Ahead Of The Carve
Kettlehead Brewing Company

Canned on 9/22/25; consumed on 12/1/25

Pours a foggy, orange-tinged rust hue topped with two fingers of fluffy, off-beige foam; solid head retention leaves a near-blank surface, slim yet creamy collar, and a temporary splotching of webby lacing draped down the walls of the glass. 4

Aroma fresh pumpkin chunks and fragrant, medium-roast coffee make for a latte complexion, vanilla creme undertone, pie crust support, 4.25

Taste subtle pumpkin, toasty malts/grain, coffee build over the mid-palate, whipped vanilla and brown toast fade into the finish 3.25

Mouthfeel medium-light body, choppy spritz of moderate carbonation, crisp, flaky, subtle prickle into the back end 3.5

3.5

 

 

From a 16oz can, undated. Purchased at the brewery 10/28/21. Served in a willi becher pub glass.

Pours a warm honey-gold with a finger of soft, creamy head. Retention is only so-so but leaves a nice creamy collar with a barely rousable thin, slippery sheet of lacing.

Aroma is strongly reminiscent of the baked yam and marshmallow casserole my aunt used to make at Thanksgiving - sweet, but with a sharp, vegetal edge.

Taste is creamy-sweet, spicy and vaguely candy-like - the description says it was brewed with pumpkin purée, coffee, graham cracker, whipped cream and marshmallow and fuck me if I can't actually pick out each of those individual flavor notes. Malty, honey-like sweetness and a smidge of creamed bitter coffee.

Feel is creamy-slick, medium-thick bodied but with ample fine, prickly carbonation brightening the beer and making it feel lighter.

Overall, a fun and surprisingly delicious beer. I got a 5oz taster at the brewery, just on a whim, fully expecting to dislike it, had to ask for another 8oz pour and eventually ended up getting a full pour and then a couple of four-packs to take home. I wouldn’t want to make a steady diet of this but I could definitely drink a few cans every October (please!) The penultimate 'overall' score is for being the damn-near perfect seasonal offering.

 

Poured into a 16 oz tulip glass canned on 10/22/2020. Pours a cloudy dark orange with a finger sticky slightly off white head that leaves thick streaks of lace, excellent retention. 4

Smell pumpkin, vanilla, coffee, gram cracker, and some nutmeg. 4

Taste is bolder pumpkin, coffee, vanilla, nutmeg, and gram cracker. 4.25

Mouthfeel is bigger than medium, not dry or sticky, plenty of life, and at 7.5% it drinks a tad bigger in flavor, but still very approachable. 4.25

Overall this is not my favorite style at all, but a very tasty and balanced pumpkin brew. 4.25