Saranac Pumpkin Ale

Saranac Pumpkin Ale:

An interesting take on the fall classic pumpkin ale. Brewed with vanilla in addition to the old standbys cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, Saranac has a little zip to it but manages to remain pretty mellow. Pretty nice body and a dessert-like finish. Not too terribly sweet but I'd say its the sweetest of the pumkins I've tried. Saranac's Pumpkin Ale maintains the beer-like qualities of an ale while gettin' kinda pumpkiny at the same time. If some of the more pumpkinier and spicier brews could steal some of Saranac's body, the field would be narrower.

Overall, this beer has a lot of positives but doesn't topple the sexier pumkin ales out there these days. Definitely worth a try, but get some singles if you can before investing in a 6, 12, or a case. The taste is cool but not necessarily a "session" beer. The pumpkin flavors are more subtle and the vanilla really stands out. Conversation piece, no doubt.

(Click HERE to see the results of the Ultimate Pumpkin Showdown!)