Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale by Thomas Creek Brewery

I am trying a brew from a brewery I have never tried before, tonight. This Brewery I am trying tonight is called Thomas Creek Brewery. They are located in Greenville, South Carolina. Here is a little about them, "Since the brewery’s inception in 1998, we have been winning the hearts and taste buds of beer enthusiasts all across the southeast and beyond. Our brewery is open to the public for tours, pints, growler & 6-pack purchases, events, and home brew supplies. The homebrew shop offers everything from equipment kits to ingredients including malted and flaked grains, grain milling, hop pellet varieties, liquid & dry yeast, bottles, caps, chemicals, draft equipment, fittings, and more". The beer I am trying tonight from Thomas Creek is, Pumpkin Ale. Pumpkin Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.3% and an IBU or bitterness of 26.4. Time to figure what pumpkin side this brew is on: TOO SWEET/TOO SPICE or just right. 

Appearance of Pumpkin Ale 

Appearance of the Pumpkin Ale is one that looks like an amber ale. The color is a copper color or a deep brownish orange hue. Giving me the thought that this might be a good pumpkin brew. The aroma is intriguing as well. I pick up both on the spices and the pumpkin notes in the brew. The Pumpkin note is stronger and more pronounced than the spice note. The spices I am picking up are cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. I feel like baking when I have this beer, because it reminds me of baking a pumpkin pie.The foam is thin and has a brownish orange tint to the head of the brew. So far, this is like most of the Pumpkin Ale's that are out there and now time for the taste to separate is brew from the others or to fall in line with everyone else. 

Taste of Pumpkin Brews is where I think most of them separate themselves from each other. Most have similar aromas and appearances. The taste of this brew is delicious and something I would order many of. The beer is not too heavy, which is surprising because of the 7.3% ABV. Taking the second sip, I notice more of the flavor profiles in the brew. The spice note hits you as you finish you sip and swallow you sip. The pumpkin note hits you in the beginning and blends well with the spice finish, Overall I think the way Thomas Creek Brewery focused on this brew and used specific hops and malts to make this flavor, was perfectly together. This pumpkin ale has a medium body and a medium mouthfeel that gives the pumpkin fan a great brew. 

Thomas Creek Pumpkin Ale 

Check out this seasonal brew from Thomas Creek Brewery, it is available from September to October. To me this is a good pumpkin brew, but not the best I have had. This brew is in the top ten of my pumpkin ales. I think that the sweetness of the pumpkin could be too much for some, but I enjoy it and think that the spice notes pair well with the sweetness. If you are looking for a pumpkin ale this is a brew you check out and try for yourself. 

Check out Thomas Creek Website and Twitter:

 http://thomascreekbeer.com/

Tweet @ThomasCreekBeer

Matilda

MATILDA BY GOOSE ISLAND BEER COMPANY 

Trying a brew from a brewery, I have tried before on this blog. I am trying a Belgian Pale Ale from this brewery. The brewery I am trying tonight is Goose Island Beer Company. Goose Island was created in 1988 and in 1995 they opened a larger brewery to keep up with their growth. Now they are widely known and have become part of the growing craft beer scene in America. One of their most popular brews is the Bourbon County Series, which was first thought of in 1992 and actually created in 2004. Goose Island Beer Company is located in Chicago, Illinois and even though they are in a big city they are still able to focus on sustainability and creating green beers like their Green Line, which is only available in Chicago. The brew I am trying tonight from Goose Island is Matilda, part of their Vintage Ale Series. Matilda is a Belgian Pale Ale, she has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.0% and an IBU of 26. I have tried only one other brew in the Vintage Series and that was Juliet, which is a Belgian Style Wild Ale, so not exactly close in styles.    

Appearance of Matilda 

I poured Matilda in to my beer glass for the night and was shocked at the appearance of this brew. Personally I thought it would be lighter since it was a pale ale, but looks can change and depending on the brew you can get a range of colors for the style. To me this is a pale golden complexion to Matilda and it almost looks she has a goldish red tint to her. Foam or head of Matilda is does leave some lacing on the glass and has a thick appearance to it. One aroma I notice of the bat is the clove aroma that is closely followed by a spiced aroma. The clove aroma is a strong aroma and definitely makes its presence notice when you take a whiff of this Belgian Style Pale Ale. 

Taste I am eager to see, since I have tried a few Pale Ales and not been too keen on them. I think the clove aroma is giving of more of a Tripel aroma and is making me eager to try this brew, because I am fond of Tripels. I took my first sip and was pleasantly surprised by the style of brew. I thought this would be hoppy, but it was rather enjoyable and something I can really enjoy. Matilda is a light body and finishes with a sweet dry note. The spice note that you find in the aroma you pick it back up in the brews taste and it goes well with the sweet dry finish. When you drink Matilda this brew is light and has dry finish, but it does not have the taste of a higher ABV. Rather it finishes like a brew you drink that is much lower in ABV. The more and more I drink of this brew, I begin to notice the clove note and a banana flavor mixed in. I really enjoy this brew and the way it was done so eloquently. 

