Pump[KY]n

Well… you can definitely tell this was aged in a bourbon barrel. So if that’s your thing you might really enjoy this beer. If it isn’t…

The beer pours dark brown but quite clear with a scant off-white head that fades quickly. The aroma is woody and hot, like actually sniffing the inside of a bourbon barrel. There’s faint spicy and clove-like notes in the background, but it’s hard to pick them out against the solventy alcohols. There’s also an unpleasant smoke/ash phenol as it warms. It’s an aggressive aroma that doesn’t lend itself to a lot of sniffing and savoring.

The flavor reflects that first impression: this beer is alcoholic and harsh. The flavor adds a syrupy sweetness to the mix, along with the smoke, raw wood, and hot alcohols. It may well be the dark malts and bittering hop varietal that make this beer a little rough on the palate, since this seems to be more intense than a sip of Old Crow Bourbon Whiskey that I poured just for comparison. In addition to the heat, it’s also moderately tight and astringent on the tongue.

Look, there’s no question that this beer makes a statement, but you’d really need to be someone who likes a good punch in the palate to enjoy it. It comes across as over-the-top, and I’d have a genuinely hard time believing that anyone could drink 12 ounces of it and really enjoy it. But it takes all kinds, so if you like a good stiff ride, take this pumpkin brew out for a spin!

*Reviewer’s Note: It should be noted that this beer was from a late-2014 batch, and may be showing some age! Depending on storage conditions, your experience may be rather different.