Red Racer Pumpkin Ale
Central City Brewers + Distillers

Red Racer Pumpkin AleRed Racer Pumpkin Ale
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From:
Central City Brewers + Distillers
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
Pumpkin Beer
ABV:
5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.76 | pDev: 12.77%
Reviews:
31
Ratings:
75
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 16, 2018
Added:
Nov 05, 2009
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  8
Crafted with pumpkin and choice spices, this ale is rich, creamy and contains a subtle pumpkin pie flavour. Enjoy this as a great pairing with any holiday feast.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.06 by ikidunot from Canada (ON)

Jan 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by GoHabsGo from Canada (ON)

Jan 29, 2017
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Rated by spinrsx from Canada (ON)

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bomber from the lcbo for around $6.
Dec 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.94 by DaPan from Canada (ON)

Nov 30, 2016
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Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

3.39/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Red Racer Pumpkin Ale has a classy, glossy auburn colour that is perfectly suited to the fall. Cliche though it is to say, the beer's soft, sometimes twinkling amber highlights really are reminiscent of autumn foliage. Preventing a better score for this gorgeous pin-up, however, is the fact that it's utterly flat and without even a wisp of foam.

Ancient merchants would cross mountains and oceans, dangerous journeys sometimes for years at a time, because spices are such spectacular things. In particular, their aromas are sensational. I always expect a wonderful, distinct, even intense fragrance from any beer that uses them; despite the addition of "choice" spices, this bouquet is none of those things.

That it's spiced is evident - specific spices are not. That general chai-like profile is indistinct and watered-down. Anyone who's made a curry from scratch knows there's a huge difference between using fresh ingredients, heated in the pan and simmered over a low heat, as opposed to adding a dried powder mix bought from the store. I don't need to tell you which one this is.

In fairness, they get little help from the malt. Pumpkin Ales often lean heavily on crystal and specialty malts to provide supporting flavours of caramel, toffee, toasty pie crust or even hints of chocolate. This grain bill, however, is thin and plain, at times even a little syrupy. The beer is figuratively flat, but literally as well; there's virtually no carbonation.

A lot of pumpkin ales are made without any pumpkin at all - on this label it's listed ahead of the spices. Unless they're heavily roasted and/or caramelized, however, pumpkins aren't likely to contribute much of any flavour at all. And when they do - like the hint of raw squash in this example - it's not always pleasant. The need for bolder spicing and bigger bubbles is felt again.

A combination of watery, seemingly superficial spice flavour and a thin, cloyingly sweet maltiness leaves Red Racer's Pumpkin Ale tasting less like a cup of artisan chai tea and more like a powdered pumpkin latte mix, less like mom's pumpkin pie cooling on the windowsill and more like the canned pumpkin puree that stays buried at the back of the cupboard. Pass.
Nov 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3.82 by Simon212 from Canada (ON)

Nov 24, 2016
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Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
650 mL bottle from the LCBO; dated July 27 2016 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a beautiful, sparkling-clear orange-amber colour, with one finger of frothy, short-lived, off white-coloured head. It dissipates within the next 60 seconds or so, depositing a curtain of lace as it devolves into a bubbly, soapy collar and filmy cap. Looks like a typical pumpkin ale, and the autumn spices on the nose do little to convince me otherwise - cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice are all discernible, distributed amongst notes of gourdy pumpkin flesh, molasses, ginger snap and pie crust. Nothing especially unique here, but definitely an enticing bouquet.

It took a few sips before I could make up my mind on this one. Caramel malts, molasses sweetness and pie crust flavours soon give way to notes of pumpkin and spice. Ginger and nutmeg are probably the most prominent spices, although I am also getting hints of clove, allspice, cinnamon and vanilla. Almost a dessert beer, except not really rich-flavoured enough... the spices really dry out the palate on the back end, like gnawing on cassia bark - or it would be, if it weren't for the lingering pie crust malt sweetness. Light-medium in body, with moderately assertive carbonation that has a brisk, crisp and prickly feel on the palate. Easy to drink for a spiced ale, thanks to the low abv, but one bomber is enough for me.

Final Grade: 3.73, a respectable B grade. Red Racer Spiced Pumpkin Ale doesn't break any new ground, but at the same time it doesn't have any particularly unappealing features, either. I have to consider this a fairly prototypical pumpkin spice ale - the gourdiness is there, but downplayed, while the autumn spices are arguably the centrepiece of this otherwise malt-forward seasonal ale. It's good, but it's definitely not great - worth at least one try if you've never had it and appreciate a pumpkin beer now and then, but I wouldn't expect your socks to be knocked off.
Oct 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.63 by RedAleMan from Canada (ON)

Oct 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.67 by Bf_89 from Canada (ON)

Oct 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)

Oct 10, 2016
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Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

3.71/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Copper orange, carbonated heavily, and crystal clear. A half finger of light beige head. Looks like a soda.

Smells of pumpkin spices, and toasted malts.

Tastes of pumpkin spices, malt beverage, a hint of toasted pumpkin and a light sweetness.

Light, watery body, lots of soda like carbonation.

Got in Brockville, ON, today. Drinking in New Hamburg. Really a disappointment after having their IPA. Still, it does have some pumpkin qualities. Drank Oct 9th, 2016.
Oct 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.05 by Boo-urns from Canada (ON)

Oct 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.93 by Cycle69 from Canada (ON)

Oct 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.04 by Powers30 from Canada (NB)

Apr 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.24 by sdm9465 from Canada (NS)

Feb 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.88 by BCborn from Canada (BC)

Dec 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.71 by Mack from Canada (QC)

Dec 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.93 by StomachUlcers from Canada (NB)

Dec 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.84 by imfinished from Canada (BC)

Dec 06, 2015
 
Rated: 3.21 by Asianadian from Canada (NB)

Nov 09, 2015
Red Racer Pumpkin Ale from Central City Brewers + Distillers
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 75 ratings