Sep 30, 2011

Williamsburg Alewerks Pumpkin Ale

Williamsburg Alewerks Pumpkin Ale photoMore pumpkin ale!

There have been a ton of new pumpkin-base brews available this year — and I’ve been trying to drink them all. Williamsburg Alewerks is another brewery in the long line of companies releasing this Fall seasonal that seems to gain momentum each and every year. Brewed with roasted pumpkin (how many breweries roast their pumpkins prior to brewing?) and spices, this particular example of the style leans more toward the dessert side of the spectrum.

I prefer the less sweet and more earthy varieties of pumpkin ales, but every once in a while I still want to be reminded of warm pumpkin pie when drinking one of these beers. This brew fulfilled that need just fine.

Appearance

The beer pours a reddish orange in color with a slowly falling white head that resulted in patching lacing.

Aroma

Lots of pumpkin pie and a ton of spices fill the nose with each sniff.

Taste

Like I said in the intro, this one takes the pumpkin-pie-in-a-glass route and does it fairly well, though the spicing feels a bit over-done at times. There’s a decent sweetness that, when joined by the 8% ABV, gives it an after-dinner vibe. There’s a light level of hop bitterness toward the dryer finish.

Overall

There’s a bit too much spice in this brew for me to site down and have more than one. It’s not to the point that the beer becomes chalky, but still a touch much. Other than that, the beer is easy drinking despite the higher alcohol content.

Rating: 4/5

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