Pumpkin Roll Ale | Pennsylvania Brewing Company

3.29/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

DATE: September 23, 2016... OCCASION... the first fall night that might warrant a pumpkin ale--time to try a new one... GLASSWARE: Schneider Wiesen Edel-Weisse pokal... pours a dark amber, thick body with a slow, easy, glass-wide effervescence... a half-finger, creamy thick head holds steady and leaves thick, filmy lacing behind... cinnamon outweighs the pumpkin, while allspice and nutmeg cloy amidst a soft pumpkin suggestion... spruce hedges its way in--odd for a pumpkin, but not unwelcome... a smooth yet lively mouth feel that lagers at the throat with vibrancy... faint play at the teeth... medium-bodied and drinkable at 6%... finishes with a soft but noticeable burn... surprisingly, the aroma matches its flavor profile, with nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice dominating... sadly, the pumpkin is tough to locate... this is a beer that suffers from its own label--is this a pumpkin ale? not really... this actually fits better with a holiday milieu, but not bad at this time either...

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3.56/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is kind of a twofer for me: 1) It is New Beer Sunday (Week 603) & 2) I am involved in the #2016PumpkinChallenge so it works to my advantage. Sadly, though, it only comes in a bottle.

From the bottle: "This fragrant ale evokes the rich, deep flavors of spiced pumpkin cake rolled around a sweet, creamy filling."

The Pop!ping of the cap was much easier than making an actual pumpkin roll, lemmetellya. I had an entire semester in HomeEc - Foods 3 that centered around pastries. The cake needs to be plenty moist, the filling needs to be spread evenly and you should have at least a third hand, if not a fourth, helping on the roll. Once you master that technique, then you are ready to tackle the Bouche de Noel (Yule log), which involves skilled handiwork with icing. This bottle was MUCH easier & I celebrated that fact with an aggro pour. This raised up a finger of dense, foamy, tawny head with good retention that left nice lacing behind as it slowly fell. Color was Deep Amber/Light Copper to Copper (SRM = > 13, < 17) with NE-quality clarity. I agree with their use of the word "fragrant" as it applies to the nose. Lots of spices going on there. I am more interested in how (well) they pull off the "sweet, creamy filling". Mouthfeel was indeed creamy! The taste was predominately cinnamon, like a mouthful of those Red Hots candies. Okay, we have creamy and spicy, but not so much sweet. At least it was spicy without being woody, which can happen when the beer is oversaturated with cinnamon. I had one the other day that felt and tasted like I was sucking on a cinnamon stick. Ugh. Not pleasant. They at least showed some restraint in this one, but the sweetness was not forthcoming. Finish was dry, thanks to all of the spices, but it did not live up to its own billing. Gotta work on that, Penn!

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3.83/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I enjoyed this on tap during brunch at Millworks while celebrating my wife's birthday -served chilled in a pint.

The color is dark copper with light colored head almost white with fine bead. The smell has a mild nutty fragrance with slight vanilla odor and gentle cinnamon scent with floral quality and sweet caramel smell. The feel has toasted and spiced texture with lightly sweet entry with nice fruity accent and caramelized sugar in the middle with a semi-dry finish.

The flavor is mostly spice with nutty light roastiness and some mild clove-like flavor with slight creaminess of vanilla with the combination layered over a caramel and mild nutty malt with some cinnamon in the background. The caramel increases to a cream-soda like fruity/floral sweetness in the last sips. Overall this is a sweeter/spicier seasonal than expected but good it leaves up to the name with lots of vanilla creaminess to go with the pumpkin and spice.

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1.75/5  rDev -50.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2

Having heard good things about this from a few friends, I bought a six pack. Not much of a head at all, even with an aggressive pour. Smells like vanilla/cinnamon. Tastes more like vanilla than anything else. Where's the pumpkin in this again? Very dissapointed.

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3.42/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours hazy and orange with a fat head of khaki foam that lasts nicely. Lots of graham, pretty sweet. A good hit of cinnamon and even though it tastes sweet it does manage to dry out in the finish with that cinnamon to linger. The pumpkin comes to the nose shyly at first and then is ultimately undone by sweet sugary taste. Allspice. Hops finish this one with a lovely bitterness that flourishes on the tongue after the swallow. Mouthfeel has only a touch of diacetyl presence in the swallow. it adds the illusion of a thicker mouthfeel. This actually is bubbly and has a medium mouthfeel. It does have some vanilla in the flavor.

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3.15/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Undated bottle at 40 degrees into shaker
Aroma of creamed cheese and some pumpkin spice
Head small (2 cm, aggressive pour), white, creamy, diminishing to 2 mm ring and layer
Lacing good – complete rings of tiny bubbles
Body medium orange, chill haze
Flavor begins with cream cheese and pumpkin spice, just like the cream center of a pumpkin roll. Ends with a sour milk taste. No hops, no malt, no alcohol. No diacetyl.
Palate medium, watery, lively carbonation

Appearance 4, Aroma 4, Flavor 2.5, Palate 3, Overall 3.25

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1.99/5  rDev -43.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2

Pours with a big foamy head. Vanilla and sweet artificial pumpkin scent, butterscotch. First taste is over carbonated and dominated by face clinching astringency, like seltzer water with a chemical twist. Dry and artificial tasting apple on the palate. More flavors emerge (bubble gum?) as the carbonation subsides but it is not much of an improvement. Comments from the crowd: big league chew, "it’s like a scented candle, smells great but tastes awful", repellent.....

