1086-1093. The CBC's Great Pumpkin Festival
Published by Unknown on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 9:30 AM.
Jadyn and I went to Cambridge Brewing Company's 2nd Annual Great Pumpkin Festival on Halloween. After dinner at home, we took the T back to Kendall Square and arrived at around 10 PM. There was a fairly sizable line, but turnover was brisk, and we got in about 15 or 20 minutes later.
Entry to the event was $10, but this included a GPF pint glass. They were out of them when we arrived, so we got two CBC pint glasses instead. Luckily Jadyn has good eyes, and on our way back to the T, spotted an abandoned GPF glass on a table in the courtyard of the Kendall Marriott.
Beers were purchased with tickets, which were sold at two locations at the event. Tickets were available in increments of four, and we ended up buying two sets of twelve tickets totaling $30. For most beers one ticket equaled a four ounce pour, but for stronger beers or rarer beers two tickets equaled a four ounce pour. For us it worked out to about $5.50 per pint, about standard for a pint of quality beer in the area.
The CBC had six of their pumpkin beers on tap, Great Pumpkin Ale, Olde Pumpkin Porter, Biere de Gourde, Spinal Pumpkin, Black Magic, and Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse. They also had their standard house beers on tap, as well as another non-pumpkin beer. There were also fifteen pumpkin beers available from other breweries such as Allagash, The Bruery, Dogfish Head, and Elysian to name a few. I was pleased with the variety of different styles of "pumpkin beer." In general I tried to taste the beers that weren't the standard spiced, pumpkin ale.
Jadyn and I were lame, and didn't wear costumes. However, all of the staff and the majority of the patrons were dressed up, and the bar was heavily decorated for Halloween. I thought this was a great beer event. The variety of different interpretations of pumpkin ale kept things interesting, and the food menu looked great. I'll definitely want to go next year.
I've included the description on the beer list before my tasting notes for each beer.
1086. Mr. Yuck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
"Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and 150º Crystal malts and both malted and unmalted wheat, as well as wheat flour. Very lightly hopped with UK Fuggles and aged in fermentation for ten months wwith second-generation sour Belgian yeast blend (a culture we've kept alive for seven years), then in kegs for an additional four months. Pumpkin in the mash and kettle."
Mr. Yuck pours a hazy, copper golden. The aroma is pleasingly acidic with notes of funk, wet blanket, and characteristic Brett hopsack. The acidity is moderate, and the finish has Brett flavors. Nicely crisp and dry. I liked this beer, but thought it could have been a bit more sour.
1087. Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
"From our Heavy Seas line of extreme beers, our best experiment ever. The secret is in the 3 ounces of spice per barrel for this fall brew. We add the pumpkin during the mash at precisely the right time to create just the perfect balance of malt, hops, pumkin and spice. The crew at the brewery voted on their favorite recipe to bring you the best & biggest pumpkin beer you'll ever have!"
Pours a clear copper color with an off-white head. There are mild pumpkin notes and strong notes of nutmeg and cinnamon in the aroma. Sweet, sugary pumpkin up front move into a cinnamon and clove spiciness in the center and finish. There's a moderate hop bitterness in the finish.
1088. Olde Pumpkin Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
"Olde Pumpkin Porter is our attempt at recreating the pumpkin-infused beers of colonial days. Brewed with pale and roasted malts and fresh organic sugar pumpkins, it has whiled away the past year in old bourbon barrels, where it was inoculated by Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally occuring in the CBC dungeon, er, Barrel Cellar. It was then blended with cinnamon sticks and candied ginger, and finished with new oak. It's tart and roasty palate may just transport you back to 17th Century Boston"
Pours a dark black, and is topped by a brown head. The aroma has notes of bourbon, roast and a light acidity. Initially this porter is mildly sweet with roasted undertones, but moves into a boozy center, and a roasted bitterness in the finish. There are also hints of tartness and Brett earthiness in the finish. I thought this was an interesting beer, I'm always interested in attempts to make beers in a somewhat historic context.
1089. Black Magic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 3.75%
Serving: Cask
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
"Our Irish Dry Stout, Blackout, has been infused with fresh pumpkin, ancho and chipotle peppers, cacao nibs, and whole cinnamon sticks. No beer is safe from the pumpkin! Going one step further, this little beauty is served on cask for this event!"
BLack Magic pours an opaque black, and is topped by a thin, brown head. The aroma is a peculiar mixture of maltiness and cinnamon that gives the distinct impression of Graham Crackers. There are more subtle aromas of peppery spice and roast, but the Graham Cracker aroma was what really stuck out at me. There's a bit of chocolatey, and pumpkin sweetness upfront, but this is quickly eclipsed by the spiciness of the cinnamon, ancho, and chipotles. This spiciness finishes out the beer, leaving a strong, lingering heat. I thought this was a great beer. I really liked the heat, and thought that the slightly sweetened (pumpkin infusion) Irish Dry Stout backbone provided the perfect base for the spiciness. I wonder if this was inspired by Mayan and Aztec chocolate drinks. This was probably my favorite beer of the evening.
1090. Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
"Possibly the world's first pumpkin Berliner Weisse! Infused with autumn spices and fresh sugar pumpkin and, well, a secret ingredient to turn this beer a bright orange. Sweet upfront, tart in the finish, pumpkin-spicy in the middle."
Pours a cloudy, golden, orange color, and is topped by a light, white head. The aroma is grassy and grainy with mild spice aromatics, and a sour apple undertone. The initial maltiness leans towards sweet with hints of grassiness. The finish is pleasingly tart with a dry, and earthy character. The pumpkin pie spice is mild, but present throughout. This was another favorite of the evening.
