Pumpkin Ale
R. Shea Brewing - Merriman Valley

 

 

16 ounce can, no dating on it that I could find. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a somewhat clear orange/amber color with about an inch and a half off-white head that stuck around a while. Good amount of lacing. The brew smells like ginger, clove, pumpkin and cinnamon. Taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some nutmeg. To me the ginger stands out somewhat compared to the other flavors. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's slick and smooth with a good amount of soft carbonation. Thought this one was a solid enough brew, certainly worth a try if you get the chance!

 

This was extremely boring to me. Not bad, but no exceptional feel to save this one. Flavor was mild, not bad or anything just a lot to be desired with an average feel. Meh

Canned on 7/27/21. 16oz can poured into a tulip.

Pours a burnt golden with solid clarity; creamy off-white head that fades leaving nice bubbly retention and sticky lacing.

The aromas are on the subtle side. Some pumpkin bread. Mild hints of banana and caramel. Some toasted malts.

The flavors are extremely clean, crisp and refreshing. The pumpkin spices are balanced in a good way. Some cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Some sweet potatoes and yams. More caramel along with some hints of cocoa and chocolate. Some black pepper in the mix. There's a nice earthy bitterness to this one. Malts do their thing without dominating. Finishes clean and dry. Alcohol goes unnoticed.

Mouthfeel is very nice. It's on the fuller side of light-bodied with active carbonation. It's sharp, spritzy and slightly fluffy. It's very smooth and easy to drink.

This is a pretty enjoyable pumpkin ale. It's not big, bold, flashy or unique, but it's "simple" in the best way possible. Once again, it's clean, crisp and refreshing. The craftsmanship is on point. Well done. I love the "simplicity" and execution with this one.

 

 

 

This was okay. Thankfully they aren't shoving the spice cabinet down your throat, but they outdid themselves by having a number of other pumpkin and gourd beers that were even better all on draft at the same time, so it may have been hard to objectively measure this on its own merits.