Johnny Rails Pumpkin Ale
Erie Brewing Co.

4.16/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got a single 12 oz bottle of this tot ry. Poured into one of my pint glasses, this beer pours a mainly clear, medium copper color with a nice white head that's about an inch thick when first poured and that settles eventually to a thick ring lining the inside of the glass along with some spotty cluster swirls and spots of surface foam along with decent lacing. Aromas of slightly toasted, bready malt with slight hints of caramel sweetness that gives way to some cinnamon and pumpkin along with a hint of nutmeg and a touch of clove. Tastes like ti smells, with slightly toasted, bready malts with a bit of caramel sweetness that's immediately followed by cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and definite pumpkin. Not really any discernible hop presence here, and that's okay. A solidly good and enjoyable flavor profile here. Has a slightly crisp, also smooth, medium bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Has a clean finish with a nice, slightly spicy and pumpkiny after taste. Not too shabby here.

Eric

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2/5  rDev -42.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

This beer is a watery mess with some mild pumpkin flavor. I've had a fair amount of bad pumpkin beers & this is up there with the worst of them. If you're into watered down pumpkin beers then this might be up your alley but it certainly ain't up mine. I'm sorry but this pumpkin beer does not deserve a good score. Cheers! C-

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3.58/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Nearly clear copper pour with 2 fingers of foamy white head. Great lacing.

S: Pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Sweet autumn type stuff.

T/F: Toasted malts... sweet grains and mild hops. Pumpkin and pie spice... clove and nutmeg, but mild. Doesn't drink like a pumpkin soda which is a positive... light bodied.

O: A decent pumpkin beer. Drinkable and not obnoxious, which is pretty much all I really ask of a pumpkin beer.

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3.52/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Amber in color with an opaque look and a slight white head from tap. Another sweet caramel pumpkin nose with some slight spice. Sweet pumpkin flavor with some spice. Thinner feel. Ok.

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3.75/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a glass mug.
The appearance was a slight copper color with a slim white foamy to bubbly head that swiftly glided off to leave barely any lace.
The aroma had a pumpkin sweetness about it like sweet pie but without the pie crust. Then some clove and nutmeg.
The flavor was moderately sweet with an ample amount of spice from the clove and nutmeg laying down on the pumpkin portion. Mild aftertaste of sweet pumpkin, then clove.
The mouthfeel was between light and medium bodied with a substantial sessionability about it. Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt good. Mild spices try to let in some harshness but honestly, they really don't play as much as I thought they would.
Overall, mostly a good pumpkin ale I could come back to.

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3.28/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass.
Color is copper, with thin white head and no lacing. Main aroma from spices: cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Taste is dominated by the spices, minimal malt background. Thin body. Okay to have once, but there are better pumpkin ales available.

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4.23/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle, poured into glass.
Look: Dark amber, with no head.
Smell: cinnamon, pumpkin, bread.
Taste: Cinnamon and pumpkin, with malt at the end.
Feel: easy to drink considering the abv.
Overall: one of the best pumpkin beers I have ever had. It is not too overpowering like some of the other contemporaries. It still has a beer taste. I will buy again, and recommend.

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3.75/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a copper/orange color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is an excellent pumpkin pie aroma. Taste has much more spices than the smell, lots of nutmeg, some cinnamon and ginger, pumpkin is in the background. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a quality beer.

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3.21/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Copper colored and the head completely disappeared after about 10 seconds. It's carbonated as i see minuscule bubbles erupting from within. The aroma is of pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. The spicing is a bit overwhelming with this one. Pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and perhaps clove are all in the mix. The mouth is a bit watery and otherwise hard to discern due to aggressive spicing.

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3.45/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a can glass

A- pours a clear Amber color wit ha small fizzy white head that disappears, leaving nothing behind

S- cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, pumpkin pie crust & some vanilla

T- vegetal flavor up front with notes of cinnamon and allspice. Some stewed apples, cola-like finish

M- medium body and carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel and a biting finish

O- drinks more like a pumpkin soda, could use a bit more malt sweetness

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2.49/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.25

Bottle into a snifter.

