United Nations of Beer

Wasatch Pumpkin Ale

by Bret
(Las Vegas, NV)

Wasatch Pumpkin Ale (4% ABV)
Wasatch Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Visit the UNOB's Utah beer guide

My last contribution to my exploration of pumpkin flavored ale was one of those in between beers. While it had some good points, it also had some bad ones.

WOOOOOOOO! Visit our Halloween Beer guide! Frighteningly good!

Wasatch Pumpkin Ale has a good aroma, which smells of nutmeg and cinnamon, slight pumpkin aroma, but dominated by the nutmeg. There is no hop bitterness or earthiness is present. However, a mild hint of vanilla which may be from yeast esters appeared. There is no real malt sweetness present. As the beer warms, you can just detect more of the spice characters coming thru.

The beer's appearance is a light amber color with hints of orange, and has a mild haze and some cloudiness. There is a thick foamy head which slowly dissipates while beer is consumed and laces the glass. Also, there is a great deal of carbonation with some floaties from the yeast or spices.

The taste is of light pumpkin pie flavors which give way to some pumpkin but no hop bitterness. Unfortunately the nutmeg permeates the flavor of this beer. Wish there was a little more pumpkin going on. The taste stays on the palate for a while and coats the mouth with a film of seasonings and spices.

Wasatch's mouthfeel is smooth in texture which coats the palate with a bite of nutmeg and spices. It is light and refreshing with good carbonation. A medium bodied beer with good texture but lacking in that piece of pie feel.

Overall, this is a good flavored ale, but much like my first attempt at brewing my own holiday lager, overly spicy without giving way to its namesake flavor. Very drinkable but the flavor of nutmeg and spices overwhelms the quality of the ale. Not as good as the Buffalo Bill’s or the Big Dog’s pumpkin ales, but I did at least smell and taste pumpkin.