Pumpkin Ale
Cortland Beer Company

 

 

Poured into a pint glass from a 16oz tallboy can.

2.5 A: Murky brown-orange-amber. Two fingers of frothy beige head. Retention is below average and no lacing is left.

2.5 S: Cinnamon and nutmeg spiciness. The malts profile is muddled, yet weak. There's some toastiness, a hint of molasses, and caramel, but it has no real direction. Overly yeasty and bready as well.

2.0 T: The strongest flavor is a tangy mess of spices. Again the beer has no direction - muddled disaster of bread, caramel, molasses, and yeast.

3.0 M: Medium body that comes off a touch watery. Good moderate carbonation. Lacking creaminess.

2.0 D: Worst pumpkin beer I've had this season. It tastes like they mixed a bunch of different styles and threw in some spices making something without a direction.

 

 

It's dark but handsome and pours to style. Copper. Darker than the rest of the pumpkin ales you have seen I bet. Thin tan head that falls fast. Smells good. Modest malt nose heady with some cinnamon and nutmeg in the background. Taste is disappointing. Wet finish, loose body, and watery. No finish no flavor. what happened? This brewer was trying for toasty. As it warms you see a big wet citric flavor on that spice and what happened to the malt which does actually linger mysteriously. This is missing a malt stance. The malt fell apart and what I am drinking is the hops character which is tantalizing. Citric, juicy but not any bitterness is coming through. When I see the spice on the palate I think that is perfect but the malt is missing. Woody hop. There is pumpkin in it and you can taste it . There is a taste like acidity. It is not sharp and not infection I am thinking low ph? or mashing at too low a temperature?

 

 

The flavor is there but the scent doesn't mesh well

 

 

 

 

This one has been improving over the last couple of years. Upped the rating, but still not my favorite. Too spice heavy for my tastes, but has come a long way from its starting point.

 

 

 

 

The beer pours a dark amber color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma good. It has a solid pumpkin character along with a moderate array of spices. Cinnamon and nutmeg stand out and compliment a malt bill of pale and light caramel malts. The taste is good as well. It has a smooth mix of malts and fruit. It's easy drinking with minimal spicing. It's a balanced beer with excellent pumpkin character. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a very good fall seasonal. It's flavorful without being overly so; an excellent pumpkin beer that you don't mind drinking a few of.