When we think of fruited beers, it’s usually berries, citrus or fleshy stonefruits, among other sweet delights that frequent the fruit bowl, making their way into our glass. But, technically, pumpkins are fruit, too, and Boston aren’t in the business of excluding the sweet, thickly-skinned crop more often reserved for savoury cooking from their fermenters, releasing Pumpkin Ale in time for Halloween.
It pours a firm, ripe pumpkinesque hue with sweet spice abundant on the nose. Along with pumpkin, the Boston brewers also added "pumpkin spice": cinnamon and clove are prominent. On tasting, earthy spices upfront are underpinned by sweet toffee and some nuttiness; ultimately, a sweeter, pumpkin pie profile is what dominates. Bitterness is firmly in place as sweetness and some bready characters carry well into the finish alongside a pillowy mouthfeel and lingering notes of orange marmalade and stewed apricots.
A pumpkin and spice-infused beer may sound a little off-kilter – on these shores, at least, less so in head brewer Reid Stratton's birthplace across the Pacific – yet despite its release coinciding with spooky festivities, there really isn’t anything to be afraid of here. What you have is another standout limited release from the Denmark crew.
Jono Outred
Published October 14, 2024 2024-10-14 00:00:00