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4/5  rDev +12.7%

Pours a medium cloudy brown with a lasting head. Aroma is sweet cream and vanilla.

Taste is sweet cream, vanilla and pumpkin spice with notes of brown sugar and lightly roasted malt. A bitter finish likely from the spices. The description on the label is fairly accurate.

“This fragrant ale evokes the rich, deep flavors of a spiced pumpkin cake rolled around a sweet creamy filling.”

Not my favorite pumpkin, but it is clearly unique from the vast array of pumpkins out there which is a good thing.

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3.54/5  rDev -0.3%

Slightly more than two fingers worth of crisp slightly off-white colored froth... Excellent retention, especially for the style... The color is a unique mix of copper and dark amber... There is a light ot moderate bit of carbonation which starts very sluggish towards the bottom of the glass and reaches warp speed before reaching the top... Solid aroma... Subtle autumnal spices... Caramel... Graham cracker crust... Fresh pumpkin pulp... The key features from the aroma are present but muddled... There is a slight charred character on the palate which seems to be out of place... Very pleasant... Medium bodied... Fairly dense... Brisk carbonation... A solid Pumpkin Ale, in a facets expect taste where where this one falls a bit short... Overall decent, but nothing spectacular...

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3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

This is one of the more interesting Pumpkin Ales I've ever had. Definitely fits the "Pumpkin Roll Ale" name more than a Pumpkin Ale. I was expecting that the 'roll' was a tacky Pennsylvania Dutch add-on. Rather, this tastes like a Pumpkin Donut, or a Pumpkin Danish, or Iced Pumpkin Bread. One could mistake this for a pumpkin cream soda if it wasn't for maltiness evident on the end. If you don't like vanilla, don't bother. Points for difference.

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3.47/5  rDev -2.3%

Dark copper. Nose has a punch of sweetness. Spices and sweetness in the flavor but no discernible pumpkin. More spice on finish as this offering warmed.

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4.15/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured this into a glass, it has a dark orange color body with a light tan foamy head that quickly disappers. The smell is sweet of vanillia and some spice. The taste has a strong canilla flavor just like the filling of a pumpkin roll. I get a lot of spice also of cinnamon and nutmeg,very faint on the pumpkin. Mouthfeel is awesome and overall one of my top pumpkin beers.

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4.13/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours a clear copper-orange color with a big billowy tan colored head. The head has a great level of lacing with big bubbles trapped within. The large bubbles pop over time leaving a decent level of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The beer is huge of pumpkin and spice with the spice being a nice mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Along with these aromas there is also a little bit of a vanilla smell as well as a big brown sugar. Overall very pumpkin heavy pumpkin pie like.

Taste – The beer begins with a sweet pumpkin and brown sugar taste. The brown sugar is joined by a bit of caramel and molasses sweetening the brew even more. Some flavors of vanilla and an almost lactose sweetness also come to the tongue, giving a very creamy taste to the brew. While the spice is heavy in the nose, it is not as potent in the taste. While not too strong, the spice of cinnamon and nutmeg do a nice job of complimenting the sweet and pumpkin flavors. In the end a toasted nut and light herbal flavor develop in the taste. The combination of flavors all comes together very nicely leaving a sweet but nicely balanced pumpkin pie taste on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is creamy and thick for a brew of only 6 % abv with a carbonation level that is a little on the lower side. The thicker body and lower carbonation are quite nice for the pumpkin pie like tastes of the brew, creating an almost chewable feel.

Overall – The beer has a great flavor profile and even though it’s on the sweeter side, it is balanced by the spice, nut, and herbal tastes which in combination with the nice creamy feel and great aroma, produce a very tasty pumpkin beer.

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4.55/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Serving Type:

On-Tap

Appearance:

This beer has nice caramel color with a brownish-white head. It is the color I would/want to see for a pumpkin beer.

Smell:

Smell of pumpkin, spices, and a sweet scent of the vanilla filling of a pumpkin roll. If I close, my eyes, I can imagine a pumpkin roll sitting in front of me.

Taste:

When drinking this beer, I get the taste of pumpkin, the sweet filling of a pumpkin roll, a hint of nutmeg, cinnamon, and follows up with the taste of bread used in the roll.

The overall taste is outstanding. There is a slight bitterness to the beer, which only detracts from the taste slightly.

Mouthfeel:

This beer is medium bodied and you can feel the carbonation on the pallet. The beer goes down nice and smooth.

Overall:

This is a great first run by PBC. I have had the chance to try it at two different brewfests and in the bottle. This beer is tasty and refreshing. As usual, there is a difference in the taste between the bottle and on-tap, but both are very good.

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3.45/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Really excited to try this one.

