Cygourd
Southern Star Brewing Company

From a can produced 8/18/23. Cloudy orange with a thin layer of tan head. Malty aroma with a little clove. Light body with good carbonation. Tastes of pumpkin and caramel malt. Nice

Nose is nutmeg, pumpkin pie spices.
Taste is caramel , toffee, subtle earthy hops, toasted bread. Pumpkin pie spices are subtle on the finish. Easy to drink

Appearance: A hazy golden orange body is crowned by a quite modest, coarse white head, which quickly fades to a scattering of foam on the surface. The lacing presents as a thin, irregular ring about the glass wall. Beneath the surface, fat bubbles rise quickly in numerous streams. Submerged clumps of fat bubbles cling to the glass wall.

Aroma: Lots of pumpkin pie spice present, along with a malt note that resembles pie crust. The aromas similar to that of cold pumpkin pie. There are notes of caramel and brown sugar, also.

Taste: Upon tasting, caramel and bread malt notes dominate. There is a brief wave of brown sugar. The pumpkin spices, mainly coriander and nutmeg appear a bit later, with a bit of a sharp or tangy note, I presume contributed by the coriander, This balances nicely against the caramel. As the taste draws to a close, there is a bit of earthy hop character..

Mouth feel: Soft and full, with the slightest zest of carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: A very nice example of the style, neither an "over-the-top" dessert beer, nor a traditional ale made with pumpkin flesh, but not an abundance of pumpkin spices.

Presentation: Packaged in a standard twelve ounce aluminum can , served in a La Fin du Monde tulip.

 

 

L: Pours a very hazy/cloudy orange with a nice 1/2 inch white head.
S: The pumpkin is all there, but it isn't exactly pleasant, kinda smells more like a rotting pumpkin. There are some good spice notes in the aroma though, cinnamon, nutmeg.
T: Follows the nose, the pumpkin taste more artificial, very sour.
F: Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, crisp.
O: This beer just wasn't for me.

 

Poured from a can into a pint glass
Appearance- The beer pours a lightly hazed orange color with a one finger head of white foam. The head fades rather fast to leave a little bit of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell - The aroma of the brew is rather strong of a pumpkin smell mixed with a bunch of caramel and a little bit of spice. The spice is mostly of a coriander, nutmeg, and clove nature. Mixed with a touch of a vegetal and toast smell, one is left with a sorta off and sweet pumpkin pie like smell.
Taste - The taste begins with a sweet caramel and bready smell mixed with a decent showing of a pumpkin flavor as with a bit of spice of a coriander and nutmeg taste. The spice remains light, and as the taste advances flavors of some sweet toffee and an off vegetal taste. These tastes take the taste to the end where they leave one with a rather sweet, but off and lightly spiced pumpkin 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 decent for the flavors and makes for a decent drinker even in light of its sorta off flavors.
Overall-Not the best of pumpkin brews overall. It has a decent pumpkin flavor but lacks in spice and has some off flavors. Not one I will go back to again.