Check out MATILDA

Matilda is a year round brew and something that can pair well with some many different flavors. If you want to know examples make sure you check out Matilda on Goose Islands Website. Matilda was an enjoyable brew and a great style that I will be looking into more. I think that if you like Belgian Style brews, Matilda is a brew you need to try. Even if you are not into Belgian Styles, you need to explore this style and Matilda is a perfect way to start.  

Check out Goose Island Beer Company's Website and Twitter: 

http://www.gooseisland.com/home.html

Tweet @GooseIsland

Trick or Treat

Trying a new brew tonight from a brewery I have yet to try. I am always looking for interesting brews and I stumbled upon this brew. I thought ' Oh this sounds interesting and I should add it to my six pack'.  Of course it did not hurt that there was pumpkin involved in this brew. I am trying my first beer from Evil Genius Beer Company, who are located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Area. Evil Genius Beer Company was thought up at Villanova University in 2008 and became a reality in 2010. I am trying a beer called Trick or Treat by Evil Genius Beer Company. Trick or Treat has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.8% and an IBU of 35. I am curious to see what is behind this chocolate pumpkin porter. This is my first porter on this blog, so I figure I might want to explain what a porter is style wise. Seeing that they created this like a Robust Porter, I should explain the difference in styles as well. A porter is a dark ale that was created around 1722, it is a blended style of three beers at the time: pale ale, new brown/mild ale and a stale sour brown ale. The beer had a full body and became popular amongst London workers called porters and that is how it got its name. A robust porter is a porter that is made with a dark roasted malt or barley to create a dark black color and include dark roasted flavors such as coffee, chocolate without a burnt finish.  

Appearance of Trick or Treat 

Taking whiff of Trick or Treat aroma, I notice one thing right of the bat. That is the chocolate and smoky aroma of the porter. After that I pick up the pumpkin aroma, which is not as strong as the chocolate or smoky aroma. In addition to these aromas there are two notes that I pick up faintly after swirling the beer around to release the aroma and they are nutmeg/clove. The color of this brew is dark and looks like a dark chocolate color to me. There is no light shining through the beer because the beer is so dark in color like a porter should be. The addition of chocolate does help and adds to the depth of color in this brew. If you were looking for the color of this beer on a SRM it would be a 26+ following the robust porter characteristics. The foam or head of the brew is a brownish white and thick, again following the typical profile of a porter. 

Time to dive into the taste of this Robust Trick or Treat Porter. I am curious to see how the chocolate and the pumpkin come through in the beer. I took my first sip and primarily just picked up a chocolate note. I took another sip and first thing I noticed was a pumpkin/spice note followed by a dark roasted profile of the porter. The dark roast was the rich smooth chocolate profile of this porter. Trick or Treat in my opinion is a full bodied brew that is smooth and rich. I think that the chocolate and pumpkin are an interesting combination. I think this brew would go great with a chocolate crusted pumpkin pie that I create every year for thanksgiving, You would think that the chocolate is overpowering and you would not be able to find the pumpkin in the beer or the pie but you can find it in both. I think there needs to be more chocolate and pumpkin brews like this or more beers to add chocolate and pumpkin together. 

Evil Genius Beer Company Trick or Treat Chocolate Pumpkin Porter

If you are a fan of dark brews you might want to give this brew a chance. In addition if you like pumpkin and chocolate together again you might want to drink this brew. This brew is a limited availability and something you should look for every fall, like I look forward to pumpkin season every beer year.  

Check out Evil Genius Beer Company Website and Twitter: 

http://www.evilgeniusbeer.com/index.php 

Tweet @EvilGeniusBeer 

  

The Devil's Pumpkin Ale

The Devil's Pumpkin Ale by Lavery Brewing Company 

Trying a brew from Erie, Pennsylvania tonight. The interesting part about this brewery is that the name of the brewery is like my Aunt and Uncle's last name and pronounced the same way as they do. I figured that I needed to try this beer and checkout some beers by them. Lavery Brewing Company is the brewery that I am trying a beer from tonight. They were founded in 2009 and are in downtown Erie, PA. Make sure that you say the name right because people usually say it wrong. "It's 'Lav-ry' not 'Lav-ery'." Lavery Brewing Company, much like America – they blend flavors and traditions to bring you some truly innovative ales. Their beers span styles and stereotypes to create something distinctly remarkable. If you look on their bottles it says BREWING INNOVATIVE ALES IN SMALL BATCHES. The beer I am trying tonight is The Devil's Pumpkin Ale. Devil's Pumpkin Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.5% and an IBU of 26. I am excited and eager to see what The Devil's Pumpkin Ale has in store for me.