2.5 A: Mildly hazed medium orange color with a brown tint. Less than one finger of frothy beige head that falls almost immediately and leaves no lacing.

2.75 S: Very mild aroma. Pumpkin with cinnamon and ginger but not enough of any of them. Otherwise, not much going on. The malts are very mild and offer just a hint of caramel.

2.5 T: For as mediocre as the nose is, the taste is mediocre-er. Faint pumpkin and spice and otherwise watery and uninteresting.

2.25 M: Light to lighter medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Watery without creaminess.

2.25 D: Pretty shitty.

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2.92/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Undated bottle at 42 degrees into shaker
Aroma weak – pumpkin and ginger
Head large (7.5 cm, aggressive pour), off white, frothy, diminishing to a two mm ring and layer
Lacing - none
Body light orange, hazy
Flavor odd – no pumpkin; melange of spices, all underwhelming and confused; no malt, no hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl
Palate medium, watery, fizzy

Appearance 3, Aroma 3.5, Flavor 2.5, Palate 3, Overall 3. Worst pumpkin ale to date.

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3.7/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25

Pours pumpkin orange in color with a crisp white head.

Aroma is of nutmeg, cloves, and sugar.

Flavor is intense of nutmeg with undertones of cloves, pie crust, and earl grey tea.

Nicely carbonated. The beer could stand to be heavier.

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3.78/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pickin' up a bit of funky sour in the aroma and taste after it warms up a bit.
Kinda gives it a different twist. Overall a decent pumpkin beer...not too spiced, not too pumpk'd.
I still prefer my pumpkins as a "pie in the glass"...enjoyed with a great cigar.

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4.49/5  rDev +29%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Bright golden/amber color. Lightly spiced nose. Light mouthfeel with small tight bubbles.

Very smooth. No overwhelming pumpkin pie spice flavor or sugary taste. No particular hop presence or bitterness. If you're seeking a pumpkin beer that is still primarily a beer, this one is worth a taste.

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2.92/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

2015 vintage. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours a burnt orange with a subtle haze, but has some clarity; white head that falls leaving nice retention and decent lacing. The aromas have your standard pumpkin ale spice combo. A touch of sweet caramel. The flavors fall a little flat. It doesn't taste bad or anything, but it doesn't have alot going on. Cinnamon and ginger in the mix. Slightly earthy. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium-bodied with very active spritzy carbonation. Easy to drink.

Not bad, but doesn't have alot going on to standout in this style.

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3.39/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This one is, appropriately, orange, clear and bright. It's got a small, bubbly off-white head that shows above-average retention and decent spotty lace.
There's a good focus on pumpkin flesh here, countered by kitchen spices. The aroma isn't particularly sweet, and the flavor is slightly sweeter. The aroma holds well, but the flavor goes thin and flat at the end. Still, it holds fairly well and the components one should find in a pumpkin beer are here, if not simplistically.
The feel is crisp but not overly biting in a firm medium body with a pretty good smoothness to it.

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2.47/5  rDev -29%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25

Pumpkin beers aren't really my thing, but they've been growing on me. That said, this is vile.

Everything about it (sans taste) is pretty average for a pumpkin ale, but it tastes like pumpkin spice and tap water. No body. No substance.
First drain pour in a long time.

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3.33/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A: Pours a clear medium golden orange in color with moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass as well as some golden yellow + copper highlights. The beer has a half finger tall sudsy foamy off-white head that reduces to a large patch of extremely thin film and a medium thick ring of medium sized bubbles at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of roasted pumpkin over the top of lighter aromas of caramel malts and pumpkin pie spices (nutmeg and cinnamon stand out).

