Farmhouse Pumpkin Ale
Hall Brewing Co.

hall has done a lot of missing for me, a whole lot of it, but this is absolutely positively the best thing they have done to date. its a Belgian dubbel at its base, but done with smoked pumpkins. this does two things both new and successfully. one is the Belgian fall beer, pumpkins in a Belgian, not much of that going on. secondly, they smoke them, which never exists in pumpkin beer. so they really evolve the style on this one and I like it a lot. copper color with an orange tint and a fast fading off white head. a nose of smoked malt (although its actually smoked pumpkin), and a lot of candy sugar and Belgian yeast. I think the base dubbel is brilliant, and its a real cool platform for the pumpkin. because the beer has so much flavor and character, it doesn't rely at all on seasonal spices much, which is a real nice change of pace in the style. carbonation could use a boost, but every other factor is there. not too sweet, not spicy at all, mild but distinct smoke character. something really different and well done, I like it more than any other hall beer by a mile.

edit: after a couple of years in the cellar, this one has turned a bit sour, there is a biting vinegar thing happening in the finish now that wasnt there before, some in our group find it agreeable, but i feel like its going off a little bit and i miss what it used to be. it cellared fine for a little while, but its part its time now, if you still have one of these, its likely not getting any better...