Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Brewer: Weyerbacher Brewing Company; Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. (microbrewery)

After about an hour of following a highly-intelligent toddler around with a camera, I retired to the kitchen for some birthday cake. I found my cousin's husband Patrick taking a bottle of beer out of the fridge.

"Yeah, this is that other pumpkin ale we got," He said, opening the bottle with a quick flick of his hand and a Tungsten wedding ring. "I know you're driving, but did you want to try a little?" And he poured me a small glass.

Already I noticed a vibrant orange hue, and my hopes were immediately enlightened. Let me try to explain the flavor in this: Take one part pumpkin puree, to two parts brown ale, blend until smooth. Yes, this was truly what I was looking for in a pumpkin ale.

The pumpkin flavor was remarkably bold, paired with a sweet aftertaste and a gorgeous medley of fall spices. Nutmeg and cardamom stole the show. Actually, a few quotes from "Beerfest" came to mind on the first sip: "It's magical! It's laughing at me! I wish I could brush my teeth with it! I wish it were winter so we could freeze it into ice blocks and skate on it, and we could melt it in in springtime and drink it!" Yeah, it was that good.

And doing some research, it comes as no surprise. Weyerbacher has a reputation for "huge taste" beers with higher-than-usual alcohol content; Imperial Pumpkin clocks at 8% alcohol by volume; pretty heavy stuff. Another nifty fact straight off the Weyerbacher Wiki: The company ages their beer in barrels previously used for aging bourbon. One could assume that contributes to the awesome flavor of their brews.

I also want to make a note of the clever labeling. I had noticed this brand in the liquor store when I had purchased a six-pack of Punk'n, and remarked that the pumpkin character on the label is strikingly "Burtonesque". It's just overall a spooky imagery, very appropriate for a variety of beer that flourishes close to Halloween!

So, thus far Weyerbacher is king in my book, being the first I've tried that actually tastes of pumpkin! Very impressive, and worthy of the label of Imperial. I tip my hat to you, Dan and Sue Weirback, keep up the good work.



Rating:


5 out of 5