T: Upfront there is a light to moderate flavor of caramel and grainy malts with a hint of sweetness. That is followed by moderate flavors of roasted pumpkin and light to moderate flavors of pumpkin pie spices (nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon stand out). Not discernable hop presence or bitterness is detected.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Not quite as complex as I prefer my pumpkin beers, just overall not that interesting and a touch sweeter than I enjoy. Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol. Would have been better if the ginger had been present and some light notes of vanilla.

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3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

The good part, it's not sickly sweet. The bad part, it has a weak pumpkin flavor and is a bit watery. I'm still searching for a really good pumpkin beer that is not overly sweet or artificial tasting. This is probably the best to date. It's just a bit faint, faint is a good way to phrase it. The pumpkin flavor is there but it's in the background which come to think of it is not a bad thing at all. My wife is picking up another 6 pack as I write this so, yes, we liked it.

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3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

The appearance of this beer, well it pours into my chalice forming a slightly hazed copper amber body with a light beige head, which dwindles rather quickly and leaves behind minimal lacing.

Aroma, has caramelized malts with pumpkin cream character, and spice lingering with each sniff.

Flavor is a bit too buttery, the creamy pumpkin notes and mild spices are nice, but a heavy thick butterscotch component sends it over the edge for me.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied cloying sweetness lingers with mild spices that make you want to scrape your tongue to get rid of it.

Overall, I can’t appreciate something like this with that much lingering sweetness and abrasive spice notes, even compared to the other pumpkin ales out there it’s again in the middle of the road for me.

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3.24/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a nicely carbonated copper color. The white head is really small and dissipates almost like a soda and leaves no lacing.

Smell: Weak smell of pumpkin with a little clove, and some spicy/peppery.

Taste: Exactly like the smell, with maybe a touch of copper.

Mouthfeel: Medium body but lacking carbonation badly.

This is better than an average macro, and easy to drink, but the flavor lacks yumminess. I'm not saying it's bad, because it is decent, but there are too many pumpkin beers that are way better than this.

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3.45/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled 8/6/2013. Pours lightly hazy golden orange color with a small off white head with solid retention, that reduces to a lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with some moderate streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, brown sugar, gingerbread, toast, floral, and herbal earthiness. Nice aromas with good complexity and decent balance of pumpkin, malt, and spice notes; with good strength. Taste of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, gingerbread, brown sugar, toast, floral, and herbal earthiness. Lingering notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, gingerbread, toast, and herbal earthiness on the finish for a bit. Good balance and complexity of pumpkin, malt, and spice flavors; with moderately watery flavor robustness and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth and watery moutfeel that is ok. Alcohol is well hidden with minimal warming present on the finish. Overall this is a decent pumpkin ale. Lacking robustness of flavors, but has good balance and is easy to drink. A fairly enjoyable offering.

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3.44/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This one has a light orange color body with a very small head. The aroma has a hint of spice and a hint of pumpkin. The taste has a cinnamon and nutmeg flavor to it. I get very little pumpkin flavor. The mouthfeel is very thin and overall a average beer that needs more flavor

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3.46/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Looks clear. Maybe slight haze. Deep orange, but lighter. Not much of a crown. Zilch, or practically zilch, for head, as far as what stays. Almost half-an-inch, at first, but that's gone now.

Cinnamon and allspice with the idea of pumpkin on the mind. Sweet with a spicy richness that follow through. Pie spices, some pie spices, and tinges of maltiness. Harmonious, sweet, not offensive, but not very special.

Spices hit the tongue first. Thank goodness the beer is on the light side. Allspice, cinnamon, some clove, and some pumpkin. Nutmeg is lost in the mix, but present. Watery vanilla bent. Not much vegetable, as one might assume. Not a spice bomb, but still distracted by what's here. Unmemorable, but tasty.

Watery feel, or should I say, thin with a carbonation that wouldn't seem big on its own, but squanders any possibility of a good feel. Very average, if not slightly better.

A pumpkin beer with no real kick. Doesn't feel terrible. Has decent flavor, but it's spicy in the forefront. What were you expecting?

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