Ballast Point Brewing Company Pumpkin Down

Pumpkin Down

 

Ballast Point Brewing Company in San Diego, California, United States 🇺🇸

  Spiced / Herbed / Vegetable / Honey - Pumpkin Autumn
Score
6.87
ABV: 5.8% IBU: 22 Ticks: 55
Some might think we’re out of our gourd for making a pumpkin ale, but our Pumpkin Down is not like the others. The caramel and toffee maltiness of our Piper Down Scottish ale is the perfect backdrop for a boatload of roasted pumpkin. Just before bottling, we add a subtle amount of spice to complement, but not overwhelm, the earthy flavor. It was a smash at the brewery, and we think you’ll agree.
 

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7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Bottle: Hazy, dark copper with a small tan head. Caramel, pumpkin, nutmeg aroma. Flavour is mildly spicy caramel malt, pumpkin, spices. A little watery, but pretty good....nicely subdued.....good tasting and easy drinking.
Tried from Bottle on 20 Sep 2016 at 16:52

7.1/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Treated as a Scottish ale with pumpkin in it, this was poured into an English pint glass.
The appearance was a semi-dark rich brown color with a slight transparency to it. Slim finger’s worth of white foamy head started and dissipated immediately.
No lacing.
The aroma snaps the pumpkin spices fairly hard rolling over the normal caramel to toffee tones associated with the style. Sly nuttiness on the back end, but does end up losing some of the smoky to peaty even once it warms.
The flavor takes the spice brisk all over top of it. Still, the nuttiness, some caramel and toffee sweet malts show up nicely. Dry lightly spiced aftertaste sliding into the same semi-prickly finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Carbonation rides fairly light underneath with the spices tickling my tongue as the harshness.
Overall, I can see what it is for what it is worth, yes a Scottish ale with pumpkin spices in it. Good for what it is, I could come back to this though the spices do come in fairly harsh here and there, I like this one for me.
Tried from Can on 16 Sep 2016 at 16:44

6.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
Full bottle. Thia is a dry, malty beer. Brown color. Aroma has pumpkin and cinnamon more of both in the flavor, some nutmeg as well. Not sweet and good spice flavor and aroma. The malt base of this beer is dry. Good.
Tried from Bottle on 04 Sep 2016 at 17:13

7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6
Clear deep cola brown with a tall, off--white head. Sweet aroma. Cinnamon. nutmeg, allspice. The flavor is the aroma, thinned out somewhat. Needs more body to make a good follow through for the aroma and flavor.
Tried on 26 Aug 2016 at 17:03

6.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
Not a huge fan of pumpkin beers, but this one isn’t too bad. The pumpkin and pumpkin spice are rather muted. Pours a deep, brownish-amber with minimal head. Aroma has some pumpkin and spice, but really minimal. Flavor is malty and has some caramel and you can actually taste those touches underneath the pumpkin and the spices. I could handle another one of these.
Tried from Can on 20 Aug 2016 at 18:40

6.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottle from Total Wine in Sacramento, CA. Pours cola color with a tan head. For me the aroma is pretty spicy - pie spice. Near med body. Flavor starts spice, gets a touch of gourd/veg, and then goes a bit earthy/malty. Not bad, but ... Finishes rather dry and malty.
Tried from Bottle on 20 Aug 2016 at 18:34

7/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 6
Draft. Reddish amber color, off white head. Aroma of cinnamon and clove. Taste is earthy spice and brown bread. OK.
Tried from Draft on 16 Jun 2016 at 19:46


6.1/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Draft @ Taproom, Malmö. Pours a clear pale amber color with a small longlasting off-white head. Has a fruity malty spicy caramel and pumpkin aroma. Fruity malty spicy pumpkin flavor with hints of caramel. Has a fruity malty spicy pumpkin and caramel finish.
Tried from Draft on 26 Dec 2015 at 12:18

6.8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 7
Mahogany color. Intense nose of spices - nutmeg, cloves, and cinammon, but not overly sweet. The mouth is very malty, slightly heavy, with lots of spice, but doesn’t really go anywhere special.
Tried on 04 Dec 2015 at 23:17