Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin
New Belgium Brewing Company

The clear copper/dark amber colored beer pours out into a Duvel glass with a 1/2” ivory head that slowly recedes to a ring of foam and a thin irregular island of foam while leaving some large patches of lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping creates a couple of arches and multiple small patches and legs of lacing, most of which cling to the sides of the glass.

Not surprisingly the aromas include some pumpkin and some light toasted bready caramel malts. In addition there’s some cinnamon up front and in the background just a bit of chili pepper.

The flavors are much as expected from the nose with some toasted bready caramel malt and it’s sweetness. In the mix there’s also some pumpkin and cinnamon. The light spiciness of the chili peppers goes well with the cinnamon and also adds just a bit of heat to the flavors.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly prickly with the moderate carbonation. The finish begins as the bready malt sweetness and pumpkin begin to fade, allowing the spiciness from the cinnamon and chili pepper to be up front and create a bit of spicy heat that persists to the very end as it moves to the back of the palate and throat.

Seems to me to be an unusual idea for a pumpkin beer—the chili peppers—but one that works fairly well with just the peppers and the cinnamon. It’s not your grandmother’s pumpkin pie flavors. On the whole this is a drinkable and enjoyable beer that I’ll probably have more of but probably not two in a row.

 

Look: looks nice

Smell: cinnamon...

Taste: cinnamon and hot spice back

Feel: Fire...

Overall: I would do it again

Can:

C / AVERAGE

 

Pumpkin, cinnamon, and peppers. Like the can says. Peppers dominate with some serious zing.

12 ounce can, best before date of 11 JAN 2026 stamped in hard to read white ink on the bottom of the can. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a clear dark gold color with about an inch off-white head. Head retention and lacing are both good. The brew smells like cinnamon, bready malt and some chili peppers. Taste is just like the aroma to me, it's all cinnamon and chili peppers, but leans more towards the cinnamon. Unfortunately the pepper heat is on the mild side and that's after drinking 2 cans. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit slick and has a moderate amount of carbonation. This one wasn't bad at all, but I was hoping it would have more of a kick. With that being said, it's worth a try!

Poured from a can into a glass. It has a medium amber color with a medium foamy head. Not much smell maybe just a light cinnamon flavor. It has a delicious cinnamon spice flavor with a light burn. Not much pumpkin but still very tasty.

Most pumpkin beers go for actual pumpkin, but this beer goes straight for pumpkin spice with some cinnamon and if you like that then this is the pumpkin beer for you!

 

I’ve tried many pumpkin beers and this is by far the best imo, so smooth and rich with flavor, definitely my go too fall beer

 

I understand why this beer is divisive. The look and smell are of pumpkin, which is a problematic basis for a beer. The flavor reminds me of an apple cider fritter. In that context, it is OK. In vacuum, it tastes likes an unholy union of a fall-themed Yankee candle an a bottle of Tabasco sauce. The capsaicin burn is unusual. I don't care for it. The presence of warming spice is difficult to detect. Altogether, it gives the impression of a failed experiment. I certainly wouldn't buy it again. But I can see why it would have a very small cult following. Certainly I would prefer a number of other New Belgium beers to Atomic Pumpkin.

The first and the worst pumpkin beer to come out every year. I don’t know why they keep making this stuff and/or who is drinking it. Doesn’t taste like pumpkin, just gives a wicked burn at the end that feels like acid reflux.

This is my favorite pumpkin beer, I love the spice. Some say the spice is overpowering but I dont think so. I would buy it year round if it was available for me to do so convienantly.

Don't remember this beer specifically but gave it a little better than average rating. I'm not a fan of pumpkin spice beers but this one does not taste like that. A little different because of the peppers. Better than some but have had better.