Stone Cat Pumpkin Ale
‘Tis the season for the autumnal ales, so I picked up a Stone Cat sampler from Kappy’s, the liquor superstore in Medford, MA. Stone Cat is brewed by Mercury Brewing Company in
The first beer in the series was Stone Cat Pumpkin Ale. Pumpkin ales can be hit or miss, so I was eager to pour this seasonal offering. I poured, and had to stop before the bottle was empty, as the head rose in volume so quickly. After it settled, I finished the pour, and was surprised to see the thick dark brown to black color under the cascading suds. Most pumpkin ales I’ve tried are standard pale to amber colored, so a pumpkin stout was new to me. The nose was spicy, and smelled like many Belgians I’ve tried, with dark musky odors and hints of cloves. There were slight flavors of dark brown sugar, and a mild but lasting bitterness stuck around throughout the tasting. There were also hints of musky fall leaves, and it was reminiscent in character to a light stout. Although it is possible that I was influenced by recently baked pumpkin muffins that I ate before the tasting, the aftertaste reminded me a bit of pumpkin pie.
Stone Cat Pumpkin Ale was a nice change of pace to other run of the mill pumpkin ales. The dark body and the fall flavors are oft lacking in pumpkin ales, and if the body was fuller, this would be a beer that I’d drink year round, and it is definitely worth picking up.