Appearance of The Devil's Pumpkin Ale 

The appearance of Devil's Pumpkin Ale has a sweet dark appearance to this brew. When I look at this brew I think of a dark Halloween night and Jack-O-Lanterns. The color of The Devil's Pumpkin is a dark amber brown appearance to the beer. In addition to the appearance the beer is not thick and cloudy, the color just does not allow much light to pass through it. The color/appearance is similar to most pumpkin ales out there. Aroma of this brew is interesting and my nose is following a variety of aromas. First thing I noticed was the malt backbone of the beer, by that I mean a sweet malt aroma is the first aroma I picked up on. Second, I pick up on are the spices. I notice the clove that you would use with pumpkin and a nutmeg as well. There is a subtle hint of Pumpkin in the aroma of this brew, but it is faint and not too overpowering. Foam or head of Devil's Pumpkin Ale starts with a thin layer at the top and quickly dissipates leaving me to think this might be a unfiltered brew. 

Taste is where the good pumpkin brews separate themselves from the rest of the pack, in my opinion. First thing I noticed was the mouthfeel and the malt presences in this brew. Mouthfeel of this beer is like an unfiltered beer and I notice the spice notes played with the mouthfeel of this brew. I also think that another thing you pick up on right away is the malt backbone of this brew. There is a sweet taste to this beer, which is not too sweet like other pumpkin brews tend to be. I think the thing I kind of notice the most is the fruity taste in the beer that is pleasantly delicious and makes this brew an awesome brew. The beer is smooth and can be drank rather quickly because of how smooth the beer is. 

Tango with this Devil's Pumpkin Ale by Lavery Brewing Company

Overall I think this is a great brew and I would put this Pumpkin Ale in my top 5 Pumpkin Brews. I do not think there is a bad thing I can say about this beer. I really enjoy it and find nothing wrong with the brew. I think that anyone who enjoys Pumpkin brews should try this and check out more brews like this. Some might think this brew could be too sweet, but I think that goes well with the approach of the brew and is not too sweet.

Check out Lavery Brewing Company on their website and their Twitter: 

http://www.laverybrewing.com/

Tweet @LaveryBrewing

Hipp-O-Lantern

Hipp-O-Lantern Imperial Pumpkin Ale by River Horse Brewing Company

Trying a brew from a local brewery. Originally, this brewery started in Lambertville, New Jersey, since they have grown in size they have moved down the road to Ewing, New Jersey. River Horse was founded in 1995 and current owners have had control since 2007. I am trying Hipp-o-Lantern by River Horse Brewing Company.  Hipp-O-Lantern is a Imperial Pumpkin Ale and a beer I am really looking forward to reviewing. Hipp-O-Lantern has an alcohol by volume of 8.1%. Every pumpkin beer drinker knows that we are headed towards the end of the season, the weather is getting cooler and it makes me want to enjoy pumpkin beers more. To me honestly, end of October is the end of the Pumpkin season for most breweries. I think that the end of the season should be extended til Thanksgiving, so you can enjoy a Pumpkin beer with a Pumpkin Pie. Time to review Hipp-O-Lantern and see what is behind this brew. 

Appearance to Hipp-O-Lantern

To me when I look at this beer, I see fall in a glass. Pumpkin brew season is upon and this beer makes me think of Fall and late October. There is a deep burnt auburn orange appearance to Hipp-O-Lantern and it reminds me of Amber Ale color. Hipp-O-Lantern's color, could also be the addition of the molasses to the beer that might give the beer it's deep color. There is a thin layer of foam or head at the top of this beer. It has a brownish white appearance to it, the color makes me think some of the spices mixed with the foam. Actually it reminds me of baking a Pumpkin Pie, when you add cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into the sugar before you add the Pumpkin in.  The foam or head also leaves some lacing upon the glass as you drink it.  Aroma wise I smell, Pumpkin and some spice notes mixed in. The aroma is too heavy on the spice side and is sort of on the sweet side. Spice aromas I picked up were cloves and cinnamon.  

The taste of a Pumpkin brew is the most important aspect of a Pumpkin beer for myself, as a Pumpkin beer fan. The first sip of this beer is so smooth. I notice the sweetness of the beer right away,but it does not follow it all the way through the finish of the beer. You first get hit with a sweet note as you take the first sip. Shortly after you begin to notice the pumpkin and the spices, before having the spices take over as you finish your sip. The smoothness of the beer makes me really enjoy this brew and want to go out and buy a case. I will say that as you finish the sip, you do pick up on the 8.1% but not in a bad way. For me, the smoothness of this beer and spices make you think you are drinking not an 8.1% beer, but like a 6% beer.  Body of this beer is medium and you do notice there is a decent amount of carbonation in this brew, but I think you really notice it because of the spice finish in the beer. 

Check Out River Horse Hipp-O-Lantern 

I really enjoyed this brew because it gave me the best of both world's in terms of a Pumpkin beer. You start of sweet and finish with a spice taste in the end. This beer was neither too sweet or too spiced base for my liking. If you really enjoy a Pumpkin brew, like I do than this is a must try brew for you. I think that most people that enjoy beer, but are afraid of a Pumpkin beer having too strong of a Pumpkin taste, this is a beer you should try as well. You do not get too strong of a Pumpkin taste that you cannot enjoy the quality of this beer. Hopefully, soon I am able to stop over in Ewing, New Jersey for a tour and get this beer straight from the source. As the Pumpkin season, closes down make sure you stop by a beer store and give Hipp-O-Lantern, a spook of a chance. 

