Iron Hill Imperial Pumpkin Release

We at the Ferment Nation loves us some pumpkin beers!  Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant in Maple Shade, NJ had released its Great Imperial Pumpkin and the Imperial Bourbon Pumpkin Ale at their release party a few weeks ago.

Now the beers:
Iron Hill's Pumpkin Ale was fresh and delicious... Pumpkin flavor and all the appropriate spices, but very drinkable.  Slightly smaller body and alcohol content make it a groovy session beer.
Great Imperial Pumpkin is bigger and badder.  Definitely comparable with some of the sought-after Imperial Pumpkin Ales out there (like Pumking, Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin, Fegley's Devious...).  If I may be so bold... I think the Iron Hill offering trumps them all.
Bourbon Imperial Pumpkin was magnificent.  The oaky bourbon flavors complemented the autumnal pumpkin pie spices and the earthy gourd essence of the pumpkin in a way that blew my mind.  I tried Avery's Rumpkin ale last year, and I definitely got what they were going for, but it was just a teensy bit too big for me.  Iron Hill's Bourbon Imperial hits the mark!

It's getting closer to those fall holidays Halloween and Thanksgiving, when pumpkin ales are tough to find in the stores and pubs.  Those of us on the ball, however, get out there early and often.  Following are a Storified collection of tweets from the party and a slideshow of some nicer photographs taken with an actual camera (as opposed to my photo-challenged Blackberry).  Enjoy!

Two Great Beers at the Perch Pub in Philly

I had another chance to stop by The Perch Pub on the corner of Broad and Locust in Philadelphia.  I have mentioned this bar before, and I think it deserves further mentioning, because it is a great happy hour bar in Philly.  I shouldn't say that too loudly, because part of the charm of this bar is that I have never seen it packed, which is odd.  I think they feature one appetizer (maybe) during happy hour, but their craft beers are half price.  Great deal.  If you are thinking of appetizers, I recommend the deviled eggs (made with sriracha) as well as the pretzels (accompanied by a stone ground mustard and cheese sauce).  And did I mention that it is bright and airy, because it features lots of glass windows (rare in Philly)?

This time I sampled two brews: Williamsburg Alewerks Pumpkin Ale (bottle) and Fegley's Brew Works Double-O Seven (draft).  The pumpkin ale was tasty.  It definitely had some pumpkin taste to it.  I have heard some people complain about some pumpkin beers that taste all like cinnamon and spice and not very nice, more like potpourri beer than pumpkin.  Not the case here.  This was good, and I would drink it again.  The Fegley's I am confused by.  I forgot to write down Perch Pub's description of it.  I just remember it being 9.0% abv.  I don't see a description of Fegley's website either.  It was a little harsh and aggressive - you could taste the alcohol, but it did have an interesting citrus, slightly tart grapefruity taste to it.  But I am seeing some sites say it is a witbier, but I am not sure.  Feel free to comment on this post and enlighten me.  It was good, especially at half price, but not something I would return to.  Because of its grapefruity taste and aggressive hopping, I think I assumed it was a 2X IPA, but I really don't know.  Maybe I will have to get back to the Perch Pub to investigate further.

New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale (Citizen Review)

What: New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale

Where: The Ferment Nation

When: December 1, 2010

What-Have-You:"This pumpkin ale has some really great pumpkin spice and seasonings smells coming right out of the bottle.  Obvisously not so pumpkiny as Pumking, but nice flavor.  I haven't had many pumpkin beers this season (2010), but since I liked Elysian Night Owl, I will compare Ichabod to it, because I am liking Ichabod. You can taste the pumpkin. I like this."

[Read a full review of New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale]

New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale

New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale:

I'm choosing to drink Ichabod from the bottle, since I believe that's how it can be enjoyed best. Pretty smooth and drinkable at 5.2% abv, ths seasonal offering from New Holland would look swell in a cooler full of ice with the Headless Horseman's menacing mug peering out over the cubes. Halloween party or a fall football tailgater could showcase Ichabod's fun artwork and easy-drinking flavor.

New Holland Ichabold Pumpkin Ale has a pretty light body and reminds me a lot of a pale ale eve though it pours out a hazy, orangey color, and New Holland itself describes Ichabod as an amber on the label: "Real pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg enrich this amber brew. Pairings: roasted poultry, root vegetables, peanut sauce, and caraway." So maybe a barbecue pit in a stadium parking lot would suit this brew nicely... chicken, sausage, some stew perhaps...

