Greetings,
With the start of October I’m going to review
as many seasonal (Halloween) beers as I can as well as repost old reviews.
Tonight’s featured beer is Southern Tier Brewing Company
Imperial Pumking Ale. Last year I heard great things about Pumking (the best
pumpkin ale out there), but wasn’t able to get any. I was excited to be able to get a hold of
this one from
LetsPour.
Check them out!
From the Southern Tier Brewing Company
website: “bewitched and brewed with pagan spirit” “All Hallows Eve is a time of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent. It is thought that we harness this magic to brew our powerful pumpkin ale. Not so, but it is with great respect to the magic of their trade that our brewers produce this fine beer. Take a whiff of this complex ale and your journey has just begun. At first sip, a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds, yet another victim enraptured by the Pumking."
Let’s get started!
Appearance: Pours a clear orange with the thinnest off-white
head and not much lacing.
Aroma: Smells like magic in a glass. Pumpkin pie scents to
include maple, clove, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and the slightest malt
sweetness. Fall in a glass.
Taste: Now I understand the hype. Spices are spot on and perfectly
blended. Maple, cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin
and everything that makes a good pumpkin pie great. The perfect sweet malt backend makes this one
legendary.
Overall: So far, Southern Tier Brewing Company’s Imperial
Pumking Ale is probably the best pumpkin beer I’ve had (although it is a close
one with Buffalo Bill’s Imperial Pumpkin which I am hoping will be available
soon). At 8.6% ABV this is one I could
easily have a couple bombers of and enjoy Fall festivities, but since getting
in California is a treat I’ll treat my bottles like gold.
Southern Tier Brewing Company is fast
becoming one of my favorite breweries.
Cheers!
Mark Harvey
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