A Flowery Song

Background: The first (and so far only) pumpkin beer from Jolly Pumpkin, this golden ale is flavoured with pumpkin, cacoa, and spices.

Nose: Dry, tart, with hints of cinnamon and chocolate.

Taste: Dry, tart, with hints of oak and squash. Very negligible spice influence, really.

Overall: Good beer. But while it’s what I expected from a Jolly Pumpkin beer, it’s not really what people expect from a pumpkin beer.

Appearance: Clear medium amber, rocky white head.

Smell: Sweet toasted malt, honey, and spices.

Taste: Ergh, too much cinnamon. Honey and nutmeg in the background, some hops bitterness, but mainly the overpowering cinnamon.

Mouthfeel: Light, with medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Not much.

Appearance: Hazy light orange, off-white head with decent retention.

Smell: Smells like pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust.

Taste: Highly spiced, lots of nutmeg and cinnamon. Caramel and grain notes, medium bitterness and a definite fleshy pumpkin taste.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, high carbonation.

Drinkability: Decent. Good flavour, fairly well balanced. Better with a meal than on its own.

Appearance: Slightly hazy medium brown. Coarse, off-white head that's barely there at all.

Smell: Smells like a light ale with pumpkin and spices added. A good sign. Spice aromas are cinnamon and allspice.

Taste: Spice is very forward, but the pumpkin is a bit…not there. Malt is biscuity and grainy. Virtually no hops. Slightly too sweet. Maybe a bit of pumpkin in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, high level of carbonation. A bit sticky.

Drinkability: Well, it's not horrible. But it's not great either.