The pumpkin essence and telltale spices put New Holland Ichabod right in line with many other October seasonals. And like New Holland's brews as I have encountered them, Ichabod pumpkin ale is pretty cool but not overwhelming. It's one of the more drinkable ones out there and would be a great introductory beer for first-timers to pumpkin seasonals or into New Holland's offerings.

The bottom line is this: Ichabod smells and tastes like pumpkin but it finishes like a beer. (In the pantheon: somewhere between Elysian Night Owl and Post Road.) Some hoppy bitterness and malty sweetness appear in the distance but much like the Headless Horseman himself, comes up just a little short.

New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale:

Representation: .87

Accessibility: .90

Style: .80

Personal Preference: .82

Total Score: 3.39 Flags

Arcadia Ales Jaw-Jacker Ale

Arcadia Ales Jaw-Jacker Ale:

Arcadia seems to follow the British Isles session beer model. They do not fear flavor, but they do keep it to a dull roar. Jaw-Jacker has tons of flavor. It is an "Ale with spices added (Cinnamon, Allspice, and Nutmeg)" as described by the label itself. And it is a pretty accurate description, I might add. Yes, these spices invoke the spirit of Fall, hinting at Pumpkin Pie -- but there are no pumpkins brewed into this beer. It's a hit and a miss at the same time.

Originality is a tough thing to judge here, which affects the Style score in my method. Yes, it is original in that it's a pumpkin ale without the pumpkins. But really... where does that leave you? It has a very similar spice profile to maybe -- Southampton Pumpkin Ale? But without the actual pumpkin, Jaw-Jacker may come up just a little short.

I think that Style points could have been really pumped up here if the brew had come out either crisper (like a ginger ale, almost) or way bigger in body (picture something from Dogfish Head or Southern Tier), or perhaps entirely different (cider, perhaps?). Anyway, Arcadia Jaw-Jacker is not bad at all as a fall beer or even as a Halloween beer. Thanksgiving? Maybe. But compared to the million other seasonals I've had over the past three autumns, Jaw-Jacker is pretty good but not great. It's fairly drinkable (in the Arcadia tradition) at 6.0% abv, but I think one is good enough for me.

Arcadia Ales Jaw-Jacker Ale:

Representation: .85

Accessibility: .875

Style: .85

Personal Preference: .80

Total Score: 3.375 Flags

River Horse Hipp-O-Lantern

River Horse Hipp-O-Lantern Imperial Pumpkin Ale:

There are lots of lovely things going on in this Imperial Pumpkin from River Horse. The "Brewer's Reserve " line has been impressing me since the Double Wit a few years back and continues straight through the Hop-a-Lotamus (which I recommend to just about everyone, by the way). Hipp-O-Lantern has plenty of body and a boozy pumpkin essence, yet somehow remains dry at the finish.

I haven't gone completely bonkers with pumpkin brews yet this season so it is with renewed vigor that El Presidente takes on the task of organizing the citizenry's autumnal beverage selection. If you've been following Ferment Nation over the past two years, you will realize the depth of coverage we try to provide: The Ultimate Pumpkin Showdown is worth a look (and a listen, by the way... check out our podcast). And last year, Charlie's Pumpkin Patch at The Institute was fairly epic as well. And so it begins again...

First things first: Pour Hipp-O-Lantern into a nice glass. Perhaps a thistle, tulip, or even a wine glass. This will keep you from chugging this gentle giant from River Horse. Don't lose all the subtle spice notes by greedily pouring it down your gullet. And take a moment to check out the aroma. Fairly mild, but a treat nonetheless.

Flavor: The warm nutmeggy-clovish-allspice-rific essence combined with the fairly potent alcohol content (an imperial 9% if I'm not mistaken) give Hipp-O-Lantern an after-dinner cordial feel without invoking dessert. The spices are first when you take a sip, but the pumpkin is not far behind. This reminds me of Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale, though Hipp-O-Lantern is slightly sweeter with less alchohol bite.

Finally: The beer kicks in and you remember that you are drinking an ale without apologies. Hops and malt make their presence known. The finish is a little dry, which reminds me of Dogfish Head's Punk. Overall, Hipp-O-Lantern is a fine Imperial Pumpkin Ale with a groovy vibe. Oh yes, it is completely appropriate to bring to an Oktoberfest, Halloween party, or even Thanksgiving dinner. Seasonal but not gimicky, River Horse Hipp-O-Lantern delivers a warm pumpkin punch wrapped in a velvet glove.