Check out River Horse Brewing Company's Website and Twitter: 

RiverHorse

Tweet @RiverHorseBrew

Ichabod

Ichabod New Holland Brewing Company

Trying a seasonal brew from a brewing company that I have never tried before. I will be trying a brew from New Holland Brewing Company. They are located in Holland, Michigan, which Michigan is turning into a hot bed for breweries. This beer was first brewed in 1997 and has been around ever since. I am trying Ichabod from New Holland Brewing Company. Ichabod is a Pumpkin Ale. Ichabod has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.5% and IBU of 25. Here is a little about New Holland, "Each bottle of our craft beer and artisan spirits captures a flavor, a harvest, a season, a moment in time. We honor those who put imagination, creativity and inspiration into their work. Our beer and spirits pair perfectly with a blank canvas, fertile soil, a blinking cursor, an empty plate or the hint of a spark in someone’s eye. The opportunity for art is everywhere." They believe in celebrating art of crafting and the artist in everyone. The temperature keeps dropping and now it is officially headed towards halloween/thanksgiving and Pumpkin season. So cheers to that and let's checkout what is behind Ichabod. 

Appearance of Ichabod

Ichabod has a deep amber tint to it almost like it looks like an Amber Ale. Colorwise the beer looks like a pumpkin brew and I am extremely excited to find out the aroma and the taste of Ichabod. Aoma wise I am pulling the spices out, when I tried to take a whiff of this aroma. Nutmeg and Cinnamon are prevalent in the aroma. I also get the pumpkin aroma in the beer and am curious to see what the taste of Ichabod leaves around. The foam or the head of the beer has a orange white appearance which I believe is from the deep amber color or the pumpkin in the brew. 

Time to figure out the final verdict on Ichabod from New Holland Brewing Company. When I took my first sip, I got a faint taste of pumpkin and more of a hop note. I drank more and more, I noticed the hop note more and more. The hop I picked up on was the Cascade Hop and I think that it is not a bad thing if you are targeting most beer drinkers. I think that to call this a Pumpkin Ale is a little bit of a stretch. I think that the pumpkin does not really hit the taste palate until you finish your sip and are left with the Pumpkin spices on your tongue. 

Ichabod New Holland Brewing Company

The aroma and the color led me to believe this was going to be like a Pumpkin Ale, but the taste threw me a curveball and gave me something different. I think that if you are more of traditional beer drinker and not to high on pumpkin ales then this would be a beer for you to step into the Pumpkin Ales. Not too much pumpkin taste and more of a hop note than anything else. Even though it has a bitter of twenty five, I can still pick up on the Cascade Hop note in the brew and if you like India Pale Ales brewed with Cascade Hops you should check out Ichabod. This is a good brew just not something, I would go out of my way to get again. I know everyone has their own style of beers and I think right now my palate does not cooperate with Cascade Hops. This is a beer worth trying and exploring, to me it has more of an Amber Ale taste than a Pumpkin Ale. 

Check out New Holland Brewing Company's Website and Twitter: 

http://newhollandbrew.com/

Tweet @newhollandbrew

Pumpkinfest

PUMPKINFEST by Terrapin Beer Company

Trying a brew from Terrapin Beer Company tonight. This is the second brew from Terrapin, I have gotten my hands on. According to Terrapin website, Pumpkinfest is a blend between an Oktoberfest and a Pumpkin Ale. If that is the case then this should be an interesting brew to try and I am eager to see what Pumpkinfest is all about. Terrapin Beer Company is located in Athens, Georgia. They have come up with some really unique and interesting brews like Liquid Lunch and Liquid Bliss. Some of their main brews have come from their side projects. Like Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale as Side Project #7 and now this brew I am trying tonight is Side Project #8. I tried Maggie's Peach and I am curious to see what Side Project #8 has become. "So…keeping up with Terrapin’s out of the box brewing tradition, I decided to brew a beer that combines both of these delicious brewing styles." Terrapin combined Oktoberfest style ale with a Pumpkin Ale to create Pumpkinfest. Pumpkinfest has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 23. 

Appearance of Pumpkinfest 

Looking at the color or appearance of this brew it looks like an Oktoberfest. The color of Pumpkinfest auburn or a amber tint to the beer.  For example,  below is a picture of Left Hand Brewing's Oktoberfest and if you look closely the colors are very similar. 

Left Hand Brewing Oktoberfest 

In terms of this being a blend of two styles of beers, the color makes you think of an Oktoberfest and the aroma makes you think of a Pumpkin Ale. The aroma notes, I am picking up are the sweet and spiced aroma of a Pumpkin Ale. While I do notice the Pumpkin side of this beer there is a subtle hint of the Oktoberfest aroma, which plays on a malt backbone to the beer. When you pour this beer, the head or foam at the top leaves a quarter inch of foam at the top, with a brownish white tint to it. Spiced aroma I am picking up in this brew is a cinnamon and a clove presence mixed with the pumpkin.  

