Great Pumpkin Ale | Cambridge Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Cambridge Brewing Company
Massachusetts, United States
cambridgebrewingcompany.com
Style: Pumpkin Beer
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.50%
Availability: Fall
Notes / Commercial Description:
New England’s first and CBC’s most sought after seasonal beer, The Great Pumpkin Ale, is back in bottles and on draft! We are very proud to be brewing with locally-grown sugar pumpkins from our friends at The Farm School in Athol, and Wilson Farms in Lexington. We’re also using organic barley that was grown in MA and then small-batch malted by our friends at Valley Malt in Hadley, MA.
Added by sponberg on 10-09-2002
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 371 | Reviews: 134
3.86/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Orangey brown with a tan head
Smells mostly of cinnamon.
The taste has obvious pumpkin pie flavors but it well balanced with a hearty ale.
This is a really good pumpkin ale. One of the best.
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look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Orangey brown with a tan head
Smells mostly of cinnamon.
The taste has obvious pumpkin pie flavors but it well balanced with a hearty ale.
This is a really good pumpkin ale. One of the best.
193 characters
4.11/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
I've had it on tap and in a can.
A very nice pumpkin beer that balances the flavor and body of fresh pumpkin flesh with pumpkin pie spices and caramel malts. Earthy spicy hops too. Excellent!
Some bars like to serve it with the glass rim dipped in cinnamon sugar, that's way too much for me.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
I've had it on tap and in a can.
A very nice pumpkin beer that balances the flavor and body of fresh pumpkin flesh with pumpkin pie spices and caramel malts. Earthy spicy hops too. Excellent!
Some bars like to serve it with the glass rim dipped in cinnamon sugar, that's way too much for me.
293 characters
4.55/5 rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
pumpkin is present, cinnamon is there but not overpowering; nice balance
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
pumpkin is present, cinnamon is there but not overpowering; nice balance
72 characters
2.79/5 rDev -28.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
No dating on the bottle.
Looks a lightly hazed rusty gold with a nice billowy head of foam.
Smells of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and a bit of booze. More booze than I would expect considering the abv.
Nutmeg and cinnamon taste, cloves, and then comes the finish and aftertaste. A strange unpleasant bitterness.
Body is medium, the carbonation is spritzy, especially during the swallow.
Not my cup of tea.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
No dating on the bottle.
Looks a lightly hazed rusty gold with a nice billowy head of foam.
Smells of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and a bit of booze. More booze than I would expect considering the abv.
Nutmeg and cinnamon taste, cloves, and then comes the finish and aftertaste. A strange unpleasant bitterness.
Body is medium, the carbonation is spritzy, especially during the swallow.
Not my cup of tea.
411 characters
4.25/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.41/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25
L — Burnt orange-amber body with a huge 3+-finger rocky off-white head produced with gentle pour (thanks, bottle conditioning!). Good retention and lacing
S — Cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, pumpkin, cherry, molasses, brown bread
T — Pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin flesh, caramel malt, hint of grassy hoppiness
F — The bottle conditioning results in excessive effervescence for the style: I had to swirl the hell out of the glass to get the carb down to reasonable levels. Otherwise it’s super prickly and detracts from the flavors. Medium- mouthfeel. Watery around the edges
O — This bottle was likely past its prime. Nice job locally sourcing the majority of the ingredients!
69/100
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25
L — Burnt orange-amber body with a huge 3+-finger rocky off-white head produced with gentle pour (thanks, bottle conditioning!). Good retention and lacing
S — Cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, pumpkin, cherry, molasses, brown bread
T — Pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin flesh, caramel malt, hint of grassy hoppiness
F — The bottle conditioning results in excessive effervescence for the style: I had to swirl the hell out of the glass to get the carb down to reasonable levels. Otherwise it’s super prickly and detracts from the flavors. Medium- mouthfeel. Watery around the edges
O — This bottle was likely past its prime. Nice job locally sourcing the majority of the ingredients!
