Opaque copper color, sharp alcohol aroma with vegetables. Sweet malt and bourbon taste. Pumpkin pie spice and woodiness underneath. Dry finish.

Can from Total Wine in Folsom, CA. Pours translucent gold with a large creamy, foamy white head. Juicy aroma. Near med body. Towards dry. Less than moderately bitter. Citrus and some tropicals with lightly bready support. A hint of something like earth in the finish. Mellow.

Bottled 500ml. -from random Coop Torino, shared with Marko & hrabren. Darker golden/amberish coloured, medium sized white to off-white head, caramel and herbs in the nose. The taste is almost the same with notes of fruits and touch of oxidation in the finish.

Bottle brewed in Wolverhampton or something. Amber body, off-white head. Very caramelly aroma, crystal malt likely, some sweet orange citrus touches, washed out slightly. Lean, soft body ending dry, raisins, trace orange, apricot esters, bit earthy, light herbal finish. I mean, come on, this is a bitter more than any American IPA, likely completely different recipe, only the name and ABV being the same... or I'm worried for the original...

This review was imported from my RateBeer ratings.

10/13/2023
I'm updating my evaluation of this beer. In 2022, I tried it for the first time and wrote my initial review. This year, I tried it again and have decided to make a few minor changes to my review and rating. Immediately below, are just the categories that I've decided to update for this year's evaluation. If a category isn't listed then that is because it is the same as last year's evaluation. In which case, you can just reference my 2022 review, which appears at the bottom.

16oz. can, 9.0% ABV., Recommended temp:55F, I could find no discernible BEST BY/BORN ON date.

NOTE: The can states that is has an IBU of 20, while RateBeer shows it as 26. I would say that the can is more accurate as there is almost no detectable bitterness.

MOUTHFEEL: I still feel like this is borderline between being thin- and medium-bodied. However, this year, that texture stays consistent throughout. Given the sweetness level, I think I would prefer a slightly heavier body to the beer. Also, I feel like this year's vintage has a bit more fizz, so I would rate the carbonation as above-average.

OVERALL: I still find it a little too sweet, but not objectionably so. After all, it is a pumpkin-pie-in-a-bottle beer, so you gotta expect it to be on the sweet side. I'd also change my "not sure I would buy again" to "probably buy occasionally (i.e. every few years)".

For comparison purposes, my original review from 10/14/2022 is below, along with the rating I gave it in each category.

16 oz. can, 9% ABV, Born on: 08/11/22

AROMA (7/10): I'm first hit with scents of pumpkin, clove, and booze, which is then followed by brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Basically, it smells like a pumpkin pie only the aromas are more subdued than a pie's.

APPEARANCE (5/5): Pours a slightly hazy, golden-amber, with a tall, off-white head that dissipates very slowly and has excellent lacing. This is one good-looking beer! In fact, I would say this is the poster-child of what all beers should look like in a clear glass!

TASTE (6/10): Moderately sweet. On the front-end I get big flavors of pumpkin and booze. In the middle I get cloves and brown sugar. And on the finish I get a hint of cinnamon that lingers for a fair amount of time. This is your typical pumpkin-pie beer, but with a bit of a boozy flavor. The bright part is that the pumpkin flavor is the star, with the spices playing second-fiddle.

MOUTHFEEL (2/5): This is borderline between being thin- and medium-bodied. Texture is somewhat smooth but has a hint of tackiness. Carbonation is average. To me, this has a confusing body. On each sip I get a very watery feel at first. But then as I let the beer rest in my mouth for a second, the body "thickens" a bit, only to "thin out" again as I swallow. It's a very odd sensation that is hard to put into words. Suffice it to say, that I have never had this experience with any other beer.

OVERALL (14/20): Not bad but I do find it a little too sweet for my tastes, and the body seems a little thin, too. Other than that, I was pleased with the aroma, as well as the level of pumpkin-to-spice flavor ratio. Although, I'm not sure I would buy this again. Mostly because I've had better pumpkin beers than this, and there's nothing unique about this one to make me want to buy it over one of those other pumpkin beers. But also because I like trying new beers. Which means, unless a beer really "wows" me, then I'll probably buy something I haven't tried, rather than something I thought was nice but not spectacular.

NOTE: This beer is no longer labeled as being part of the Pugsley's Signature Series. The label now just says "Smashed Pumpkin".

Pumpkinhead season is here, and at candlepin bowling!

Bottle from Sainsburys. Clear deep golden body with a thin white head. Steady carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of biscuit and lemon ice tea. Flavour of steel and caramel. Thin body with a watery texture. Light fizz. Light, hoppy and straightforward.

Bottle shared with my brother at Oliver’s Jazz Bar, Greenwich, 13.08.22. Clear golden. Foamy white head. Refreshing aroma and taste of succade, pale malt and various citrus.

Poured from 473mL can (at Seaport Beer Festival). Clear-ish blonde yellow with minimal white head. Blueberry upfront, but then dissipates into a bit of blandness. Average, not enough follow through.