Pumpkin-flavored ginger ale?
Written: Sep 15 '08 (Updated Oct 25 '08)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Sweet taste; very easy to drink; light body
Cons: No authentic pumpkin flavor; maybe a little TOO sweet-tasting; gimmicky
The Bottom Line: If you've never had a pumpkin ale before and aren't a beer connossiuer you might want to start here and work you way up.
|
|
|
| Chad9976's Full Review: Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale |
There’s something very ironic about Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale; it’s a seasonal beer brewed by a mid-level brewery and yet it drinks like something made by one of the big boys. This is exactly the type of beer the smaller guys are supposed to be masters at brewing, so why does this niche craft beer come off as gimmicky?
POUR, COLOR AND AROMA
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that Pumpkinhead Ale had poured to a beautiful shade of dark amber with some orange glazing to it, not unlike the color of a pumpkin. The beer poured extremely smooth and formed a small, white, soapy head which disappeared quickly and left no lacing on the glass. There was very little appearance of carbonation action.
The aroma is much different than the other pumpkin beers I’ve tried in that it’s overwhelmingly that of cinnamon and very sweet, not spicy.
TASTE
Upon my first swig of Pumpkinhead Ale my palate was saturated with the taste of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Autumn seasonal beers are loaded with spices, and this beer is no exception, however, most don’t have the sweetness level found here.
The catch to this beer is that it’s not made with any actual pumpkin, only artificial flavoring. I would expect that from a mass market corporation, not a craft brewery like Shipyard. I guess that explains why this beer has the bare minimum of pumpkin flavor, as the sweet seasonings give the beer a very gimmicky taste.
FINISH
Since this is a sweet-tasting beer it’s not surprising that it has a very crisp, clean finish. There is no bite or kickback to be felt here and drinkers who enjoy sweet, sugary drinks should be able to down a glass or bottle of Pumpkinhead Ale quickly and easily.
BODY
I’m not sure what surprised me more: the fact Pumpkinhead Ale tasted so sweet or its light, watery body. Seasonal ales tend to be loaded with flavor, making them at least medium in body, but this beer drinks like a run-of-the-mill lager.
Its potency is average at 4.5% ABV, and I’d wager its caloric content is in the low 100s (data not available on the website). Basically, you could drink this as an alternative to a light beer and have more or less the same drinking experience.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed in Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, but definitely underwhelmed. I think it would appeal to lightweights and casual drinkers, but those looking for true taste and craft might opt for a different pumpkin ale.
OTHER PUMPKIN ALES:
Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale (4)
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (3)
Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale (4)
Post Road Pumpkin Ale (5)
Saranac Pumpkin Ale (4)
Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale (3)
Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale (4)
A Six-Pack of Pumpkin Beer Reviews
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Chad9976
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Member: Chad Polenz
Location: Albany, New York
Reviews written: 663
Trusted by: 147 members
About Me:Check out Chad'z Beer Reviews on YouTube
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.