Shipyard Brewing Company Smashed Pumpkin Ale

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Shipyard Brewing Company Smashed Pumpkin Ale. I've visited Shipyard Brewing Company a few times (read about it here), but it was prior to their having Smashed Pumpkin Ale.  Since I'm a huge fan of BIG beers (and since I've been drinking 22s of Smashed Pumpkin Ale for a while now) I figured it was time to review this stellar fall seasonal.

From the bottle: "SMASHED PUMPKIN is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aroma of pumpkin and nutmeg. The OG and final Alc./Vol. provide the structure and body. Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich Malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of Willamette and Hallertau Hops to balance the sweetness of the fruit. To fully enjoy all the flavours, this ale is best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Smashed Pumpkin pairs well with sharp cheeses, nuts, lamb, hearty stews and desserts like flan or pumpkin pie. Chefs find this an excellent beer to cook with in dishes such as braised short ribs. Try adding a little Shipyard Blue Fin Stout to Smashed Pumpkin for a fall warmer."

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a fantastic copper-orange color with a slight head and nice lacing.

Aroma: Scents of pumpkin pie – cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sweet malts and pumpkin. This brew smells fantastic.

Taste: One of the best pumpkin beers out there…period. Cinnamon, ginger, all spice, clove, vanilla, pumpkin and a little bit boozy. The complexities of the spices are amazing and they taste organic. Some pumpkin beers taste artificial, this one is perfect.

Overall: I’ve already said, perfect…so go get some. At 9% ABV it is a serious autumn warmer. With the flavors of malt and pumpkin spices this is perfect for Halloween; Thanksgiving…dare I say Christmas? Again…go get some.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey