Richer and headier than most UFO series, Harpoon’s Pumpkin Ale now gets canned under Mass Bay Brewing. Sweet brown-sugared pumpkin pie spicing counters less prominent earthen gourd vegetalia and muted herbal hop pungency. Sharp cinnamon spicing gains ginger, clove, allspice and nutmeg seasoning as well as raw vanilla tannins.
On tap at Growler & Gill, reserved pumpkin-spiced moderation spreads brown-sugared cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice sweetness across dried ginger insistence and mild perfumed hops above relegated Graham Cracker-honeyed wheat spine. Predictably staid and worthily conformist.
Brown-sugared pureed pumpkin pie spicing lets ginger-snapped cinnamon toasting gain prominence above earthen gourd-bound foliage. Fizzy orange peel spritz never precludes pumpkin-spiced sweetness.
On tap at Hoover’s, weak pumpkin-spiced barleywine lacks descriptive stylistic diversity and becomes arid. Pumpkin pie sweetness and brown-sugared cinnamon toasting lost to sharp gin-licked orange rind bittering. Wispy ginger, nutmeg and allspice reminders need better resonance.
Sharp cinnamon spicing paces less enthusiastic 2020 version of brown-sugared pumpkin pied libation. A tad slick compared to the triumphant 2012 original, its cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice alacrity still maintains a sweet distinction, and the spiced orange tang’s a nice touch, but the carbolic fizziness retains a certain aridity.
On tap at Plank Pizza, delicate pumpkin pie spicing wispily gains zesty lemon spritz above dry pale malt grid in clean watered setting. Beneath the spare gourd surface, light herbal notions contrast subtle sugared spicing. Underwhelming but crushable.
Sharp cinnamon-barked pumpkin pie entry gains orange-peeled ginger, nutmeg and clove spicing as well as caramelized malt sweetness to contrast earthen yam-gourd conflux. Interestingly, spearmint, fern and pine nut illusions flutter by below.
Dry pumpkin ale brings earthen gourd/ squash influence to sharp ginger herbage and muted cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice seasoning. Underwhelming 2018 autumnal release.
Modest pumpkin roast sweetened slightly by meek cinnamon-nutmeg spicing, brown-sugared acorn squash reminder and teasing yam snip. Desolate earthen bottom underscores relegated pumpkin pie-spiced finish.
On tap at Barcade – Manhattan, subdued moderate-bodied pumpkin ale contrasts sweet pumpkin-pied nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and ginger spicing against earthen gourd complacency, baked pumpkin vegetalia and lemony Cascade hop bittering. But it’s ultimately too thin.
Delicate floral-spiced pumpkin pie spicing lightly lacquers mild crystal malt sweetness to contrast dry pumpkin-fleshed earthiness of OK autumnal fare. Calm cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice seasoning as well as sugared yam snip need deeper penetration.
