11/2008 WEYERBACHER IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE
Ah, we landed two samples of this brew through our pal Jerry. He is a man of the world, a guy who has traveled the globe many times. Cosmopolitan though Jerry is, he also recognizes that plenty of good things can be found near to home.
WEYERBACHER beers are brewed in Easton, Pennsylvania, not far from our home base in Washington, DC. Though not as well known as those mad brewers at DOGFISH HEAD, the folks at WEYERBACHER have produced quite a few extreme and experimental beers, which you can read about here.
WEYERBACHER IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE was brewed with pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves. Remarkably, the beer’s color is a deep pumpkin orange. It weighs in at 8% ABV, and it strikes us as the sort of brew that should be served in tulip-shaped or burgundy wine glass, with a pour of maybe six ounce. (Conveniently, it comes in 12 ounce bottles.) The beer moves quickly through its flavors — a poof of pumpkin and cinnamon, then nutmeg and cardamon pass very quickly into a bell-clear clove finish. The spices are well apportioned; still, this is a very fragrant brew. After a sip, we felt like we were blowing baking spices out our schnozes. Suffice to say, six ounces will sate the average palate. Those who like big, funky brew will like this one (Rating ****); the average American beer drinker, though, probably will find it overwhelming. (Rating **) If possible, enjoy it on a chilly night or in front of a roaring fire.
You can read a bit more about WEYERBACHER IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE at http://www.Weyerbacher.com/. To see if our retailer can sell you this WEYERBACHER ale, click here.
