Pumpkin Cream Ale
Carton Brewing Company

Pumpkin Cream AlePumpkin Cream Ale
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From:
Carton Brewing Company
 
New Jersey, United States
Style:
Cream Ale
Ranked #47
ABV:
9%
Score:
86
Ranked #19,307
Avg:
3.81 | pDev: 10.24%
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
82
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 06, 2023
Added:
Sep 22, 2012
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  13
There are pumpkin based flavors that are not pumpkin pie. With this in mind we set out to make an autumnal beer in the pumpkin tradition that wasn't simply a spiced beer using the usual pie-spice blend. Looking to enhance the pumpkin's flavors, we roasted its meat touched with orange oil, pink peppercorns and candied ginger. We added this to the mash of our high gravity cream ale recipe. The result is a rich bodied ale, its creaminess teased by the peppercorns' heat, that presents the flavors of pumpkin while notes of orange zest and a sweet ginger bite tame the vegetal dryness. Drink Pumpkin Cream Ale because there are spices on the shelf behind the nutmeg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5WXEVzWxMw&list=UUnN44_ILc3y0x6WbvjLR1Kg
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Kmlund:
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Rated by Kmlund from Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

Mar 24, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Oct 06, 2023
Photo of Act25
Reviewed by Act25 from New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This pumpkin cream ale is underrated.
a) Rings of lace over the chill clear golden body.
s) Need to bring it down to cask to appreciate the subtle aromas and flavors.
t) in the mouth, we discover the pumpkin, pepper, ginger, orange zest additions.
f) tickly and bright despite being a fruit n field beer. No nutmeg needed. Liquor like.
o) I actually now think Pumpkin deserves a 9% abv liquor like cream ale to do its magic.
Sep 17, 2023
Photo of maddogruss
Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey

3.32/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
A: pours a copper body with white head with nice retention and lacing.
S: hints of ginger and allspice; slight toffee notes
T: sweet, ginger notes with hints of clove and sweet alcohol notes in the finish
M: smooth, full bodied mouthfeel; velvety of the tongue
O: decent beer overall; strong alcohol comes across a bit much, but a nice fall beer.
Oct 25, 2020
Photo of jpbrooklyn
Reviewed by jpbrooklyn from New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Drinking this October 8, 2020, pretty decent, exactly what the label says: cream ale with pumpkin, no more no less. Carton makes a great cream ale, so the addition of well-roasted + spiced pumpkin gives it an autumnal touch. Kinda wish it wasn’t 9% but small complaint. Nice enough for one 4 pack but don’t feel a need to purchase more than that per fall.
Oct 09, 2020
 
Rated: 3.51 by q33jeff from New Jersey

Oct 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.57 by Hopznbuds from New Jersey

Feb 26, 2017
 
Rated: 3.74 by Bunuelian from Minnesota

Feb 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by SRBush1974 from New Jersey

Dec 21, 2016
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

3.39/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Can into a snifter appears clear golden copper in color with a white cap that fades leaving spotty lace.

Aroma of ginger and some grainy sweetness slightly corn-like with a touch of herbs and mineral character. It has a fruitiness to it as it breathes.

Taste is fruity with lots of pepper character, herbal, slightly vegetal with faint pumpkin sorta spiciness across the back. There is at times a bit of caramelized sweetness but it fades quick to the contrasting bitterness.

Medium in body with modest carbonation. It sure is different for a pumpkin beer, I just didnt get it. The flavors present dont work that well together but I suppose if you love pepper this might be your thing?
Dec 20, 2016
Photo of mnj21655
Reviewed by mnj21655 from Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a hazy reddish orange in color with a bit of just off white head that quickly disappears. Aroma is spicy peppercorn, ginger, and a touch of alcohol. Taste is a repeat of the aroma with a subtle slightly sweet carmalized note (which must be the roasted pumpkin touted in the label). Then I get some spicy peppercorn and ginger that segue into a touch of alcohol heat in the finish. Decent mouthfeel with medium+ body and moderate carbonation. Overall a decent beer and a unique take on a pumpkin beer but it's just not for me.
Dec 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Hypersomnia from New Jersey