I am curious to see how the taste combines the two styles or if it focuses on one side in particular. As of right now, this looks and smells like a combination of the two different styles. I think it will be hard to combine the two styles taste, but let's see where it will take us. To be honest, if Terrapin can pull it of this might become my favorite pumpkin seasonal beer. It would be able to appeal to Oktoberfest drinkers and the Pumpkin Ale drinkers at the same time. I took my first sip and I think taste wise I notice more of the Oktoberfest style at first. There is a note of the Pumpkin sweetness, which shows the combination of the styles but it is not as strong as the Oktoberfest flavor profile. The Oktoberfest note that I notice most is the malt, which is an important thing in this style of brew. I think the addition of the Pumpkin, plays more with the mouthfeel and not so much the taste of the beer. I pick up the spice notes lingering on the tongue after I finish drinking the beer. This is a good seasonal brew, but is not taking over my top seasonal pumpkin brew. 

Check out this combination of style Pumpkinfest 

Overall, I think Pumpkinfest is a good brew and gives the beer drinker a sense of both styles. I think though taste wise if it's going to be listed as a pumpkin beer it might need more power in the taste aspect.  If you like Oktoberfest beers, this is a beer you can enjoy while still getting a touch of a pumpkin note. If you like Pumpkin Ales, this is a beer you can enjoy as well because you get the hint of Pumpkin in the brew. I think that this is a good brew to give you a sense that fall has officially arrived and allows you to drink to fall's arrival. 

Check out Terrapin Beer Company's Website and Twitter: 

http://terrapinbeer.com/

Tweet @TerrapinBeerCo

UFO Pumpkin

UFO PUMPKIN by Harpoon Brewery 

Trying my third brew from Harpoon Unfiltered Series. So far, I have tried UFO White and UFO Big Squeeze. The third beer I am trying is UFO Pumpkin. Harpoon is located in Boston, Massachusetts. Trying the two before has made me what to try their unfiltered pumpkin brew because I liked the ones before and I am a huge pumpkin beer fan. UFO Pumpkin has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.9% and an IBU of 20. Altogether the UFO series has six different beers in the set. I can say after this beer, I am halfway through the UFO beer series. Harpoon was created in 1986 and recently in 2014, became an employee owned company. I think they have an awesome slogan at the bottom of their website "Love Beer. Love Life. Harpoon", with that slogan I think most can agree with the first two parts and maybe the latter. 

Appearance of UFO Pumpkin 

When looking at UFO Pumpkin, I think I am looking at a pumpkin. Color wise this beer color appearance resembles the color of a Pumpkin Pie. I look at UFO Pumpkin and see a deep burnt orange color that has a hazy appearance. The foam or head is white and lingers around to help enhance the flavor of the beer for the drinker. The head of the beer is thin, but has staying power. Aroma wise this beer is like most Pumpkin Ales, you get the spices of: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cloves. I think the unfiltered approach to this beer enhances them and make me really think of a pumpkin pie or pumpkin cookies. There is a subtle malt note that I picked up in the aroma, but it blends in with the Pumpkin and the spices.  

Now let's check out the taste of this brew and how the unfiltered approach changes the beer, if it does at all? Taking my first sip, I enjoyed this light bodied brew and really enjoyed how smooth UFO Pumpkin was. I notice the pumpkin flavor first then got hit with a spice note. I think the unfiltered approach to UFO Pumpkin actually helped settle the too sweet or too spice debate for pumpkin beers. The unfiltered approach in my opinion helped the sweetness and the spices to mellow out, just like baking a pumpkin pie would do. UFO Pumpkin is a brew I could drink all night and not have a problem with it, especially as we head towards Halloween and Thanksgiving. 

Make sure you check out UFO PUMPKIN and the UFO Series of Harpoon. 

I have had some great pumpkin beers recently and I am glad that has been the case. Because I have had some really bad ones, and I am glad breweries are doing a better job at them. UFO Pumpkin is one of those good Pumpkin Ales and I think the fact that it is unfiltered can appeal to many different beer drinkers. Anyone who likes a good unfiltered ale can really enjoy this beer as well as someone who really enjoys pumpkin. This is a seasonal brew from Harpoon so get it while you can, I know I might be going to get a case of this. I do enjoy that Harpoon also became a Employee owned Brewery, that is similar to New Belgium and I want to see more breweries do this instead of pairing with the Macro Breweries. 

