I actually did pretty good today out on the golf course with my dad. So, what better way to reward myself after a long day on the golf course, and prepare for a long day of drinking tomorrow at Oktoberfest, than this 9% ABV Imperial Pumkin from Southern Tier.
When I poured it, it was very clear and appeared to be fairly golden in color with the slightest orange tint to it. There was a creamy white head, and the beer appeared to have plenty of carbonation in it. There was a pumpkin aroma with a bit of spices as well.
It was medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel, but there was also quite a bit of carbonation tingle on my tongue. There was a little bit of a sweet maltiness and spicy flavor up front, giving way to a bit of a pumpkin pie flavor, and finishing with a strong spiciness. In the spiciness, the cinnamon flavor was very noticeable, bordering on too much cinnamon and spice flavor.
I enjoyed this beer with a slice of pumpkin pie and a lot of whipped cream topping, and it went very nicely together. That’s probably about the only food that this would complement, although it could probably stand in by itself as dessert after a nice helping of turkey and stuffing. The only problem is that after the turkey, a 22oz, 9% ABV beer might just put you down to sleep for the night.
Other than a bit too much cinnamon and spice in the finish, I found this to be one of the most enjoyable and most complex pumpkin beers I’ve had yet. While not tasting exactly like a slice of pumpkin pie, it was pretty close. Overall, this was a very good pumpkin beer that I’d recommend to friends.
My Rating: 
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