Pumpkinhead - Shipyard Brewing Co., Portland

Shipyard's Pumpkinhead ale is a pretty lackluster Pumpkin Ale. This beer has the bare minimum amount of pumpkin spice in it to be classifiable as a Pumpkin Ale. Upon smelling this beer you'll notice that it's got an aroma similar to that of a loaf of pumpkin bread. I really like the aroma, there is a bit of nutmeg and some gingerbread spice. Where this beer falls short is in the flavor department. Drinking this beer is extremely underwhelming. The texture is quite thin and there is practically no carbonation. This means the beer feels a little flat, something that doesn't help when the pumpkin flavor is so mild. A stronger flavor would have made the beer seem thicker. The pumpkin flavor itself is, OK... it's not bad but it isn't anything to write home about.

Over all I was not impressed by Shipyard's Pumpkinhead beer. It's a little too mild, a little too thin and all around just too light. If you're looking for a lighter pumpkin ale then this is perfect for you. It smells like a pumpkin beer but drinks like a flat Pilsner...