River Horse Hipp-O-Lantern Imperial Pumpkin Ale:

Representation: .975

Accessibility: .90

Style: .95

Personal Preference: .94

Total Score: 3.765 Flags

McKenzie Brew House Spiced Pumpkin Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: McKenzie Brew House Spiced Pumpkin Ale 5.5% abv
Where: McKenzie Brew House (Malvern, PA)
When: November 7, 2009
What-have-you: "Good pumpkin aroma and flavor. On the lighter side but I'd have a few of these versus just one."

Check out McKenzie's Beer Selection [Click HERE]

Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin

Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale:

Heavy Seas doesn't like to play softball when it comes to their beers' flavor and body. Potency also features prominently in the Heavy Seas lineup from Clipper City Brewing Company in Baltimore, MD. And Ahoy!! The Great Pumpkin arrived a little late to the Presidential stash to be reviewed in time for Halloween 2009 so it had to be set aside for a snowy day. So here goes:

The Great Pumpkin pours an awesome honey-golden-amber-pumpkin-orange color that fairly glows like a jack-o-lantern when you hold it up to the light. In the aroma and at the front of the sip, an interesting hoppiness and bitterness sneak up on you when all you expect is pumpkin pie. dig deeper and take a few deep whiffs. Breathe with purpose as you drink this big boy pumpkin beer and you will be rewarded with a treasure chest full of pumpkin spice aromas and flavors.

Imperial indeed at 8% abv, The Great Pumpkin is rich and powerful. Well blended are the pumpkin and the ale, though both are just a tad over the top. This actual review takes place in February, long after the pumpkin ales have been put away, so perhaps it's just a little out of context for me, but it seems to have crossed a line or two. That's fantastic for a Halloween party, but I seem to crave beers that are not only well-blended but also well-balanced. In other words, as much as I reach out to more and more pumpkin brews over the years, I've shifted my preference from "Pumpkin! Drink! It's a beer!" to a more subtle "Wow, what a great beer that has amazing pumpkin flavor!"

The Great Pumpkin reminds me a bit of Southern Tier's Pumking and Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin. The Style Points are huge, inversely affecting the Accessibility. Totally worth a try if you're into pumpkin seasonals and a must-have if you're on a mission to try them all.

Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale:

Representation: .99

Accessibility: .825

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: .90

Total Score: 3.715 Flags

Selin's Grove Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: Selin's Grove Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale 5.0% abv
Where: Selin's Grove Brewing Co. (Selinsgrove, PA)
When: November 7, 2009
What-have-you: "The freshest and grooviest pumpkin of all. A 4.0 if ever there was one. A little spicy, very creamy, and fresh as can be."

Pumpkin Beer Chart (Happy Halloween!)

Halloween Greetings from The Ferment Nation. Click on the image above to see a larger version of a chart doing some comparison work with 10 different pumpkin beers! Mini-reviews with overall scores, abv percentages, and in what glass you are likely to be served the beer. Disagree with the ratings? E-mail us!

Stay safe out there. Happy Halloween!

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale 6.3%abv
Where: The Institute Bar (Philadelphia, PA)
When: September 26, 2009, 6:00PM
What-have-you: "Holy moly. This beer could be a little overwhelming if you're a beginner. Draft is way more wine-like than the bottle version. Draft is also a little less creamy but no less impressive. Awesome."

Read all of our Pumpkin Beer Reviews!

Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch Ale 6.0%abv
Where: The Institute Bar (Philadelphia, PA)
When: September 26, 2009, 6:00PM
What-have-you: "This beer possesses an extreme funk; kinda weird and wacky. Blow out a pumpkin candle and lick the wick if you want to approximate the flavor. So I should probably come back to this brew and give it another chance in a few minutes.......... Okay, let's see here... this isn't very good. I guess I was right the first time."

Read all of our Pumpkin Beer Reviews!

Dock Street The Great Pumpkin (Presidential Brief)

What: Dock Street The Great Pumpkin 5.75%abv
Where: The Institute Bar (Philadelphia, PA)
When: September 26, 2009, 6:00PM
What-have-you: "Ale first, Pumpkin second. Very even and very drinkable. Nothing crazy or scary going on here."

