Pumpkin Ale
Spellbound Brewing

 

This ale has absolutely no pumpkin in it, yet is labeled as Pumpkin Ale. This is fraud -- a terrible business practice I hope other breweries don't do. This isn't the first fraudulent beer Spellbound has produced, the last one I've had was the same thing. I don't know why the folks over at Spellbound Brewery love to lie so darn much. If you have a beer, call it what it is and move on. If there's no pumpkin in it, it's not a pumpkin ale.

 

My can states 8.1%...excited. Dark copper and somewhat hazy with a fading white head, this brew looks decent. Interesting sweet scent from this beer, not the normal soda type but still sweet and spicy. Caramel and somewhat bitter based flavor with some fall spices in there. Not so sure this is a pumpkin beer and not what I was expecting but variety is the spice of life so what the heck. Ok carbonation and a thicker feel to this brew.

Pours a ruddy copper color with a fast receding creamy/foamy head. Smell strong nutmeg and clove. Smells almost like a marinade or rub. Taste is DISAPPOINTING to say the least.Way too much spice added to a mediocre ale. This beer does not contain any pumpkin ! It is a weaker barley wine loaded up with pie spice. It would be better if they advertise it as such. Medium bodied finishes semi dry. The pumpkin is used the way barley malt is used. Without the Gourd you have a weird empty wanna be beverage. Overall ( look at my ratings)

The Spellbound Pumpkin pours a lovely amber color with a thin head that lingers.

The aroma is tart, with a rich bouquet of freshly peeled clementines. There's a hint of spice in the background, and a bit of freshly cut pumpkin, but it's buried beneath the strong citrus aroma. While this would be delightful in an IPA, it seems out of place for a pumpkin ale.

It tastes like someone went a little crazy in the spice cabinet, and didn't realize that the nutmeg cap wasn't on. Nutmeg dominates all other flavours, completely obliterating any trace of cinnamon or vanilla. And pumpkin? There's a bit of raw pumpkin on the finish - but this is a nutmeg beer, pure and simple. The alcohol is well hidden, possibly because you can't taste anything other than nutmeg.

Overall, I'm really disappointed. A good pumpkin ale brings lots of pumpkin flavour and marries that to traditional pumpkin spices. This beer tastes like someone went to dust it with nutmeg, didn't realize the cap wasn't on, and accidentally poured the whole jar into the glass. And instead of scrapping it and starting over, they threw some raw pumpkin in and called it a day. I really like pumpkin ales, and this is unfortunately the worst pumpkin ale I've ever had. :(

 

 

Spellbound Brewing "Pumpkin Ale"
12 fl. oz. can without production codes or freshness dating
$2.79 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: "8.1% ALC/VOL - 20 IBU - 12 SRM" It's poured a hazy chestnut brown with golden highlights and a reddish cast while the glass is sitting on the bar. The head is a two-finger thick cap of creamy, slightly yellowed off-white foam. In the nose it's gently spicy with cinnamon and nutmeg. The flavor is rich with malt, and loaded with caramel. It's sweetish but not sweet, and somewhat bready and toasty. The spice is there, and it's quite firm, but it's not bright and lively. I don't know how to explain that other than to make the comparison of having a bite of food that had some cinnamon powder sprinkled on it versus just putting a pinch of cinnamon right on your tongue. The cinnamon powder right on your tongue still tastes like cinnamon but it also comes across and dusty and earthy. The head has fallen by now and it's maintained a thin but creamy, solid cap. It looks good, and there's plenty of lacing left as well. Seeing as how it's a spiced beer I'll have to forgive the haziness and call it a 4.25 for appearance, and maybe even better if the head holds any longer. Back to the flavor, there's a fair amount of bitterness to it. The label lists 20 IBUs but I think the spicing makes that seem a little higher. It definitely finishes dry with some bitterness lingering. In the mouth it's medium-full in body and gently crisp then creamy and smooth. Overall, I'm sorry, but it's not coming together so well. I think it was probably too heavily spiced in the boil, and maybe too early on. It's just not that well balanced.
Review# 6,302

Poured from a 12 oz can into a teku glass.
L: Light brown amber color with about two fingers of foamy white head.
S: Pumpkin and nutmeg with some ginger
T: pumpkin and nutmeg again, malt, and a little cinnamon that sits on the tongue.
F: medium bodied and carbonation.
O: A decent pumpkin beer that drinks pretty easy.

**
11/12/15

(not sure where I had this, my notes don't say)

Nose is pumpkin, vegetable.
Taste is light spice, Nutmeg, pumpkin, touch of wine.



**
Various

Update of Pumpkin Beer from 2013-2019 Blind Tastings.

In 2 separate tastings, it is 1-33 against all comers. Pretty bad record.

**
**