Elysian Brewing Company Great Pumpkin Ale
What the brewers say
“Pumpkin, sugar, and spice on the nose with a bready, malty backdrop. Roasted pumpkin seeds in the mash, and pumpkin added in the mash, kettle, and fermentor. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Smells rich, like pumpkin pie and whipped cream. Allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg come through prominently—it’s tough to discern much beyond those spices.”
Flavor: “Light bodied and highly carbonated, which really make the spices pop. The initial subtle note of sweet brown sugar is quickly overtaken by myriad spices, the strongest being cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. It’s very tasty but out of balance with the mild malt backbone. Surprisingly, spices aren’t so overdone to carry over too strongly in the finish, with a bit of sweetness lingering in the light alcoholic finish.”
Overall: “Christmas-spice fans rejoice! This beer has one of the best spice aromas I have experienced, but I’d like to see a touch more body to support the strong spice character. However, still a very tasty beer that is sure to please any spice fan.”
