Pumpkin Spice Belgian
Peddler Brewing Co.

 

As pumpkin beers go, this one's quite understated. The Belgian yeast flavor dominated this, with the pumpkin in the background ... fairly far in the background. That's perfectly OK with me ... it's a good combination. But calling this a "pumpkin ale" might lead you to expect something that's more pumpkin forward. Spicing is pretty mild too. Let's just call this a beer whose virtue is its subtlety.

I really enjoyed how the spice blends with a Belgian ale. Poured pretty light orange yellow. A nice smooth one inch head at the top. The spice was nicely balanced throughout and didn't find it as overpowering as Pumking. I would have rated this higher but I'm not generally a big fan of Belgians to begin with.

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a light golden amber with a thin white head with good retention and light lacing. Aroma of light biscuit malt, a hint of pumpkin and light pumpkin pie spices and grassy hops. Flavor is bready and caramel malt, Belgian style yeast, pumpkin and pie spicing, finishing with a modest bitterness from the spices (notably clove) and bittering hops. Light to medium bodied with peppery active carbonation. Flavor is more robust than expected from the aroma and nicely balanced. The pumpkin flavor is moderate, but fresh and the spicing is done well. A well made pumpkin ale that was a pleasant sipper for a moderate ABV pumpkin. Nicely done.

 

My favorite pumpkin beer of 2013. A Belgian was a nice choice for pumpkin. The nose was sweet and pumpkin-y, while the taste was more subdued. You taste more beer than gourd. There were heavy notes of caramel and just enough bitterness to allow multiple glasses.