69/100
693 characters
3.42/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was poured into a becher pint glass. The appearance was a ruddy burnt orange close to amber color. Thin finger’s worth of foamy white head started and clung nicely to the glass. Slight wispy in it’s lace. The aroma starts with the spices of allspice, light ginger, cinnamon and the cardamom (yeah, I swear I’m getting cardadmom, now where in the hell is that coming from?). Light pumpkin flesh as it warms. The flavor brings it all together nicely. Pumpkin fleshy sweetness punches some of the spices to balance decently.Light bready/somewhat pumpkin aftertaste. Sweet to pumpkin spiced finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a decent sessionability about it. Low riding carbonation. Spices don’t distract the harshness. Good all around feel. Overall, I say it was a pretty good pumpkin ale all around.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was poured into a becher pint glass. The appearance was a ruddy burnt orange close to amber color. Thin finger’s worth of foamy white head started and clung nicely to the glass. Slight wispy in it’s lace. The aroma starts with the spices of allspice, light ginger, cinnamon and the cardamom (yeah, I swear I’m getting cardadmom, now where in the hell is that coming from?). Light pumpkin flesh as it warms. The flavor brings it all together nicely. Pumpkin fleshy sweetness punches some of the spices to balance decently.Light bready/somewhat pumpkin aftertaste. Sweet to pumpkin spiced finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a decent sessionability about it. Low riding carbonation. Spices don’t distract the harshness. Good all around feel. Overall, I say it was a pretty good pumpkin ale all around.
853 characters
3.68/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Had on a flight at Cambridge Brewing Co. The beer had a murky amber-brown appearance with a thin head around the glass. Aromas included a solid pumpkin-like aroma, including spices like nutmeg. The taste generally follows the nose as a decently sweet and malty beer. Good carbonation in general. Overall, not too bad.
317 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Had on a flight at Cambridge Brewing Co. The beer had a murky amber-brown appearance with a thin head around the glass. Aromas included a solid pumpkin-like aroma, including spices like nutmeg. The taste generally follows the nose as a decently sweet and malty beer. Good carbonation in general. Overall, not too bad.
317 characters
3.75/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.26/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
L: An orange brown tinge. Poured with a finger of head which quickly dissipates, but leaves some lacing.
S: Pumpkin, nutmeg
T: Follows the nose. Quite a bit of pumpkin and not too crazy with the spices.
F: Smooth and creamy.
O: Definitely one of the better pumpkin beers I have had. A nice treat with dessert at Thanksgiving.
336 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
L: An orange brown tinge. Poured with a finger of head which quickly dissipates, but leaves some lacing.
S: Pumpkin, nutmeg
T: Follows the nose. Quite a bit of pumpkin and not too crazy with the spices.
F: Smooth and creamy.
O: Definitely one of the better pumpkin beers I have had. A nice treat with dessert at Thanksgiving.
336 characters
3.78/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
22oz, assuming fresh; bought on sale for $3. Pours a slightly hazy orange, with a large, beautiful beige-colored head (both large and small bubbles). Aroma is faint, but there are pumpkin and spices in there. Taste is definitely fruity--with pumpkin--and sweet. Light, but creamy, mouth-feel.
I was expecting more from this, based on the ratings. This is at least the 8th different pumpkin beer I have had in the last month or so (not to count the samples of at least a couple of others), and while it is good, it's definitely not the best I've had. I will give it credit for what it has going for it has at such a low ABV.
624 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
22oz, assuming fresh; bought on sale for $3. Pours a slightly hazy orange, with a large, beautiful beige-colored head (both large and small bubbles). Aroma is faint, but there are pumpkin and spices in there. Taste is definitely fruity--with pumpkin--and sweet. Light, but creamy, mouth-feel.
I was expecting more from this, based on the ratings. This is at least the 8th different pumpkin beer I have had in the last month or so (not to count the samples of at least a couple of others), and while it is good, it's definitely not the best I've had. I will give it credit for what it has going for it has at such a low ABV.
624 characters
4/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.39/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
From the 60 ml bottle. 2015 batch. Sampled on Nov 1, 2015.
Dark amber-orange with an amber short-lived head.
The aroma has some pumpkin spices and a light nutmeg character.
Medium body.
The taste brings out the nutmeg and cinnamon spices I was hoping for and they work well with this beer but not extraordinary.
316 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
From the 60 ml bottle. 2015 batch. Sampled on Nov 1, 2015.
Dark amber-orange with an amber short-lived head.
The aroma has some pumpkin spices and a light nutmeg character.
Medium body.
The taste brings out the nutmeg and cinnamon spices I was hoping for and they work well with this beer but not extraordinary.
316 characters
3.94/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Drank in a tumbler glass on Halloween night
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Drank in a tumbler glass on Halloween night
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Great Pumpkin Ale from Cambridge Brewing Company
Beer rating:
3.91 out of
5 with
371 ratings
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