Southern Tier Pumking Review

Name: Southern Tier Pumking
Style: Pumpkin Beer
ABV: 8.6%
IBUs: 25

Ever have one of those times where you could've sworn you did something and convince yourself that actually did it....when in all reality you didn't? Well that's the case with Southern Tier Pumking. You see a couple years back when I was living in Duluth, I reviewed a wide array of beers and in that whirlwind of fermented goodness, some beers fell through the cracks.

During the Fall of 2013, I had Pumking a couple times in the form of a bottle and I recall taking notes on this beer. However for reasons I cannot explain, those notes and the photo I thought I took of this beer vanished completely. Whatever the case, Pumking usually comes out right around the changing of the guard of the summer and fall seasons. It's also an incredibly strong beer, coming in at 8.6% ABV.

Appearance - Fairly clear orange color with a mild amount of visible carbonation. There really isn't too much in terms of a head through after the initial pour, with it briefly taking on a fizzy white appearance and there is no lacing left behind.

Aroma - Pie crusts, pumpkin spice, candy corn with some light floral notes and a hefty amount of toffee maltiness. I guess I've never noticed this before but it reminds me of a homebrew I had a couple years back that was actually made with pumpkin pie.

Taste - Strong pumpkin spice and pie crusts upfront. Getting some more of that candy corn and some cinnamon and nutmeg, which is more in the middle. In the end, it's more cinnamon, potent vanilla, light floral hops and a solid toffee malt backbone.

It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing beer out there but it more than makes up for it in the flavor and aroma. There are many pumpkin beers that come out every year but it's easy to see why this continues to be a crowd favorite amongst beer drinkers out there. Some will be turned off by the sheer sweetness of this beer, but I like this beer and you probably should too.

Southern Tier Pumking - 9/10