Checkout Harpoon's Website and Twitter: 

http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/

Tweet @harpoonbrewery

Pumpkin Savior

Rogue Ale Rogue Farms Pumpkin Savior 

Trying a seasonal brew from a brewery I have not had on this blog, so far. I am trying a brew from Rogue Ales. Rogue Ales started as a brewery/pub and opened in 1988. They are located in Ashland, Oregon. Here is a little about them from their website, "Rogue is a small revolution, which expresses itself through handcrafted Ales, Porters, Stouts, Lagers and Spirits, and this is the way we conduct our business. The spirit of the Rogue brand, even the name, suggests doing things differently, a desire and a willingness to change the status quo. A Rogue Ale, Porter, Stout, Lager or Spirit is crafted to give it unique character, innovative in its makeup and brewing, a process that has not compromised quality. We believe if a Rogue Ale, Porter, Stout, Lager or Spirit cannot be all of these things, it should not be made at all."The brew I am trying tonight from Rogue Ales is Pumpkin Savior. Pumpkin Savior is a Wit Style brew that is brewed with Pumpkin. Pumpkin Savior was a 2015 World Beer Championships Bronze Medal winner. I am excited to try this pumpkin beer. Pumpkin Savior has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.6% and an IBU of 21.

Appearance of Pumpkin Savior

Looking at this brew it reminds me that we are amidst Pumpkin Ale Season.  Pumpkin Savior has a deep orange almost like a burnt orange or a Copper tint to the beer. I have had many Pumpkin beers and this brew looks great. The aroma is very enticing and makes me want to have as many pumpkin items as I can. Aroma I picked up on right away was the spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove. Taking a whiff of Pumpkin Savior reminds me of baking a pumpkin pie. Another aroma note that is strong in this brew is the pumpkin aroma. I just cannot stop smelling this beer and I need to so I can taste, what is behind the aroma. 

I am so eager to taste this beer, I have waited for it to come out this year. I have never had this beer before, but have heard great things about their beers before. I know that Rogue has Rogue Farms and uses their pumpkins from the farm in this brew. I hope that comes through in the taste and I cannot wait to take the first sip of Pumpkin Savior. I think the combination of the Pumpkin and the Wit Style brew is amazing. I took my first sip of Pumpkin Savior and was instantly in love with this beer. You taste the spices and the pumpkin instantly as you take the first sip. The pumpkin really comes through and makes this brew a really enjoyable beer. Another interesting fact about this beer is that the Wit style brew makes this beer not have a heavy body and light mouthfeel.  When enjoying Pumpkin Ales usually they can go sweet or spiced based, Pumpkin Savior does the best job at combining both sweet and spice notes to create this awesome brew.

Make sure you check out Pumpkin Savior

This is an amazing seasonal brew from Rogue Ales and Rogue Farms. I think this might have become my favorite Pumpkin beer. If you are a pumpkin ale fan make sure this brew is atop your list to try. I think that Rogue did a great job not catering too much to sweet or spice based Pumpkin Ales.  Even if you are not a fan of Pumpkin brews this is a beer that you can still enjoy because of the passion and quality of this brew. I am glad that I waited for this Pumpkin Savior and hopefully I can try the Pumpkin Patch Ale next. 

Check out Rouge's Website and Twitter: 

Rogue Ales

Tweet @RogueAles

Hop Knife Harvest Ale

Hop Knife Harvest Ale by Troegs Brewing Company 

Trying a seasonal brew from a local brewery today. I am trying a brew from Troegs Brewing Company, they are located in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  I have tried a brew from Troegs before on the blog and that was Troegenator. I am trying Hop Knife Harvest Ale today.  Hop Knife has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.2 and an IBU or bitterness of 87. Looking at the IBU of this beer, I think I took more than I could handle but I figured let's expand the palate. According to Troegs website, 'Hop Knife Harvest Ale recognizes the meticulous, time-honored tradition of hand-harvesting hops at the peak of maturity'. I am curious to see how hand harvesting at their peak maturity plays an impact on this brew. 

Appearance of Hop Knife 

Looking at this brew I am curious to see what is Hop Knife and what is behind this brew. The color to me looks like two different colors, first you notice the amber tint to the brew. Then the beer almost has a deep golden color to it, in certain light. There is a nice quarter inch of foam or head the top of the glass. In addition the foam or head has a thick appearance to it and has a steady stream of carbonation adding to it. The head or foam has great retention and adds to the enjoyment of the brew. Aroma is an part of beer that can be hit or miss and can make people either like or dislike what they are drinking. The aroma I pick up from this brew is a citrus and a bitter hop aroma. Based off of the aroma and the IBU this makes me think this brew is like an India Pale Ale. Which makes sense considering the handpicking of mature hops and the name of the beer. 

Taste of this brew is where I might get alittle confused or not pick out as much, because of the hop notes. I think the more and more I drink this brew I pick up on the tiny subtleties of each hop used in the beer. Cascade, Centennial, Citra, Chinook, El Dorado, Columbus each have their own uniqueness and I think that Hop Knife brings out each of their uniqueness out in this brew. There is a citrus note while drinking this and I think that you do notice the high IBU but it not overpowering, which allows you to still enjoy the brew if you are not into hops. Hand Picking the hops at their maturity really comes through in the taste of Hop Knife. Hop knife is light and very drinkable. I really enjoyed this brew from start to finish. 

