Good, Bad, and Ugly #2
Read the previous reviews in part 1.
Jaw-Jacker, Arcadia Ales, Battle Creek, MI
ComputerNerd: You’re going to keep reading my reviews, and think that I’m some weenie who doesn’t like spice beers. I might even be a weenie, but not for that reason. I do like the spices in my beers, but in my doubles,
triples, winter warmers, and Christmas-ales. Thankfully, despite the excessive spices in this one, you can still taste the delectable pumpkin flavors.
Scientist: My new favorite! This beer has a robust pumpkin flavor with lots of spice without tons of sweetness. This ale is NOT for the faint of heart it packs a lot of flavor. Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger and a little cardamom come through clearly with the squashy pumpkin flavor.
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin, Weyerbacher Brewing Company, Easton Pennsylvania
ComputerNerd: This one brings the spice. Intense. That’s really the world of the day. The taste of the pumpkin is just not there, and cinnamon and clove are at the
forefront. Don’t read me the wrong way, this is a tasty beer, it’s just not a tasty pumpkin beer.
Scientist: I wish this beer had some pumpkin flavor. The spices completely cover up any pumpkin. Not what you expected me to say? Well I love pumpkin beers that bring the spice but only when they still have some of the squashy pumpkin taste left. Between all the alcohol and spices I just don’t get much pumpkin out of it. It’s delicious but I don’t really consider it a pumpkin in my book it’s a spice beer.
Warlock, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY
ComputerNerd:Warlock is new on the scene this fall, and in my opinion, is a rather welcome addition to the Southern Tier family. It’s an imperial stout,
with the obligatory coffee and chocolate notes, but the smoothness and creaminess leaves it with a mouth feel closer to cheesecake, rather than pie. Southern Tier recommends pairing with spicy BBQ or smoked foods, and I will echo that sentiment: it went beautifully with some late-season spare ribs that I had smoked a few weeks back.
Scientist: Also not quite my thing. Warlock tastes like Pumpkin cheesecake. I like it better than I like Pumpking… but it’s still just a little too sweet for me. You get less spice notes than in the Pumpking but you get a tang and a note of chocolate the Pumpking definitely does not have.
