20 POUNDS OF PUMPKIN ~ SAMUEL ADAMS

Again it is that time of year for pumpkin beer. According to Sam Adams, pumpkin was originally used in brewing to provide fermentable sugars, now it is just used for flavouring. 20 pounds of pumpkin went into each barrel of this brew. Sampled from a bottle, the beer poured a clear coppery brown colour with hints of ruby. The beer had a generous beige head, which stuck around briefly before settling into a cap, it left some whispy lacing as it receded. The nose, which is on the mild side has notes of pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, ginger, caramel and biscuity malts. The flavour is pretty smooth and not overly pumpkin or over spiced. The taste is much like the aroma with notes of pumpkin pie spices, pumpkin, caramel and sweet bread. The finish has a brown sugar sweetness to it that is matched by mild earthy hops and a dryness from the cinnamon. The body was on the thin side medium and the carbonation was soft. This is a highly drinkable pumpkin beer due to its restraint. Nice for a change, but not a session beer for me.

5.7% from Boston, Massachusetts