Troegs Hop Knife Harvest Ale 

If you really are looking for a nice harvest ale and enjoy hops this Hop Knife is for you. I also think that if you are looking to try a good hop beer this is also a beer you can try. For me as not a big hop fan, I did enjoy this beer, I think this was a stepping stone to trying more hop heavy or bitter beers. Make sure you get this brew while you still can, this is a seasonal brew and it is only available from August to October. 

Check out Troegs Website and Twitter: 

Hop Knife Harvest Ale

Tweet @TroegsBeer

Devil Went Down to Oregon

Devil Went Down to Oregon Collaboration Brew

I felt that since it is getting cooler out that it would be a good night to have a dark beer since we are headed into that season. I love moving into the colder seasons and have some awesome brews, I am trying a collaboration brew tonight from two beer companies, I have not tried yet. Ninkasi Brewing Company and Devil's Backbone Brewing Company are the breweries that I am trying tonight. They collaborated on a brew called Devil Went Down to Oregon. Ninkasi Brewing Company was founded in 2006 and are located in Eugene, Oregon. I have heard great things about this brewery and I know recently as of a couple months they just started shipping to Pennsylvania. Devil's Backbone Brewing Company is located Roseland, Virginia and reading on the origin of their name is really fascinating. They picked the Devil's Backbone because of their location and incorporating history into the brewery. Devil Went Down to Oregon is an Imperial Rye beer, which incorporates Rye Grain into the beer, hence Rye Beer. Devil Went Down to Oregon has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.2% and an IBU of 65. This is my first step into Rye Beers, let's see how this goes and what this style has in store. 

Appearance to Devil Went Down to Oregon 

Diving into the aroma of this brew is something I looked forward to. I have never had a Rye Beer, so I did not know what to expect aroma wise. I think the first aroma that stands out to me is a sweet fruity aroma, followed by a spiced note. So far this style kind of reminds me of a Saison/Farmhouse Ale. Another final potent aroma is the malt backbone to the beer. As a beer drinker, I prefer the malt aroma rather than a bitter aroma like a India Pale Ale tends to have. You could say I prefer sweet over bitter if you wanted to. Color and appearance can leave a lasting imprint on some beer drinkers. Some might run away from dark beers towards lighter beers because they think they are going to be too heavy. I look at this beer and I am running towards it, trying to figure out this beer one step at a time. To me this brew has a deep amber or maroon color to it. The foam when I poured the beer left a thin layer of foam or head at the top of the beer and then quickly dissipated. 

Taste the final hurdle to see if I like this brew or not. I think looking at this beer right now I am leaning towards liking it. First sip, I took I noticed a few different things afterwards. You notice the Rye malt upfront in my opinion. Followed by a bitter hop note then the beer came to a sweet fruity finish. I think the thing that I say I pick up is that this brew is a very smooth beer that can sneak up on you if you were to drink this too fast. I have drank half of this beer and I noticed the smooth finish, almost like a lager. I also have notice the fermentation in the beer and the ABV that comes with it.  

Lookout for this Collaboration brew

Overall, I find this beer to enjoyable and a brew that you take your time to enjoy. If you have two of these, I think the night might be over after that. I like Devil Went Down to Oregon and I think I might have to check out some more brews in the Rye beer family. Collaboration brews have become the norm these days and I think that you will continue to see more of them to help spread brands. I also think the name for this beer is genius because you will end up going down to Oregon, even though they are in the Pacific Northwest. This brew is a special release from Ninkasi and is available from January to April every year. I think this beer could be a brew you look to cellar and age, if you wanted to. 

Check out the breweries Websites and Twitter: 

http://www.ninkasibrewing.com/

http://dbbrewingcompany.com/

Tweet @NinkasiBrewing

Tweet @dbbrewingco

Perzik Saison

Perzik Saison by Avery Brewing Company 

Trying a seasonal brew from Avery Brewing Company, tonight.  I have had a few of their beers before and this is the fourth beer, I will have blogged about from their brewery. First was the White Rascal, a White Ale brewed with spices. Second was the Raspberry Sour, a Sour Ale. Third was Joe Premium American Pilsner. The newest and probably not the last one is the Perzik Saison. This is a seasonal summer brew from Avery. I have not had a chance to try it all summer until now and I figured since it is becoming colder at night, I should try to drink up the summer brews before it is too cold. Perzik Saison is a Saison that is brewed with Peaches.  Perzik has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.4%. I have had a Saison like this before, but it was from Terrapin Brewing Company and I am curious to see how close or how similar they are to each other. Avery Brewing Company is from Boulder, Colorado. 

