Pumpkin Ale
Great Lakes Brewery

Pumpkin AlePumpkin Ale
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From:
Great Lakes Brewery
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
Pumpkin Beer
Ranked #194
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
82
Ranked #25,149
Avg:
3.59 | pDev: 14.48%
Reviews:
74
Ratings:
132
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 28, 2023
Added:
Sep 29, 2007
Wants:
  12
Gots:
  15
In our pursuit to bring you the most flavourful and unique beers possible, we are proud to release this tasty autumn ale. Handcrafted with an assortment of specialty malts and hops, we added a generous amount of pumpkin directly into the brew. Combine this with hints of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice, and you've got a beer that you won't soon forget. Rich, satisfying and slightly spicy, our seasonal ale goes perfectly with your favourite dessert or traditional feast. But like fall, Pumpkin Ale comes but once a year!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of BGDrock
Reviewed by BGDrock from Canada (ON)

4.02/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Rich gold/copper body, almost clear with some particulate, forming a full, sandy-coloured, frothy head, with good retention of a minute or two.
True to form aromas of pumpkin pie - actual pumpkin puree, cinnamon and nutmeg, along with sweet caramel malt.
Flavour is nicely balanced, with a nice caramel malt backbone enrobed with a deft touch of pumpkin and it's spice, just enough to give the desired character; the finish is semi-dry, the spices lingering with the malt; medium body and carbonation, with a soft, almost creamy feel (some of the pumpkin puree coming through there).

An enjoyable example of the style, well crafted and balanced, makes it more than a gimmick.
Oct 28, 2023
Photo of InspectorHound
Reviewed by InspectorHound from Canada (ON)

3.94/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Pale orange, with earthy tones. Think orange pekoe tea. Pours with a 1 1/2 finger bright white tightly bubbled head. After 5 minutes the head has thinned out leaving a good ring of lace around the sides of the glass and a skim of head across the top.

Smell: Light with cinnamon, pumpkin, nutmeg and maple sugar cookies. Very pleasant just wish it was stronger.

Taste: Soft and delicate, with pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon all present on the front and middle sip. It ends with a sweet tastey finish that reminds me of Popeye candy sticks.

Feel: Light bodied with a light but noticable carbonation. Plays on the sides and top of the mouth rather than across the tongue.

I'm not a big fan of pumpkin beers, but this one really hit the mark. I find them typically overspiced, or very artificial tasting. This was neither, very crushable. I give it an A-.
Sep 18, 2022
Photo of SSS
Reviewed by SSS from Canada (QC)

3.82/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A-Orange with a cloudy ring of white head
S-Malt forward with a hint of spice
M-Light mouthfeel with medium carbonation
T-Flavours of the season with pumpkin and spices abound, not too bad
O-It is that time of the year so…
Oct 24, 2021
Photo of Clonemailer
Rated by Clonemailer

1.85/5  rDev -48.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Headache in a bottle.
Oct 22, 2021
Photo of leaddog
Reviewed by leaddog from Canada (AB)

3.83/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Part of their Tank Ten series.

Appearance - Pours a copper with two fingers of bubbly white head.

Smell - light pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon, earthy and leafy hops, bready malts, and earthy yeast.

Taste - light pumpkin upfront but then is dominated by the pumpkin pie spices of clove, nutmeg, coriander, and cinnamon. The earthy and leafy hops come through next. The bready malts and earthy yeast round out the brew.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Finishes off-dry with the pumpkin pie spices lingering.

Overall - A sessionable brew that delivers on the pumpkin pie spices but not the actual pumpkin. This brew would be a stand out if the pumpkin was more pronounced; otherwise a standard "pumpkin spice" beer.
Oct 02, 2021
Photo of scott451
Reviewed by scott451 from Canada (ON)

3.56/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured a 473ml can into a pint glass. a three finger fine off white head on a hazy apricot. good head retention and lacing.
Cinnamon and nutmeg in the nose.
Spices up front on a malt base. Mild hop finish.
Medium body and carbonation.
Sep 12, 2021
 
Rated: 3.6 by HopBelT from Belgium

Jun 05, 2019
 
Rated: 3.91 by StormAles from Canada (ON)

Nov 05, 2017
Photo of Jtee
Reviewed by Jtee from Canada (ON)

3.25/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
From a 650ml bottle served straight from the fridge at 8 degrees Celsius into a white wine glass. I couldn't find any dates on the bottle.

Look: The beer pours an ever so slightly veiled amber with 3cm of moussy, tan head that fades into a partial film in 2+ minutes. Mediocre overall head and poor lacing.

Smell: Medium-light and balanced. The first hit from the initial volatiles deliver some earthy, spicy, funky hop-funk. After getting up close and personal with the beer it reveals prominent notes of pumpkin with hints of cinnamon and clove as well as pale, bready malts.

Taste: Moderate intensity and leaning towards sweet. The flavour comes across as an understated marriage of beer and pumpkin pie.

Feel: Medium body with moderate carbonation. Creamy with a trace of alcohol warmth (only after the temperature has elevated).

Overall: In essence a simple, seasonal offering with great drinkability. Even though I want more from my beer, I think it's well-crafted for the public. Worth a try but I've had more interesting pumpkin beers.
Oct 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.78 by ConnorG from Canada (ON)

Aug 26, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by yancot from Canada (ON)

Jun 05, 2017
 
Rated: 3.52 by leitmotif from Romania

Jan 05, 2017
Photo of Ciocanelu
Reviewed by Ciocanelu from Romania

3.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Hazy yellow color with off-white head. Aroma has mostly spices associated with pumpkin pie but not really raw pumpkin. Taste has some spiced biscuits, grains and earthy hops with a light bitterness on the finish. Light body, medium carbonation. Overall it's decent but nothing really special.
Jan 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3.41 by Electros from Canada (ON)

Nov 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4.38 by Determined419 from Ohio

Aug 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by fortyfield from Canada (ON)

Jan 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.96 by atone315 from Wisconsin

Nov 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by GoHabsGo from Canada (ON)

Nov 06, 2015
 
Rated: 3.43 by cuvtcuv from Florida

Nov 02, 2015
Photo of Glanzman
Reviewed by Glanzman from Ohio

4.31/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
22 ounce bottle served in a pint glass.

Pours a clear, orange color with a 1 finger head that dissipates pretty quickly. Really no lacing to speak of.

Smells great... spices, pumpkin and malts.

Taste pretty much the same. Not bad... not great either.

But at $7.99 (what i paid) for a 22 ounce bottle, there are better options at a better value.
Oct 25, 2015
Pumpkin Ale from Great Lakes Brewery
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 132 ratings