Beer of the Weekend #501: Pumpkick
What’s that I hear, rumbling in the distance and approaching quickly? Could it be— Yes, I think it is— A deadline.
My next LV recommendation is due on Sunday. Grr. And with Sweets and Zaza’s wedding on Saturday, I really need to start working through some candidates.
Today’s brown bottle lunch is Pumpkick, brewed by New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The best by date printed on the label is “08DEC13.”
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is mostly clear, medium gold with amber and pumpkin tones. Two fingers of dense foam slowly dissipated, leaving a spotted skim.
Smell: Though cinnamon is most noticeable, there is a nice balance of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin to offer the customary pumpkin pie aroma. The cranberry creeps in late and provides a tart touch.
Taste: Light to medium mouthfeel. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice work the taste buds (especially in the tail and aftertaste) and pumpkin is always present. It offers pumpkin pie like the aroma, but it is not the tastiest pumpkin pie around. Except for the spices, the other flavors are quite muted. The cranberry is hyped, and the promised “bite of tartness” is present, but it takes a while for it to emerge.
Drinkability: It is not the best pumpkin ale but is still pretty tasty. I do like the cranberry bite, too. It makes it that much more like Thanksgiving dinner.
Fun facts about Pumpkick:
-Style: Pumpkin ale.
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: The label suggests 45ºF.
-Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
-The beer’s webpage lists its birth date as July 2013.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
My next LV recommendation is due on Sunday. Grr. And with Sweets and Zaza’s wedding on Saturday, I really need to start working through some candidates.
Today’s brown bottle lunch is Pumpkick, brewed by New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The best by date printed on the label is “08DEC13.”
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is mostly clear, medium gold with amber and pumpkin tones. Two fingers of dense foam slowly dissipated, leaving a spotted skim.
Smell: Though cinnamon is most noticeable, there is a nice balance of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin to offer the customary pumpkin pie aroma. The cranberry creeps in late and provides a tart touch.
Taste: Light to medium mouthfeel. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice work the taste buds (especially in the tail and aftertaste) and pumpkin is always present. It offers pumpkin pie like the aroma, but it is not the tastiest pumpkin pie around. Except for the spices, the other flavors are quite muted. The cranberry is hyped, and the promised “bite of tartness” is present, but it takes a while for it to emerge.
Drinkability: It is not the best pumpkin ale but is still pretty tasty. I do like the cranberry bite, too. It makes it that much more like Thanksgiving dinner.
Fun facts about Pumpkick:
-Style: Pumpkin ale.
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: The label suggests 45ºF.
-Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
-The beer’s webpage lists its birth date as July 2013.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
