nov 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Iggy88 from Ohio

Nov 07, 2023
 
Photo of Braunmeister_1943
Reviewed by Braunmeister_1943 from Pennsylvania

3.74/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Purchased as part of the Elysian “Pumpkin Pack “ mixed 12 pack of 12 oz bottles.

L- Pitch black with a thick creamy tan head

S- Strong cinnamon aroma. Some roasted
malt and chocolate.

T- Cinnamon not as pronounced on the
palate. Dark chocolate bitterness with
some nice hop notes.

F- Moderate mouthfeel. Fine carbonation

O- A solid pumpkin beer.
Nov 04, 2023
Photo of rand
Reviewed by rand from California

3.85/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle into a tulip

Festive, dark brown brew with big wafts of pumpkin spice in the nose, followed by hints of leafy tobacco and sweet bread. Notes of pumpkin and cinnamon hit the palate first, rounded by suggestions of pit fruit, fig, roasted malts. A bit dry toward the finish, with an earthy astringency that lingers. Not a hard stout to throw back.

Decent pumpkin stout with rich pumpkin essence, but needs a bit more sweetness to balance.
Nov 02, 2023
 
Rated: 3.25 by bundy462 from Texas

Oct 22, 2023
 
Rated: 3.91 by Rollmeaway2loadout from Illinois

Oct 17, 2023
 
Rated: 3.68 by TrueMetalJake from Oregon

Oct 12, 2023
Photo of AdmiralOzone
Reviewed by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota

3.99/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours dark chocolate brown, near black with a thick mocha head. Decent lacing. Aroma is pumpkin pie spices, roasted malt and a hint of chocolate. Flavor has a smoky tint to the above-mentioned flavors. Feel is on the thicker side of medium bodied with low carbonation. Overall, a decent pumpkin beer.
Oct 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.11 by cabsandking from Ohio

Oct 07, 2023
Photo of Broman
Reviewed by Broman from Alaska

3.77/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a bottle.

Appearance - Jet black body with a small frothy head with a brown tint to it. Nice lacing
Smell - Pumpkin, chocolate, cinnamon
Taste - Chocolate, coffee, roasted malts. Maybe a hint of ginger on the end.
Feel - Medium to fuller body beer with some bitterness and low carbonation.
Overall - Nothing extraordinary but a nice enjoyable stout everyone should try.
Oct 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Jdells09 from New Jersey

Sep 24, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by elglueckert from Montana

Sep 15, 2023
Photo of GStone899
Reviewed by GStone899 from Minnesota

3.99/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Whoa, this is a full flavored pumpkin stout. Chocolate, cinnamon and rich malts. There's a lot going on here and is certainly not a boring Stout. It's tough to know what to rate this.. it's busy, not exceedingly busy and a unique take on a pumpkin stout thats not going to blend in.
Sep 15, 2023
 
Rated: 1.45 by JustLikeMyDad from Michigan

Sep 10, 2023
Photo of BillAfromSoCal
Reviewed by BillAfromSoCal from California

4.12/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours black as midnight with thin tan head that recedes to a ring. No lacing. Pumpkin dominates the smell and taste followed by cinnamon then faint chocolate and dark roasted grains. Tends toward bitter rather than a sweet stout. A tad less cinnamon would be better, but in the universe of pumpkin beers this take on a stout is quite interesting
Sep 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.15 by Taenim from Maine

Sep 01, 2023
Photo of Grax
Reviewed by Grax from Iowa

3.71/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Very thick smell of spices, fudge, and pumpkin bar. The body falls somewhat behind on that promise, providing a generic taste of blunt sweetness, spice, and some pumpkin bar on the back end. Very spicy, though. Great body, with sweet sumptuousness. A not bad stout, altogether.
Sep 01, 2023
Dark O' The Moon from Elysian Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 787 ratings