Read all of our Pumpkin Beer Reviews!

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale (Presidential Brief)

What:Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale 5%abv
Where: The Institute Bar (Philadelphia, PA)
When: September 26, 2009, 6:00PM
What-have-you: "Dry and boozy with a warming quality. This would be good to take with you on a hayride on a chilly night."

Read all of our Pumpkin Beer Reviews!

Southampton Pumpkin Ale

Southampton Pumpkin Ale:

Ooh. This is pretty nice. The pumpkin and spice flavors are lively and seasonal -- definitely got that pumpkin pie thing going on. The body is light to medium with a nice effervescence. Southampton is not over the top in style but has plenty to offer. Very accessible as well, with a fun burst of flavor but keeping it cool at 5.5% abv.

I can't help but compare Southampton to two others we've seen before: Southampton seems to posess the body that Shipyard Pumpkinhead is shooting for. At the same time it tones down the sweetness and intensity that Saranac Pumpkin gives us. Southampton looks quite comfy between the two and is recommended as a "bring with" to Halloween parties. Maybe a Thanksgiving Day Parade or football tailgater. Thanksgiving Dinner? Maybe not, but I suppose that's up to you.

Southampton Pumpkin Ale:

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: .95

Style: .875

Personal Preference: .875

Total Score: 3.7 Flags

Read [ALL OUR PUMPKIN REVIEWS!]

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale:

This is an extremely well-balanced beer, and an even better-balanced pumpkin beer. Nice medium body with a fairly creamy mouthfeel. The pumpkin flavor is not faint or thin by any means -- but has a freshness and clean finish that some other pumpkin brews lack. Really awesome aroma, too, but again: not overdone. The label boasts over 7 lbs of pumpkin ber parrel and spices include the usual supects: nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. But somehow the formula rises to the top of an otherwise cluttered vat of seasonal offerings.

Elysian Night Owl is also a bit cloudy. I generally like this quality because it tells me that the ingredients are properly suspended in the brew and ready to be enjoyed with every sip. It's not a requirement, mind you, but I think in this case it adds to the body and the overall pumpkin experience.

Since one cannot avoid comparing a new pumpkin ale with its predecessors, I'll go on record as saying this Night Owl hangs with the big boys. Just as I place Southampton a little above Shipyard and Saranac because it had the good qualities of both. Well Elysian Night Owl takes that "just right" feeling to a new level: It's "just righter". Night Owl offers enough pumpkinny fun to amuse at a party but it's refined enough to set on the dinner table. Of all the pumpkin brews I've tried, it ranks up there with So. Tier Pumking and Dogfish Head Punk.

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale:

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: 1.0

Style: .90

Personal Preference: .95

Total Score: 3.85 Flags

Read ALL OUR PUMPKIN reviews!

The Institute Bar: Charlie's Pumpkin Patch

So, you're trying to outdo El Presidente's Ultimate Pumpkin Showdown, eh? Well Charlie, you've stood your ground admirably. With Ten Pumpkin Beers on tap, The Institute Bar (on the corner of 12th and Green in Philadelphia) put on a heck of a show with Charlie's Pumpkin Patch Saturday.

My first time at The Institute was a cool affair. What struck me most was the really cool laid back crowd. Just lots of regular people who love good beer and gathering for a raucous good time. The V.P. and I also had food, by the way. I recommend the Pork Fries. Yes, I said PORK FRIES and they were delicious.

So how did we begin? With one beer each not nearly being enough to get a true sampling, we decided to board Ale Force One and take flight (well, two flights actually) and sample eight of the seasonal drafts at once. What follows is a brief rundown of the brews, some of which I've reviewed before, and others that are forthcoming in the next weeks before Halloween. Here goes:


Lakefront Pumpkin Lager: Pumpkin zest, lager bite. A little bitter but pretty nice.

Brooklyn Pumpkin Ale: Dry and boozy with a warming quality. This would be good to take with you on a hayride on a chilly night.

Dock Street Pumpkin: Ale first, Pumpkin second. Very even and very drinkable. Nothing crazy or scary going on here.

The Bruery Pumpkin: Light and tart. Wheaty flavor but a little dry. Not too terribly pumpkinny.

Southampton Pumpkin Ale: Draft is a little better than out of a bottle; Opens up and has a touch of tartness but a dessert-like sweetness prevails. Sweet without making me cringe.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale: Holy moly. This beer could be a little overwhelming if you're a beginner. Draft is way more wine-like than the bottle version. Draft is also a little less creamy but no less impressive. Awesome.

Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch: This beer posesses an extreme funk; kinda weird and wacky. Blow out a pumpkin candle and lick the wick if you want to approximate the flavor. So I should probably come back to this brew and give it another chance in a few minutes.......... Okay, let's see here... this isn't very good. I guess I was right the first time.

Southern Tier Pumpking: This is Halloween, This is Halloween... Just crazier than ever. I gotta say, though, it's a little much. The same style that blew me away last year is now a bit much for everyday use.

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale: The Real Deal. The Rizzle Dizzle. Draft, bottle, whatever. This is an awesome Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Autumnal Equinox beer. Its the new champion of this Fall, in my humble opinion.

So my first trip to The Institute was a success. A good time was had by all. A special shoutout goes to Mark Kalbacher who tends bar at the Institute. We appreciate the heads up to the event and the access to take pictures. We hope that you, dear citizens, can benefit from the reviews of these beers. And do visit the Institute soon. It's a lively place with awesome beers on tap. Oh, and Pork Fries.

Four + Brewing Company Punk'n Harvest Pumpkin Ale

Four + Brewing Company Punk'n Harvest Pumpkin Ale:

Okay, so... not my favorite. Perhaps this particular six-pack is simply too old to be enjoyed properly (My sample was bottled on 8/15/2008) and maybe a really fresh draft from the brewery in Salt Lake City... Alright, I'm done apologizing. This beer isn't very good.

The light-medium body is the biggest positive, but the flavor is a bit funky and metallic and the pumpkin aroma isn't very exciting. The finish of this beer is akin to that of a pale ale, so I'm not giving up on Four + Brewing just yet. Maybe their more standard beer offerings are more palatable. Then again, typically an awesome brewery does an awesome job with pumpkin beers (just refer to last year's Ultimate Pumpkin Showdown) so I don't know what to think.

Punk'n is fairly thin for an Ale and doesn't represent the Pumpkin genre very well. Stylistically, Punk'n doesn't bring much to the table. Accessibility is unfortunately lacking because of the weird presentation of the pumpkin essence. Don't expect good scores from this one. And if you're shopping for pumpkin brews to bring to a Halloween party or to Thanksgiving Dinner, choose something else.

Four + Brewing Company Punk'n Harvest Pumpkin Ale:

Representation: .50

Accessibility: .60

Style: .60

Personal Preference: .30

Total Score: 2.0 Flags

Check out ALL of our Pumpkin Reviews

Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout

Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout:

Not bad at all. Honestly, this is a pretty good stout. It's medium-bodied with a clean, dry finish -- just a tad bitter with a tactful dusting of pumpkin and spice brewed right in. The pumpkin flavor blends into the stout the way some stouts are subtly spiced with rasberries or chocolate or oatmeal or coffee. Some extreme beers feature the flavor and use the stout as a medium; Fisherman's takes a different path here and features the stout, using pumpkin to accent the season and show the versatility of our orange gourd friend.

Pumpkin is evident in the aroma and in the swallow, particularly right before the bitterness wends its way to the back of the tongue. Cloves and cinnamon and most definitely pumpkin accent the toasty dryness of Fisherman's Stout. Again, the pumpkin and spice are pretty subtle so this brew could appeal to stout drinkers as well as pumkin heads. This brew, however, would not go into the lineup of pumpkin breers discussed during the Ultimate Pumpkin Showdown, since I pretty much classify it as a stout (as opposed to a seasonal Pumpkin offering). Fisherman's also couldn't be considered a to be in the same league as the Selin's Grove 1/2 Pumpkin and 1/2 Oatmeal Stout combo I had in October. Actually, not many beverages in the whole wide world could hang with that heavenly concoction! At any rate, Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout is well done and worth a try. Really drinkable stout without being boring.

Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout:

Representation: .90
Accessibility: .90
Style: .90
Personal Preference: .90

Total Score: 3.6 Flags

Related Reviews:

Read ALL OUR PUMPKIN REVIEWS

Ultimate Pumpkin Roundup!

Ferment Nation Beer Blog

Pumpkin Round-Up

If you haven't received our Pumpkin Showdown Newsletter, here is your chance to view it and check out all of the individual pumpkin reviews, the final results, and hear the podcast!

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