Despite the recent string of 104 degree days in northern California, fall is upon us. This means that the thick stouts and porters of winter are just around the corner. Before we have the pleasure of chewing those malty seasonals, we must endure the notoriously hit-or-miss pumpkin ale era.
For whatever reason (perhaps the lack of a legitimate autumn), the west coast seems to provide few pumpkin brews for review. Thankfully, I'm in Boston for a week for my girlfriend's sister's wedding and can dabble in some beer reviews while she is busy zipping dresses and curling hair. I've already inhaled a draught pint of the Dogfishead Punkin' Ale and have been tempted twice by one of my favorites, Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin. My choice at the liquor store up the street, however, was Smuttynose Brewing Company's Pumpkin Ale.
I like my pumpkin ales to meet two simple criteria:
1. Be brewed with actual pumpkin, not just spices.
2. Not obliterate your senses with cinnamon, clove, and all-spice.
Smuttynose easily passes these two tests. The pumpkin taste is present, but not overpowering. The ale is smooth and crisp at first, but seems to develop a sort of skunky IPA taste as the bottom of the bottle approaches. Smuttynose certainly deserves entry into the upper tier of pumpkin ale brewers, but its 5% ABV $1.80 per bottle concoction pales in comparison to its east coast rivals like Saranac, Shipyard, and Dogfishead.
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