Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

This is an 8.0% ABV special seasonal release from Schlafly Beers, the St. Louis Brewing Company of St. Louis, Missouri. The bottle quotes Henry David Thoreau, "I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion."

The beer pours a deep amber and chestnut brown. There is a short, creamy head of very light tan foam. The aroma is highly spiced, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, clove, over sweet pumpkin, with an earthy tang. The taste follows the aromas, it fairly wallops the palate, with an intense wave of spice-filled pumpkin. It is also peppery on the finish, perhaps the alcohol showing itself. It has an intense, tingling carbonation without being fizzy. The creamy head helps, but this could also use a little more body and smoothness to match all those pastry like flavors.