Pumpkin Beer.

Had a little pumpkin beer tasting. It was a bit for naught since I failed to pick up what was supposed to be the star of the show, Southern Tier's Pumking. Pumking is an imperial pumpkin ale and probably the best pumpkin-based beer I've had. ST's pervasive and often overpowering sweetness does really well here and the extra body from imperial-izing it helps a lot.

• Wolaver's Will Steven's Pumpkin Ale - I thought this was a very good pumpkin ale for being regular strength. It's mild but assertive enough and not overpoweringly one-dimensional.
• Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale - Fairly average. Lot of clove. Fits into the standard Smuttynose profile.
• Dogfish Head Punkin - I've had this before and wasn't necessarily going to include it in the lineup but it was pinch hitting for Pumking. I thought it was ok when I had it before, but compared to the rest of the beers in the tasting, it was much fuller, and maltier with a molasses finish.
• Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale - Overly fruity, but smooth and mild to the point of being nothing. The BA Bros gave it an F.
• Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout - Pumpkin stouts are somewhat uncommon so I had to include it. It's pretty uneventful as a stout and as a pumpkin ale and actually feels pretty weak. I feel like I get some saltiness (from Cape Ann in MA), but maybe it's just my imagination running on context.
• Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale - I don't know why they market it this as Post Road. No spice and very lagery.
• Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin - Vinous body, too much nutmeg makes it come off as bitter.

Overall, a pretty dismal tasting, drinking a bunch of mediocre to awful beers. About half of it ended up going down the drain. I already knew that Pumking is my favorite pumpkin ale. I also now know that it is only brewed in October and supplies are very limited. Now that I've done this tasting, I'm happy to say I never have to try this tasting again.