A - Pour is a bit darker amber than a bright orange hue one would expect with the style. Head is a nice creamy 1/2 inch.
S - Smells of pure vanilla I have only smelled only a few equal to the amount of pure sweet vanilla. Real let down as I get very little pumpkin spice just a smidgen of nutmeg and cinnamon. Little vegital smell is always nice.
T - Well to be honest its the weirdest pumpkin ale I ever drank most of the time I get sweet vanilla like malt, butternut squash and very little spicing (BOO!) but I kept swearing I was tasting a watermelon jolly rancher. I am reminded of the taste of "hell of high watermelon" beer but much more pronounced and not as vegital. Too weird.
M - Light to medium, somewhat creamy. Lager like.

Overall it has its perks not being too hop forward which is great for the style but the watermelon candy taste really put me off into wanting a second. Also not enough spice to really make it a true "pumpkin roll" Everyone else I got to try it liked it so I guess it is drinkable...

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4.04/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle &gt; Pint Glass

A - Poured a really nice amber/darker orange color, creamy 1 finger off white head medium lacing.
S - Smells fantastic, lot of good cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and fresh pumpkin puree.
T - Creamy pumpkin flavor very balanced with just the right amount of spices, nice cinnamon coats that creamy pumpkin flavor the whole way through.
M - A little fizzy, sticky, but creamy.
O - Excellent brew, I might get a case of this.

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3.36/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

LOOK: Pours an orange ish color, mostly clear, with a white head and some lace. Retention is good here, and there is plenty of visible carbonation rising up the sides of the showy pint glass.

SMELL: Initially a bit pungent with skunky noble hops, typically Penn uses the Sterling variety. Surprised at the hop burst, perhaps a bit fresh and more overstated than intended. This gives way to a smell that mimics the store bought pumpkin rolls that you find at a local grocer. Has some sweetness to it as well, and something about the smell is plasticky and artificial. The aroma gets sweeter and pumpkin roll like as it warms.

TASTE: Interesting. Pumpkin pie and vanilla upfront with a good punch of hops in the finish. Some vegetal pumpkin notes, toast, caramel, veggie, small heat, light cinnamon like spice and vanilla. There is a bitterness that is earthy, leafy, and more than sturdy. Has a good pumpkin flavor, maybe some lactose in there for more unfermentable sugar action. This beer is an anomaly of sorts, a hoppy, semi sweet pumpkin ale with vanilla, cinnamon and a bit of alcohol strength behind it. As it warms the Pumpkin Roll ale develops a better, richer sweet doughy taste that is kind of nice. This is an adventurous brew, that is for certain.

FEEL: Medium bodied feel, a bit slick on the palate, carbonation is at a good medium, and it has a soft smoothness. Lots of sugars coat the palate, but through the semi aggressive hopping there is a good balance.

OVERALL: Penn really took a leap of faith with this pumpkin ale, and I would say it paid off. A different take on a pumpkin ale, this one had a little bit of everything. The body was perhaps too light, and maybe underspiced as the hops came out clearly. I think this is a decent take on the style, and I'll have no problem drinking the 4 bottles I have.

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3.83/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Caramel color to the beer. Nice off-white head with a sparkly top. Wants to hold really well, too. A great looking pumpkin ale, and my first of the season.

Smells like a cream soda float plus pumpkin spice. Mostly a candied vanilla aroma to remind you of the cream filling of a pumpkin roll. I guess it does smell like a pumpkin roll. Very little in the line of pumpkin meat, but the spices conjure it all up. Allspice, cinnamon, pumpkin; these are the notes that follow vanilla. Smells like a freshly baked dessert, so I'm in. Here we go.

Bitter pumpkin roll spicing with bright, almost astringent, cinnamon, cream cheese, vanilla flavoring, allspice, a hint of nutmeg, and a not-so-cheap baked pastry bread. Holds most of the bitterness in the spices, but there's a decent hop display, all things considered. Mostly an herbal hop. Has that cream soda kind of flavor, but again, royally spiced. Has a pale tanginess. I really wish there was more than just the idea of artificial pumpkin to represent. It tastes like the cakey part of a pumpkin roll with that heavy dollop of sweetened cream cheese filling. I mean, it's good. Is that what you, ultimately, wanted me to say?

Medium-thin. Carbonation is sizzling. Carries with it a light stickiness on the lips. However, getting it down is easy.

A fascinating little idea, and from the brewers you least expect it from. My girlfriend have a plan in place to acquire more of this. We enjoy it for guily reasons. Maybe you will, too.

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3.68/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured out as a nice deep orange color with a white foam on top that held a pretty good retention, The lacing was pretty good also. The smell of the beer is loaded with sweet malts and spicy pumpkin notes. The taste was a bit on the sweet side, the spice balances the beer out a little bit but I think the use of a little more hops would do the beer some justice. The mouthfeel of the this was creamy, very smooth nicely carbonated. The use of non fermentable sugars in this gives the beer is a really good body while keep it drinkable as well. Overall this is a pretty solid Pumpkin Ale, Not bad for the first of the season for me, worth trying!

★ 646 characters