A Pint Half Full

Purchased from:
Whole Foods, Fair Lakes, VA

ABV%:
7%

Type:
Brown Ale

Color:
Pumpkin orange with a cinnamon tinge

Aroma:
Smells of the pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg primarily. 

Taste:
Crisp, nice blend of the pumpkin pie essences and smooth.  All the flavors work together.  Creamy.   A little sweet, but overall a thick, robust beer.  A bit of aftertaste but cleans up with a little bitterness from the hops.

Overall:
I'm going to disclaimer this right now and say that if you're not a fan of pumpkin/pumpkin pie you MAY not enjoy this beer!  I recommended this beer to a couple of my friends who went out and bought it on my suggestion and they didn't like it.  One of them doesn't drink beer so their opinion doesn't count but the other loves pumpkin pie AND beer and still didn't like it.  I think he was surprised by the mix of pumpkin with beer so it may have thrown him off (like me and the Old Rasputin - which, thinking back on it, and as one of my commenters pointed out, is truly an excellent beer). 

Anyway, this beer delivers.  As I said in my post previously, the DFH Punkin Ale really brings you into the fall season with its reminders of Thanksgivings past in its aroma and a harvest-y, hearty feel through its taste.  The flavors are balanced and you can pinpoint all the different spices.  At the same time, it's not like you're drinking pumpkin pie juice - this is a beer!  It's got some hops and malt as the bitterness and sweetness counteract each other to add to the balance.  It is creamy, smooth, and rich making it more satisfying.  It all becomes quite complex and keeps you going back for more. 

4/5