Punk'in Disorderly
Al's of Hampden / Pizza Boy Brewing

A fresh pumpkin beer in the late spring??? Well, anything can (and usually does) happen at Al's.

Pours a muddy copper with a significant head that is higher than a finger. The nose has notes of pumpkin pie spice. The flavor notes include pumpkin and the traditional pie spices along with a sweetness - brown sugar, perhaps - on the finish.

The flavors in this offering seem to open up the deeper one gets into the glass. Tasty, even if it is out of season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Draft offering at the source. Notes from over a month ago. The brew appears a clear burnt copper color with a white cap about a finger strong. Spotty strings and patches of lace stick to the glass.

The aromatics are a bit muted but includes some toffee and caramel malt sweetness with an earthy, mild vegetative aspect reminescent of pumpkin flesh. Some very subtle spicing is present enough for it to be felt but not easily identifiable.

The taste is sweet almost like a belgian candy sort of aspect instead of maltinesd with the flavor of pumpkin very evident with a soft earthy to veggy aspect. Again, a very mild pumpkin spice is felt in the aftertaste but isnt bold enough to pick apart or individually identify.

This is a medium to fuller bodied brew with a modest of carbonation. It is smooth and easy drinking with a very subtle spice inclusion instead of a bold/overdone feel that I fault other examples for. As it warms up, it gets earthy like nutmeg more than anything. The alcohol is well integrated and never perceived and fruity or alcoholic. Nicely done.

 

 

 

 

A - An active billowing pour yields two full fingers worthy of light tan colored head that is equaly parts rich, creamy, whipped, and frothy... Excellent retention... The color is a vibrant burnt orange... Still with no discernible carbonation... A good bit of lacing clings to the glass...

S - Very subtle and a bit understated... Mashed pumpkin guts... Some pie crust... Just the faintest of autumnal spices...

T - The sweetness gets ratcheted up on the palate... Brown sugar... Canned pumpkin puree... Graham cracker crust... The spices are present, but lie way beneath the surface... There's mostly cinnamon and nutmeg...

M -Medium bodied... Sleek... Smooth... Goes down very easily sip after sip... Seems to be a bit under carbonated...

D - Highly quaffable... Excellent appearance and flavor... The aroma is a bit too subdued... The mouthfeel is very nice, but a bit more carbonation would go a long way... Overall an enjoyable pumpkin ale that with a few tweaks would be upper echelon...

Served on-tap at Al's of Hampden

A - Pours slightly hazy copper orange with a small half finger tall white head leaving very little lace down the glass. Not sure if it was the pour or the beer, will have to have another to see for sure.

S - Smells of fresh pumpkin pulp, light thanksgiving spices - mostly cinnamon and nutmeg - graham crackers, faint hop bitterness and some caramel and toffee from the malt.

T - Starts off with a bunch of fresh pumpkin pulp slowly giving way to hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, graham cracker pie crust, light caramel and toffee sweetness and a bit of light booze toward the end.

M - Medium body with moderate to low carbonation. Smooth feel with a very nice balance between all the flavors from start to finish. Only a touch of booze creeps in at the end of the glass.

O - This is a pretty nice pumpkin beer. Mine could have used a bit more carbonation and it could have been something special. I will have to give it another go in the near future. Either way another solid offering from Pizza Boy.