Appearance of Perzik Saison 

Looking at this Saison from Avery Brewing Company, the color almost reminds me of an unfiltered wheat ale. There is a golden or orange tint to this Saison. Perzik is cloudy and has a lot of carbonation adding to hazy complexion. The foam or head of the beer retains the foam after pouring and settles with a nice thin layer at the top of the beer. I am curious to see how much peach aroma comes through in the aroma and if this brew smells like a typical Saison. Typically in a Saison, you pick up a citrus and pepper aroma, but I think with the peach added into this ale that aroma might change. I took my first smell of the brew and picked up on peach aroma instead of the citrus. Then the aroma was followed by a peppery aroma and a yeast note. Which makes sense for this beer being a Saison. Farmhouse Ales/ Saisons were typically made with what ever the farmer had to brew with. Some say that you might pick up an earthy aroma when smelling Saison's, but that is because of what the brewer had available to them. 

Taste is another spot that has my curious with this Perzik Saison, I really enjoy Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale and I hope this beer is similar in style. Saison style taste can be too much for some beer drinkers, they usually pick up on the spice note and do not usually enjoy that. For me, I think some Saison's are strong with the pepper taste, but others do a great job at giving the drinker a snippet of that taste note. First thing that I notice when I took my first sip was the yeast forefront and a fruity backbone. The yeast note has a peppery note mixed in with and it is not too overpowering to where you cannot enjoy the beer. After you get past the yeast forefront taste, you pick up a peach taste which is rather enjoyable. I think that the yeast note paired with the peach taste was done perfectly and makes this brew a rather enjoyable Sasion. Mouthfeel you pick up with peppery note and the beer has a medium body. 

Check out Perzik Saison

If you are looking for a summer brew this might be a brew for you. I think that the peach makes this a smooth and enjoyable beer. I wish that I was able to have this on a hot summer day, not that I cannot enjoy this beer on a night like tonight. It is 64 degrees right now and I still am enjoying this beer. As far as comparison to Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale, I think Perzik stays more towards the style and gives you just the right amount of peach taste. I think they both fulfilled their purpose and met the beer drinkers wants. Avery Brewing did a great job on sticking to the Saison style with the Perzik Saison and adding just the right amount of peach flavor to the brew to cut the peppery taste. I would look for this beer on tap near me and if I found it on tap, I would order this again. 

Check out Avery Brewing Company's Website and Twitter: 

http://averybrewing.com/

Tweet @AveryBrewingCo 

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest by Left Hand Brewing Company 

Now we are heading into two beer seasons, Oktoberfest beers and Pumpkin beers. The beer I am trying tonight is an Oktoberfest brew. This style of beers were brewed in the spring usually and then stored cold, so they would not succumb to bacteria and become spoiled. I am trying an Oktoberfest from Left Hand Brewing Company. This is the second beer from them I have tried on the blog, first was their Milk Stout. Left Hand is located in Longmont, Colorado. Oktoberfest has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.6% and an IBU of 24. One thing that I thought was really cool about this brew was the artwork on the bottle. The tiger and the detail they put in on the label you can tell they worked hard on this label. 

Appearance of Oktoberfest 

When I look at this beer I notice the amber or copper tint to the beer. I also notice that this beer is clear and not too dark to be able to see through it. The foam or head at the top of the beer color wise looks tan. The head or foam quickly dissipates after being poured. Aroma of this beer is similar to most Oktoberfest brews. I pick up on a yeast note and a caramel/malt presences. The yeast aroma makes me think of an earthy aroma. I think the caramel or malt presence is more like the Oktoberfest brews aroma's and ends up overtaking the yeast aroma. After trying to pick up on the aroma of this beer I am really interested in trying Left Hand Brewing's take on an Oktoberfest. Most people when they hear of Oktoberfest beers they think of Sam Adam's, but in fact most craft breweries I think do a better job at the Marzen Lager style than the Macro's. 

Taste is where you pick up the true essence of the Oktoberfest in my opinion, if you have had Oktoberfest brews before, you know I am right. Looking at an Oktoberfest taste you are looking for a few things and I want to see if Left Hand, hits them. Toasty is one of them, full body is another and last I would say is the blend of hop/malt. Took my first sip and I could notice all three things I just noted. There is a toasted taste or a malt presence as well as a full body backbone to this brew. The first thing that I would say I noticed in tasting this brew was the sweet caramel taste or the malt presences. Secondly, I would say that there is a spice or yeast note that follows the sweet taste. Lastly, I would say that you finish off with a mild hop note that is not overpowering. There is slight carbonation to the Oktoberfest and the mouthfeel is thick and rich. Left Hand made this Oktoberfest very enjoyable and something I will look for every year now. 

Check out Left Hand Brewing OKTOBERFEST

This brew is a seasonal beer from Left Hand Brewing Company and something, I think that you should look for every time fall comes around. I really enjoyed this Oktoberfest and I hope to try more like this beer. Left Hand Brewing Company did a great job pulling in all the factors of a great Oktoberfest and added a hop note that went along with the style. I think that anyone that enjoys an Oktoberfest should put this atop their list. In addition, anyone that likes a hop presences in their brews, should check this beer out as well. 

Check out Left Hand Brewing Company's Website and Twitter: 

lefthandbrewing.com

Tweet @LeftHandBrewing