Avery Brewing Company Rumpkin

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Avery Brewing Company Rumpkin - Ale Brewed with Pumpkin and Spices - Aged in Rum Barrels - Batch No. 4 - Bottled Sept. 22, 2014. I picked up this bottle at The Willow’s Market (here). If you haven’t yet been to Willow’s Market in Menlo Park, CA you really should. With well over 1,000 craft beers you’d be hard pressed to find a better selection.

From the Avery Brewing Company website: “We wondered what would happen if a monstrous pumpkin ale, plump full of spicy gourdiness, were aged in fine fresh rum barrels to add suggestions of delicate oak and candied molasses. Rumpkin is what happened! This first member of the Annual Barrel-Aged Series was brewed with roasted pumpkins from a local Boulder County farm, and spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours orangish amber with a nice off-white head and light lacing.

Aroma: Cinnamon, nutmeg, oak, molasses, caramel, ginger, pumpkin, rum and a touch of toffee.

Taste: Rum is way up front, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, toffee, oak, ginger and dark fruits.

Overall: Complex and a bit hot, Avery Brewing Company Rumpkin is boozy and good.  This 16.73% ABV beast packs a serious punch. I plan to source more (maybe a bottle or two) to cellar.  I’m sure with a little more time the heat will subside.  The flavors are incredible and I completely enjoyed it.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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