Southern Tier Pumking, 2014 edition

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by wildgeneral, Aug 18, 2014.

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  1. glass_house

    glass_house Initiate (0) Jan 10, 2014 Ohio

    I tend to agree with this take on Warlock. It tastes like a good stout with some Pumking dumped into it. Not offensive by any means, but not at all what I'm looking for in a stout.

    As far as Pumking goes, I think it is still excellent. I do remember being blown away the first time I tried it (2012), thinking it was ok last year, and great this year. Not sure how much my perception is influenced by actual variation in the beer itself vs. my own perspective.
     
  2. Hopdaemon39

    Hopdaemon39 Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2011 New York

    Dude I tried it last night and found it unbearably sweet and over spiced- tastes more like pie than beer and I uses to like pumking.
     
  3. DrDemento456

    DrDemento456 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,173) May 15, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Does anyone know if this years is as hoppy as last years? I remember it being great back in 2009 a total malt bomb but ever since then it seems like its a shadow of itself slowly turning into an IPA to please those that do not like "malty sweet beers"

    The problem? Sure you can age out hops but the taste of the spices, vanilla, and pumpkin get muted also.
     
  4. RightOff

    RightOff Initiate (0) Dec 24, 2010 Florida

    I for one think that Pumking represents a seperate style from traditional Pumpkin ales.
    Traditional pumpkin ales are more American than apple pie. They hearken back to the days of the earliest European settlers. They are usually spicy, earthy and malt forward beers.
    Pumking is dessert like, sweet, "crusty", decadent... almost the opposite of those early, rustic ales that made use of ingredients like pumpkin flesh almost out of necessity. ex) http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/...y-to-seasonal-treat-beer-history-brewing.html
    I for one am a huge fan of traditional style pumpkin beers, Brooklyn's Post Road being, probably, my favorite example. Then there's Wyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale, another great traditional style pumpkin beer, and 8% ABV !
    I am less than impressed with Pumking these days. It's popularity seems to have pushed pumpkin beer season back into the late summer, and while here in FL it's far too hot to be enjoying a sickly sweet uber thick 9.5% liquid pie slice, women in Bikinis are slurping them down next to shandys radlers pilsners and ciders.
    Pumking has created a "style-gap," resulting in horrific Frankenstein- brews like curious traveler pumpkin shandy. I believe it is also slated to become a year round offering, making it possible to somehow enjoy the flavor of pumpkin pie at any seasonally inappropriate moment of the year. (4th of july? Memorial day BBQ?)
    Anyway, I say if you want to truly experience the history and exciting subtle flavors of this truly unique american style, avoid the Southern Tier.
     
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  5. teraflx

    teraflx Initiate (0) Feb 4, 2013 Arizona

    How did they compare for you?
     
  6. ZenBiscuits

    ZenBiscuits Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2012 New York

    I grabbed a case of what I was told was the first shipped batch of Pumking. Cooled one bottle and sampled. I wasn't overly impressed as I usually am with Pumking.

    Fast forward a month and change later and I had Pumking on tap (about five days ago) and it was majestic. The mouthfeel, the taste, everything I remembered. Now, I am not sure if it's due to the amount of time it's had to sit or the fact of the bottle/draft thing, but I am hoping that it just needed to sit a little while. I am going to try out another bottle from my case this weekend and compare.
     
  7. Circleo12

    Circleo12 Maven (1,422) Nov 12, 2012 South Carolina
    Trader

    How would you describe the taste profile from it on tap? I'm interested in seeing if what I taste, from my own kegerator, is what other folks taste. I'll pour one up tonight once home from work, and see if I'm just off, or what. To me, it was very much 'butter crust' forward in taste.
     
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  8. ZenBiscuits

    ZenBiscuits Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2012 New York

    On tap it was full flavor; butter crust was there and prominent, but not for sacrifice of the pumpkin and spices. The first bottle I had from my case certainly tasted like Pumking, but the flavor was not as full/bold, mostly tasted pumpkin and spices, 'butter crust' was weak.
     
  9. hey5hitgoose

    hey5hitgoose Initiate (0) Feb 28, 2013 Illinois
    Trader

    lolol how many of these threads need to pop up after EVERY beer comes out every year. Taste buds adapt, flavor preference changes, beer develops. I personally think pumking is pretty solid when it comes out, but 6 months later and its even better. Im a huge advocate of drink now, but there are a few exceptions.
     
    Mag00n likes this.
  10. mjryan

    mjryan Maven (1,485) Dec 22, 2007 Minnesota

    Tastes the same as any other year to me.
     
  11. BeerWizard

    BeerWizard Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2012 Colorado

    Tried for the first time on Friday and finished the bottle Saturday, and for my wife and I not to kill a single bomber on a Friday night of what is supposedly one of the best pumpkin ales available is really saying something.
     
  12. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    And I heard what you are saying.

    I haven't had a Pumking that I enjoyed drinking since 2011.

    Non-Cheers to the last few years of Pumking!:slight_frown:
     
    cavedave likes this.
  13. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,145) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I have always disliked Pumking. This thread has made me wonder if I dislike the new batch the same as I always have.
     
    bushycook likes this.
  14. SerialTicker

    SerialTicker Pooh-Bah (2,815) Jun 18, 2012 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    I bought Warlock over Pumking a couple weeks ago when I was at the store. I haven't had the Warlock yet, but if the Pumking is as artificial/underwhelming as people are saying, I won't bother forking out the eight or nine bucks it costs for a bottle.
     
  15. PuckIt

    PuckIt Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2014 Pennsylvania

    Took a brief beer hiatus - will post when i try em.
     
  16. sssence

    sssence Initiate (0) Oct 23, 2013 Missouri

    If you mix Pumking and Warlock together a magical gate opens to the 4th dimension.
     
  17. zeff80

    zeff80 Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,891) Feb 6, 2006 Missouri
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I probably won't buy any this year. It has seemed to drop off in recent years.
     
  18. DaveAnderson

    DaveAnderson Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2011 Minnesota

    Huh -- I seem to be among the few who preferred 2013 Pumking over previous years, most of which I could not tolerate. Moving on...

    I'll do it: This year's Tilquin Gueuze was terrific, and exactly the way I remembered it from past years.

    Too bad your photographic memory doesn't extend to the label. You know -- the place where the beer's name is spelled.
     
  19. Kylo76

    Kylo76 Savant (1,028) Aug 29, 2014 Colorado
    Trader

    I agree mostly it seemed less creamy this year and the level of spice was increased but not in a good way. I'm not wanting it to tasted the same every year but the mouthfeel was much worse in this years version.
     
  20. ColonelCash

    ColonelCash Initiate (0) Jul 6, 2011 Tennessee

    I poured last years down the drain (along with $8), so I won't be trying pumking again. I'll stick with Schlafly Pumpkin Ale.
     
    richobrien likes this.
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