Dec 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.95 by swanfungus from California

Nov 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.52 by von_kaiser from Connecticut

Nov 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.93 by Eziel from Ohio

Nov 07, 2016
Photo of BBThunderbolt
Reviewed by BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

2.96/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5
Thanks to SammyJaxxx for this one from NBS BIF#4. Full disclosure, I don't like pumpkin, or pumpkin pie spices. The fact that this is a Cream Ale, instead of one of the more typical darker styles is intriguing. 12oz can poured into 10oz goblet. Poured a cloudy yellow/gold color with about a half-inch of white head that had good retention and lacing.

The aroma was a bit sweet, with some noticeable but not overpowering spices. On the tongue, I found the spices overpowering, but the co-worker that sampled it said that it worked nicely. he said it was the best pumpkin beer he's had. The sweetness of the base beer did work in favor of the overall brew, but spices are spices, and a little goes a long way.

The body was smooth and creamy, with a generally clean finish, but those spices lingered too long for my tastes. For me, drinkability was no good, but that's on me not the beer. Overall, this is a nice beer, a good beer, a beer worth your time, if you're into this type of thing, but not my jam at all. I wonder if the base beer is available, because I'd really like to try it.
Nov 06, 2016
Photo of 2beerdogs
Reviewed by 2beerdogs from California

3.97/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Thanks to SammyJaxxx again.
Pours is orange to copper in hue. 2 fingers of head rise and slowly retreat to a half inch or so of milky latte-like foam. Color is white. Little lacing.
Smell is so subtle. The malty base comes through with slight caramel, some round yam like notes, and a lite touch of spice along the lines of nutmeg, pepper, and cinnamon.
Taste is a blend of flavors. None overwhelming the others. Some sweet, roasted pumpkin-butternut squash notes, lite molasses, ever so gentle spice notes hint at pepper and cinnamon, and a creamy sweetness. Also, a hint of alcohol as it warms. But i must note how these all play really well together.
Mouthfeel is down right creamy.
Overall, I like this a lot. I could see some people who wish for more of the "traditional" spice components to be increased. I would prefer it the way it is.
Nov 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.38 by CharlesK from Pennsylvania

Nov 01, 2016
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Reviewed by orcrist_cleaver from New York

3.48/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A honey-orange pour opens with a slighy floral nose, moderate ginger/peppercorn spiciness, and at times, heavy ethanol. Very little sweetness, and wouldn't guess pumpkin. I get a bunch of butterscotch and grainy sweetness punctuated with peppery spasms. Pumpkin is nuanced and vegetal, if noticeable. Creamy feel, but strong overbite of ethanol reduces the overall sensuality. Overall, a very crusty pie with loads of KGB spiked pumpkin filling. The bite of the peppercorn and ginger amplifies the alcohol, which drowns out an otherwise nuanced pumpkin flavor.
Oct 30, 2016
Photo of IvoryFoxhole
Reviewed by IvoryFoxhole from Virginia

4.02/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 oz can dated 9/30/16 and poured into Kane tulip glass. Bottom of can (always read the bottom of Carton cans) says allow to warm to 46 degrees, so that should be nearly an hour.

L: Pours with 2F+ sticky white head with good retention, lacing and cap/ring. Beer is a hazy amber.

S: Dominated more by the lactic acid cream ale than anything else. You pick up some of the pepper and ginger and maybe a touch of citrus.

T: Definitely appreciate the difference between this and most other pumpkin beers (which really are pumpkin-pie spice beers). You get a general creaminess throughout the taste, light notes of pumpkin, a definite peppery finish along with a separate zing from the ginger. Didn't really pick up the citrus.

F: Medium body, light to medium carbonation, good construction. Balance is kinda neither here nor there as the pepper/zingy finish is a bit out of control. Good drinker despite high ABV.

O: Definitely correct to categorize this as a cream ale rather than a pumpkin beer.
Oct 24, 2016
Pumpkin Cream Ale from Carton Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 82 ratings