davebeerblog

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Southern Tier - Warlock

Price: $9 per 22oz bomber (0.41 $/oz)

ABV: 10.0%

IBU: ?? (~25)

★★★☆☆

Like pumpking, this is very bitter.  Also like pumpking it tastes very pumpkin pie-ish, however it also has prominent chocolate and roasted malt flavors which do a lot to mask the bitterness, making it much better than pumpking in my book.  Still too bitter for my taste mind you, but definitely much more palatable.

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Southern Tier - Pumpking

Price: $9 per 22oz bomber (0.41 $/oz)

ABV: 8.6%

IBU: 25

★☆☆☆☆ 

I love pumpkin beers, and Pumpking is probably the closest I’ve ever had to liquid pumpkin pie.  Unfortunately I also hate bitter beers, and all the spices and sweet flavors do so little too mask the bitterness here it’s unbelievable.  I’ve had this several times and am always shocked that it’s worse than I remember.  Shame, cause I’d probably like this if I could take a swig without gagging.

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Stone Brewing - Coffee Milk Stout

Price $11 per 6 pack (0.15 $/oz)

ABV: 5.0%

IBU: 40

★★★★★ 

While I normally would hate this amount of bitterness, it is pretty close to the bitterness of a nice cup of joe.  The coffee flavors are very overt with clear milky sweetness that makes this taste like a cappuccino.  It’s basically exactly what you would expect from the bottle and goes down very smooth despite the bitter taste.  Who would have figured that the roasted malt flavors of a stout would go well with the roasted bean flavors of coffee?

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Tap Room No. 21 - Pumpkin Ale

Price: $8 per 6 pack (0.11 $/oz)

ABV: 5.3%

IBU: 20

★★☆☆☆

I like beers with a bit of sweetness.  This one however tastes so much like molasses it’s sickeningly sweet, even a whiff of it is very telling.  It’s also has a very distinct pumpkin taste, but that’s fine.  I might be more forgiving if the molasses overload didn’t get even worse in the aftertaste.

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Brooklyn Brewery - Post Road Pumpkin Ale

Price: $9 per 6 pack (0.13 $/oz) APV: 5.0% IBU: 24 ★★☆☆☆

Lots of spices, which I normally say is a plus, but it’s overpowering and makes it harder to taste anything else other than the mild bitterness.  Definitely a lighter beer with a unbalanced flavor composition that makes it hard to appreciate when it’s the same price as other craft brews.

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Shipyard Brewing - Pumpkinhead

Price: $11 per 6 pack (0.15 $/oz)

ABV: 4.5%

IBU: 18

★★★★☆

At first I was weirded out by the fruitier flavors, but then I realized this is a wheat beer.  The distinct pumpkin and spice flavors combine to make it taste like pumpkin bread with banana, raisins, and probably other things I don’t have the pallet to pinpoint.  So basically it tastes like liquid fruitcake, but the good kind of fruitcake, the damn good kind.

[davebeerblog]

Sierra Nevada - Octoberfest

Price: $9 per 6 pack (0.13 $/oz)

ABV: 6.0%

IBU: 30

★★★☆☆

A little bitter going down, but with a nice combination of spices and pumpkin it’s actually a pleasant beer.  

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Samuel Adams - Pumpkin Batch

Price:  $8 per 6 pack (0.11 $/oz)

ABV: 5.6%

IBU: 26

★★★☆☆ 

Heavy on the spices with a little pumpkin.  Moderately easy going down if a little bitter.  Very light beer with a good combination of flavors.  

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Harpoon - UFO Pumpkin Ale

Price: $9 per 6 pack (0.13 $/oz)

APV: 5.9%

IBU: 20

★★★★☆

Very easy going down without much of any bitterness.  Nice pumpkin taste that isn’t nearly as overpowering as one would expect from something with unfiltered pumpkin bits floating around.  Overall a pleasant malty ale I’d love to have again.

[davebeerblog]

Samuel Adams - Octoberfest

Price: $8 per 6 pack (0.11 $/oz)

APV: 5.3%

IBU: 16

★★★☆☆

One of the first beers I took a liking too, and so it has become the quintessential beer for me by which I’ve set the bar.  There’s essentially no bitterness, and a nice malty, caramel taste that goes down easy.  Perhaps a little watery, but otherwise a solid good tasting beer.