Jonah's Relief
Save The World Brewing Company

Appearance: Clear hazy golden orange, with a touch of haze, and a large, slightly coarse, off-white head, with good retention. Lacing coats the glass wall in a dense, unbroken sheet. Clouds of minute bubbles drift lazily to the surface.

Aroma: Mild amounts of pumpkin pie spices, mainly cinnamon and clove, vie with notes of pumpkin fruit, and a little bit of bubble gum. There are hints of whiskey, wood, vanilla, but these are restrained, also.

Taste: On tasting, mild pumpkin spices are notable, particularly coriander and cloves, although these seem restrained. A little lightly toasted malt offers balance. Cloves and cinnamon are present, but are subtle. A mild undercurrent of spicy alcohol, wood and vanilla are present throughout. As the taste closes, some mild herbal hops are notable, these linger on, mildly.

Mouth feel: Pleasant and soft, full, with a gentle kiss of carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: Jonah's Relief walks the line between traditional pumpkin ales made with pumpkin and few or no spices and a low to moderate ABV, versus those with high, sometimes extraordinarily so, ABV and large amount of pumpkin pie spices. It seemed a perfect selection for Thanksgiving dinner, neither too little, nor to excess.

Presentation: Packaged in a 750 ml (twenty-five point two ounce) Belgian-style brown glass bomber with a pry-off crown, served in a La Fin du Monde chalice.

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass
Appearance – The brew pours a lightly hazed orange color with a one finger head of off-white foam. The head has a fair level of retention, fading over time and leaving lots of streaky lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is quite heavy of a pumpkin puree smell mixed with bits of cinnamon and nutmeg. Along with these smells comes notes of clove and caramel as well as some lighter aromas of bubblegum and toasted pumpkin seeds. A little bit of a vanilla and a touch of oak are in the nose as well, along with a touch of grass and hay.
Taste – The taste begins with a drier cracker malt flavor mixed with flavors of a pumpkin that has a light level of roastiness. There is a little bit of caramel and brown sugar mixed within, both of which get a little bit more intense as the taste advances. All the while, the spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, coriander, which are rather balanced amongst themselves), which are lighter upfront, also get stronger. Some oaky tastes develop as the taste advances as well, being joined by some light vanilla. At the end a touch of bourbon comes on the scene, leaving one with a slightly drier, and more roasty, moderately spiced, taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is slightly thinner, with a carbonation level that is on the higher side. Great for the tastes making it rather easy drinking and more crisp, while having enough body thickness to hold up the pumpkin and lightly sweetened tastes.
Overall – A rather drier, but balanced pumpkin ale that is quite easy to drink, but not lacking on any flavor front. Rather nice and one to definitely give a try to if you have the opportunity.

 

From a bottle. Clear orange with a thin layer of beige colored head. Smells of pumpkin spice. Medium body. Malty flavor with pumpkin, cloves, vanilla, and bourbon. Very well balanced, this is a great beer and not just a pumpkin spice novelty.

Very good pumpkin beer brewed without coriander!

Dark golden amber with a billowy off-white head. Highly carbonated. Faint aroma. Pleasant but very mild pumpkin flavor, lightly spiced. The flavor of the "bourbon soaked vanilla beans" comes through and gives it a nice, slightly boozy character.