All Hallows' Eve, the Rogue's notes.



                                                                                 -Photo, Web Pic

                                                                              
    All Hallows’ Eve special post. Since I’m in the Midwest, I’m not getting any sessions in. A shame too, as the end of this week has seen what I would term “sizable” swell for the O City coast. Nice chest to head high and clean on Thursday. Least I got my surf cam. Also, Daylight Savings Time is coming to an end as well. Nights are cooler. Leaves hittin’ the deck. Dreadin’ the snow y’all. So I’m posting some pics of the stoke back east. And the stoke here in the mid-west… that, of course, would be the numerous pumpkin beers that I’ve had this time of year.

Whippin' up a few clean AM walls.  Malibu's 10/20/2015

    Four on the floor. East and Mid-west: Harpoon’s UFO Pumpkin Ale. Haven’t been real impressed with this northeast brewery in the past, but this “Un-Filtered Offering” wasn’t bad. Poured a cloudy orange-amber with a finger plus head. Good lacing and carbonation. Not overwhelming with the cinnamon and pie spices. Rang in at 20 IBUs and 5.9% in alcohol, so you could down a few without having nightmares. Rated a B.

Schlafly’s outta St. Louis brews a real nice Pumpkin Ale. Even added butternut squash to the recipe. Had this one in a little tavern outside of Starved Rock State Park after a day of hiking. Clear red-amber pour with a finger head. Left behind plenty of lacing. Aromas of pumpkin pie without being overly sweet. Nicely balanced  cinnamon and pine bitterness with a creamy malt taste in the back. Only 16 IBUs, but a Boo factor of 8% in the ABV reading. Rated this one an A-. Gimme more!




On the trails...Starved Rock State Park, Utica, IL. 10/17/2015

Frederick, Maryland’s Flying Dog brought on The Gourd Standard, a Pumpkin IPA that I fought to understand. I like my hops. Bitter citrus meets pumpkin pie spices…hard to really embrace this one. Poured a dark amber with a finger head. Not real strong at 6.8% ABV, but the 60 IBUs was hard to feel. Little bit dry. Rated this a B-.




Lastly, Alltech's Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company poured Kentucky Pumpkin Barrel Ale. All of the spices and sweet base of a pumpkin pie brewed with real home-grown pumpkin in aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. The front end of caramel and malt combined with nutmeg and cinnamon and the warming influence of the bourbon on the back end made this perfect for a cool fall session. Poured amber in color with a less than finger head and light carbonation. At 10% ABV, not too boozy and enough hops (approx. 20 IBUs) to have a slight bite. Rated an A-.




A Schlitz thought: "Beer has food value, but food has no
beer value." Now that's scary!

Drink up!