Almanac Beer Company - Heirloom Pumpkin Barleywine

It's Halloween today, which can only mean one thing on this blog- Pumpkin Beer Time! I'm gonna try something a little different this year though: Instead of a pumpkin beer bonanza like I've done the past few years, I'm only going to be reviewing one pumpkin beer this Halloween. But it's a really, really good one.

Almanac Beer Company is pretty new to the scene down here in San Diego. As you may remember, I really enjoyed their single hop series of IPAs. But they've also been known to do things a little differently, including a series of sour beers with seldom used (in the world of beer, at least) fruits like persimmons, nectarines and Buddha's hand citrons. Recently, they released a pumpkin beer that's unlike anything I have ever come across. It's a barleywine made with heirloom pumpkins and partially aged in brandy barrels. Sound interesting? I thought so.

Heirloom Pumpkin Barleywine pours a deep chestnut color with reddish tinges around the edges. Being used to the blast of artificial pumpkin pie that you smell in a lot of pumpkin ales, I was surprised to find nothing artificial in the aroma. Instead, there was a slightly bitter and vegetal wave of roasted pumpkin. That might sound unappetizing, but it was actually pretty refreshing to find something different. Behind the pumpkin aroma were some sweeter notes in the form of toasted brown sugar, brandy, cinnamon and clove. A little brandy can go a long way, but this melded into the other sweet aromas here beautifully. This beer is worth the price of admission for the smell alone.

The flavor definitely brings the pumpkin, but it's not in the traditional pumpkin pie form. It's richer and denser, almost like a pumpkin nut loaf. Hints of nutmeg and cinnamon linger around it, along with some brandy which is really well restrained. Nothing about this beer really said "barleywine" to me (besides the higher ABV), but that was fine by me because everything about this beer did say "awesome." Almanac has done something entirely different with the pumpkin ale and they've knocked it out of the park. Easily in the Top 3 pumpkin beers I've ever had.

Final Grade: A

Top 250 Beers Tasted: 129

Almanac Beer Company - Fresh Hop IPA-Cascade

If you're a fan of all things hoppy, we're getting into what's sure to be a pretty exciting time of the year for you- hop harvest time! Because of the fresh hops pouring into breweries around the country, expect to see a lot of wet hopped beers hitting bottleshops and tap lines near you in the very near future (if you haven't noticed them already). One of the first wet hopped beers I noticed this year was Almanac's new single-hopped Fresh Hop IPA-Cascade.

Single hop beers are a great way to get acquainted with everything that one hop variety has to offer and there's no better time to experiment with single hops than when they are at their freshest. Even if you haven't heard of Cascade hops, you've probably tried them. They're one of the most popular varieties out there and can be found in beers like Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale and Anchor's Old Foghorn Barleywine . Let's see how this hop stands on its own.

Fresh Hop IPA-Cascade pours a clear amber color with a one finger bone-white head that leaves some nice tracks of lace down the glass. The smell is undoubtedly hops, with an earthy and leafy hop presence coming to mind right away. Some orange rind, light pine, oak and caramel malt are in there as well.

Cascade hops aren't known for being intensely bitter, so this doesn't taste like a lot of the palate pummeling IPAs that we've become so used to here on the West Coast. Instead, there's a spicy, earthy hop note that meanders over the palate, bringing some pine and slightly bready malt with it. The finish brings some light grapefruit, mint and a nice hop spiciness. Again, if you're in the mood for an IPA that's going to make your tongue cry for mercy, this isn't going to be your cup of tea. But if you're looking to learn more about hops and hop varietals, you'll probably enjoy this one a lot. I sure did.

Final Grade: A-

Top 250 Beers Tasted: 129