Great Pumpkin Ale
Flat Branch Pub & Brewery

Dark copper in color with a moderate amount of light getting through the body. There’s a trace of clear carbonation bubbles around part of the rim. I smell cinnamon and nutmeg. I taste cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice. The mouth is a touch watery and yet a touch sticky.

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a clear, ruddy amber color. Lighter amber color along the bottom of the glass. 1/3 inch head of an off-white color. Good retention and slight lacing. Smells of cinnamon, all spice, ginger, yeast, and slight pumpkin. Fits the style of a Fruit/Vegetable beer. Mouth feel is smooth and creamy with an average carbonation level. Tastes of pumpkin, spices, and slight yeast.

Presentation: Filled a growler at Flatbranch last night (Halloween) on the first day that this was released; I'm stoked to finally try it, as I've been in town for two years now and have never gotten a taste until now

Apperance: Very dark brunt orange beer, just a slight haze to it; very small-beaded carbonation lazily rises to the top and the cap is ivory and soon fades to a nice lasting film.

Smell: Fresh pumpkin pie, straight up. Very spicy, sweet, full of pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and just a hint of sweet caramelly malt. Very nice, and natural, not fake or contrived

Taste: Mirrors the aromas pretty nicely. Very spice-forward; clove predominates and some ginger as well. There's actually a little bit of heat from the spice as well, just a touch. After the beer leaves the malt there is actually just a touch of "squash-y" pumpkin flavor; it's just mild and sweet and a bit earthy. Some light dry maltiness in here as well. Overall, this is nicely balanced and quite enjoyable.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied

Drinkability: High

Conclusion: Flatbranch has real winner here; I see why this is their most popular/fastest selling beer; this is definitely one of the better pumpkin beers I've had. I'm kind of comparing it to Schlafly's in the back of my head (as that's my favorite pumpkin beer of all time) but they're two very different animals; Schlafly's is 8% abv and has some serious malt/alcohol notes to it; this is milder and damn drinkable at 5.2% or there about. The actually fruity flavor of the pumpkin that comes through is quite nice too; you don't get this in a lot of pumpkin ales. If there's ANY criticism, it's that the spice is just a BIT too strong; tone it down about 5 percent and this would be perfect.

A - Poured a semi-cloudy, burgundy color with a very thin, small, off-white head that quickly disappeared.

S - It smelled of pumpkin, spices - like cinnamon and nutmeg.

T - Great pumpkin and spice flavor with a smooth roasted malt backbone.

M - It was smooth, soft and easy-drinking. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a very nice pumpkin ale. I see why it goes so fast.

This wasn't a bad beer this was the only one that I had there that I did not think was watered down.

Appearance: It had a great dark brown body with a reddish hue. The head and lace were both tan and full.

Smell: It had a good aroma very spicy. There was nice malt tone.

Taste: I honestly thought there was not much for pumpkin in it and it tasted like a richer version of Leinenkugel's Apple Spice. It was spicy and very sweet. Almost like candy sugar.

Mouthfeel: A medium bodied with some carbonation bite.

Drinkability: Good, It is not my favorite pumpkin but it wasn't bad. Probably the best beer I had there that day.

According to the Flat Branch Website, "Once a year we raid the pumpkin patch and add over 200 pounds of pumpkin to the mash to create this beer. Then we add five spices to create a light bodied beer with the aroma of pumpkin pie. Annually on tap starting on Halloween day. The ABV is 5.2% and hop bitterness is 12 BU's."

Growler filled Halloween Night.

a: Dark amber brown, too dark to see through. White head and lacing that quickly fades.

s: Pumpkin pie spices, cloves and cinnamon in particular.

t: Sweet malt upfront, then an excellent pumpkin flavor followed by spice and just a faint hint of hop bitterness at the end.

m: Light to medium bodied, smooth finish.

d: The key to a good pumpkin beer, like any beer, is proper balance. Many pumpkin beers are just way too spiced. The good ones balance the right amount of spice with pumpkin, malt and hops. This is one of the good ones. Well balanced, easy to drink, and great for the season.