Review - Southampton Brewing Company's Pumpkin Ale
"Our Autumn amber brew with the unmistakable flavor of "pumpkin pie" is available now through Thanksgiving in 22 oz bottles and seasonal draft." -- Southampton Brewing
Pours a ruddy red color with a slight amber tinge topped by a very fizzy white head that quickly diminishes. Settled color is a light garnet/amber hue. Body clarity is brilliant with some slight carbonation. Little to no lacing. Initially, moderate amount of pumpkin spices escapes from our glass. The nose is delighted by the pumpkin pie spices, containing hints of Nutmeg, ginger, and a soft cinnamon presence. A malty-doughy malt presence was also noted. Initial taste is slightly sweet with some cinammon spice and some gentle bitterness. Finish is slightly more bitter with less of a sweet taste and more of the spices come to the fore, such as the nutmeg. Our mouths were immediately attacked by the festive carbonation, giving us a fizzy-tingling feeling (the carbonation settles rather quickly). Light to Medium and body, the Southampton Pumpkin Ale drinks with a creamy texture that leaves our palates slightly slick. After a bit of time, our mouths were left slightly dry - and somewhat lip smacking.
A very tasty pumpkin ale, it's not overly spiced and not overly sweet, just kind of a 95 mph fastball with a little movement on the corner; straightforward, yet very effective. It is relatively tame on alcohol, so most of the flavor here is from the spices and it presents them very well without being harsh. It is very smooth and easy to drink (rating high on the drink-ability scale).
Reviewed on September 27th, 2009.
