REVIEW: Southern Tier Pumking

Happy halloween folks! I know some of the people out there reading this have been waiting for this post for quite some time. I have a lot of friends who hold this beer near and dear to their hearts. I proudly count myself among their number. Hell, that tap handle in the photo up there? My girlfriend Meredith got me that for Christmas last year for a keggerator that doesn't even exist. Just because I love this beer that much. I've had this beer sitting in my fridge for a couple months. I bought it when it hit stores in August. Now, that was far far to early to be drinking any pumpkin ale, let alone Pumking. But, this beer goes quick. If I wanted to drink this beer when the weather turns cold and a hearty beer like this makes some sense I needed some patience. And now my patience has paid off. Also, what better day to talk about Pumking than Halloween! To the beer!

Pumking pours an ever-so-slightly hazed over golden orange in color. It's a very ripe pumpkin kind of hue. A finger of off white head recedes to a persistent rim atop the brew.

The aromas on this beer are nothing short of outstanding. I've mentioned before beers that smell so good that I feel little to no desire to move on to drinking them. Pumking is at the top of that class. Rich, complex, and intoxicating. Bready, biscuity, graham cracker like notes are evident first. They're followed by generous additions of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice that all build to a fantastic complexity. Seriously, I don't know how the mad scientists at Southern Tier bent the laws of physics to coax an aroma like this out of a liquid. It's spicy, full, rich. Very reminiscent of pumpkin pie, but somehow more intense and concentrated.

Pumking is a very full bodied beer. In my post on Smuttynose Pumpkin I noted that heartier imperial ales seem to make a better canvas for all of the traditional pumpkin pie spices. Pumking is definitely lending credence to my theory. It's a good thing Pumking is as big and hearty as it is because this beer is all about the pumpkin pie flavors. The bold seasonal spiciness hits as soon as the first sip comes in contact with the tongue. Decadently smooth with a great bready, full, molasses-y sweetness. There's also a graham cracker/ pie crust character to the malt body that adds a great touch. I also detected the ever-so-slightest hint of a bit of smokiness. Lest you think this beer is all about the malt and the sweetness, a nice prickly spiciness hits on the mid-palate and dries things out, keeps everything drinkable. Pumking coats the moutch on the finish as the pumpkin pie spice flavors and a mild bitterness (but mostly the pie flavors) linger.

If you couldn't tell, I love this beer. It's one of my all time favorites, and without question the finest pumpkin ale that I've ever tasted. If there's any of this left in your area go out and grab a few bottles now, it won't last long. Enjoy one tonight and save the rest for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the rest of the holiday season. I've got a couple more bottles in the basement and it's going to take every last ounce of resolve that I have to save them for a special occasion.

HD.