Blind Pumpkin Tasting

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Indytruks138, Nov 18, 2013.

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  1. Indytruks138

    Indytruks138 Initiate (0) Jun 28, 2013 Texas

    I held a blind pumpkin beer tasting at my house Friday, we had 23 different pumpkin or fall beers, only a couple had no pumpkin, but we wanted them in the tasting. Some of the results were surprising. The majority of these beers are shelf turds from TX. A few out of staters and trades for some vintages.

    I am happy to announce the overall highest scoring beer was Saint Arnolds 2013 Pumpkinator. Second place went to Stevens Point Whole Hog, and the worst beer of the day was Tieton Cider Works Pumpkin Smoked Cider. Do not try it, it was horrible. I have calculated average score per beer, per person, and the range of scores for each beer. None of us knew what beers were being poured, my wife and a friend's fiance did the pouring in the kitchen and served the 8 of us, and they deserve huge thanks for sacrificing a night to serve 23 pumpkin beers to a bunch of beer nerds.

    Timmermans Pumpkin Lambicus was the most agreed upon beer only receiving scores of 3 and 3.5. The most polarizing beers were Warlock, Uinta Oak Jacked, and New Belgium Pumpkick, with scores ranging 3.5 points apart.

    [​IMG]
     
    #1 Indytruks138, Nov 18, 2013
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  2. Ilovelampandbeer

    Ilovelampandbeer Pooh-Bah (1,719) Aug 25, 2013 New York
    Pooh-Bah


    Yea i was pretty underwhelmed with post road too...never had pumpkinator
     
    #2 Ilovelampandbeer, Nov 18, 2013
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  3. Immortale25

    Immortale25 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,775) May 13, 2011 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I really don't get all the love for Pumpkinator. I feel like the spices are way too heavy. I'm letting my second bottle age for a year because apparently it's much better once the spices die down a bit
     
    #3 Immortale25, Nov 18, 2013
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  4. Indytruks138

    Indytruks138 Initiate (0) Jun 28, 2013 Texas

    Our group felt the opposite. The 2013 scored better than the 2012.
     
    #4 Indytruks138, Nov 18, 2013
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  5. opwog

    opwog Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2008 Minnesota

    Shocking to see how low Autumn Maple scored. No vintage is mentioned, so I presume that means that it is this years batch, which I did not get to try (I moved to a state with no Bruery distro). Was there a problem with this year's batch? That is a pretty solid seasonal release.
     
    #5 opwog, Nov 18, 2013
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  6. mlhyatt

    mlhyatt Initiate (0) Jul 27, 2013 Georgia

    Kentucky bourbon pumpkin ale was really good in my opinion. I don't think a lot of people talk about it though. The bourbon taste with the pumpkin was a bit strange at first but then i though it melded together really well after a few sips.
     
    #6 mlhyatt, Nov 18, 2013
  7. Indytruks138

    Indytruks138 Initiate (0) Jun 28, 2013 Texas

    It was this year's autumn maple. It smelled off, the taste was medicinal and burning, just all around bad. I was told the BA version is fantastic though, hard to believe.
     
    #7 Indytruks138, Nov 18, 2013
  8. MaltMilkshake

    MaltMilkshake Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2011 California

    Hard to do a blind test and not know Pumkinator when you see what your drinking unless you were actually blind folded. Even then............
     
    #8 MaltMilkshake, Nov 18, 2013
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  9. MaltMilkshake

    MaltMilkshake Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2011 California

    This years BA version is last years vintage.
     
    #9 MaltMilkshake, Nov 18, 2013
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  10. Beeranator

    Beeranator Initiate (0) Feb 8, 2013 North Carolina

    no good gourd? that would of taken the cake!
     
    #10 Beeranator, Nov 18, 2013
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  11. Stugotzo

    Stugotzo Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2012 Florida

    That's awesome that Frank Thomas came to your beer tasting!
     
    #11 Stugotzo, Nov 18, 2013
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  12. Siggy125

    Siggy125 Maven (1,318) Nov 10, 2006 California
    Trader

    I was also involved in a pumpkin ale tasting and happy to see that your fellas agree that Pumking deserves those spots near the top. The other one that scored highly for us was CCB Good Gourd. Surprised to see you didnt have it in your mix.
     
    #12 Siggy125, Nov 18, 2013
  13. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,132) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    A beer that impresses in a situation like this might not impress as much when having a pint.
     
    #13 zid, Nov 18, 2013
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  14. DanSmith17

    DanSmith17 Initiate (0) Jun 18, 2013 Delaware

    Schlafly Pumpkin Ale is very good as well. Steven's Point Whole Hog & Schlafly Pumpkin Ale are tied for my favorite.
     
    #14 DanSmith17, Nov 18, 2013
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  15. TequilaSauer

    TequilaSauer Initiate (0) Dec 31, 2006 Florida

    I've done several pumpkin tastings with this beer and it didn't crack the top 3. It's a good pumpkin, but I don't think it's amazing. Do a side by side with a Pumking. Good Gourd can't hang.
     
    #15 TequilaSauer, Nov 18, 2013
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  16. Siggy125

    Siggy125 Maven (1,318) Nov 10, 2006 California
    Trader

    You forgot to attach "IMO" to that last sentence.
     
    #16 Siggy125, Nov 18, 2013
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  17. TequilaSauer

    TequilaSauer Initiate (0) Dec 31, 2006 Florida

    Wasn't really my opinion as only one person in our group had Gourd in their top 3 last time around. There were 7 people total. Plus, isn't it kind of a given on this site that these are all opinions?
     
    #17 TequilaSauer, Nov 18, 2013
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  18. GetMeAnIPA

    GetMeAnIPA Pooh-Bah (2,559) Mar 28, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah

    I must have had a bad bottle of pumking. Traded for it and tried it for the first time this Sunday and couldn't finish the bottle. Tasted like buttery popcorn with cinnamon. I did get some gram cracker flavoring too but man it was bad. I had to have a Schlafly pumpkin ale to wash the flavor out.
     
    #18 GetMeAnIPA, Nov 18, 2013
  19. Jslay013

    Jslay013 Pundit (866) Mar 6, 2011 Massachusetts
    Trader

    This confirms my belief that Pumking has really gone downhill the past few years...
     
    #19 Jslay013, Nov 18, 2013
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  20. txjustin

    txjustin Initiate (0) May 29, 2013 Texas

    Had my 1st pumking Saturday. Man, it had a Medicine like taste to it. I can't put my finger on it, but it is not that good. My one glass out of it was more than enough. I'm gonna age my other one and see how that turns out.
     
    #20 txjustin, Nov 18, 2013
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