1091. Jack O' Bite
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with pale, 77º Crystal, Munich and Cara-Hell malts, and bittered lightly with Glacier hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter; aged in Jack Daniel's and wine barrels for 6 weeks, inoculated with yeast from Rodenbach."
Pours a hazed, amber-red. It's topped by an off-white head with good lace. The aroma is boozy with woody, acidic and funky notes. A pumpkin and malty sweetness upfront moves into a tart bite. The finish is dry. I thought this was an interesting blend of pumpkin, Scotch Ale, and sour.
1092. St. Alphonso
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This was the one non-pumpkin beer I had all night. It's sort of a cross between a Belgian Pale Ale and a hoppy APA. Their description:
1093. Hansel and Gretel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Czech Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with organic pale, Weyermann Munich and Cara-Hell malts, with pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with peeled and pureed gresh ginger in the boil and bright tank and hopped with lots of Czech Saaz hops (otherwise it wouldn't be traditional)."
Pours a clear, golden color. Ginger and pumpkin notes beat out the Saaz in the aroma. The pumpkin contributes a distinct sweetness to the style. This sweetness moves into a ginger-spice center, and through to a nice, hoppy bitterness in the finish.
Entry to the event was $10, but this included a GPF pint glass. They were out of them when we arrived, so we got two CBC pint glasses instead. Luckily Jadyn has good eyes, and on our way back to the T, spotted an abandoned GPF glass on a table in the courtyard of the Kendall Marriott.
Beers were purchased with tickets, which were sold at two locations at the event. Tickets were available in increments of four, and we ended up buying two sets of twelve tickets totaling $30. For most beers one ticket equaled a four ounce pour, but for stronger beers or rarer beers two tickets equaled a four ounce pour. For us it worked out to about $5.50 per pint, about standard for a pint of quality beer in the area.
The CBC had six of their pumpkin beers on tap, Great Pumpkin Ale, Olde Pumpkin Porter, Biere de Gourde, Spinal Pumpkin, Black Magic, and Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse. They also had their standard house beers on tap, as well as another non-pumpkin beer. There were also fifteen pumpkin beers available from other breweries such as Allagash, The Bruery, Dogfish Head, and Elysian to name a few. I was pleased with the variety of different styles of "pumpkin beer." In general I tried to taste the beers that weren't the standard spiced, pumpkin ale.
Jadyn and I were lame, and didn't wear costumes. However, all of the staff and the majority of the patrons were dressed up, and the bar was heavily decorated for Halloween. I thought this was a great beer event. The variety of different interpretations of pumpkin ale kept things interesting, and the food menu looked great. I'll definitely want to go next year.
I've included the description on the beer list before my tasting notes for each beer.
1086. Mr. Yuck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
"Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and 150º Crystal malts and both malted and unmalted wheat, as well as wheat flour. Very lightly hopped with UK Fuggles and aged in fermentation for ten months wwith second-generation sour Belgian yeast blend (a culture we've kept alive for seven years), then in kegs for an additional four months. Pumpkin in the mash and kettle."
Mr. Yuck pours a hazy, copper golden. The aroma is pleasingly acidic with notes of funk, wet blanket, and characteristic Brett hopsack. The acidity is moderate, and the finish has Brett flavors. Nicely crisp and dry. I liked this beer, but thought it could have been a bit more sour.
1087. Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
"From our Heavy Seas line of extreme beers, our best experiment ever. The secret is in the 3 ounces of spice per barrel for this fall brew. We add the pumpkin during the mash at precisely the right time to create just the perfect balance of malt, hops, pumkin and spice. The crew at the brewery voted on their favorite recipe to bring you the best & biggest pumpkin beer you'll ever have!"
Pours a clear copper color with an off-white head. There are mild pumpkin notes and strong notes of nutmeg and cinnamon in the aroma. Sweet, sugary pumpkin up front move into a cinnamon and clove spiciness in the center and finish. There's a moderate hop bitterness in the finish.
1088. Olde Pumpkin Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
"Olde Pumpkin Porter is our attempt at recreating the pumpkin-infused beers of colonial days. Brewed with pale and roasted malts and fresh organic sugar pumpkins, it has whiled away the past year in old bourbon barrels, where it was inoculated by Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally occuring in the CBC dungeon, er, Barrel Cellar. It was then blended with cinnamon sticks and candied ginger, and finished with new oak. It's tart and roasty palate may just transport you back to 17th Century Boston"
Pours a dark black, and is topped by a brown head. The aroma has notes of bourbon, roast and a light acidity. Initially this porter is mildly sweet with roasted undertones, but moves into a boozy center, and a roasted bitterness in the finish. There are also hints of tartness and Brett earthiness in the finish. I thought this was an interesting beer, I'm always interested in attempts to make beers in a somewhat historic context.
1089. Black Magic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 3.75%
Serving: Cask
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
"Our Irish Dry Stout, Blackout, has been infused with fresh pumpkin, ancho and chipotle peppers, cacao nibs, and whole cinnamon sticks. No beer is safe from the pumpkin! Going one step further, this little beauty is served on cask for this event!"
BLack Magic pours an opaque black, and is topped by a thin, brown head. The aroma is a peculiar mixture of maltiness and cinnamon that gives the distinct impression of Graham Crackers. There are more subtle aromas of peppery spice and roast, but the Graham Cracker aroma was what really stuck out at me. There's a bit of chocolatey, and pumpkin sweetness upfront, but this is quickly eclipsed by the spiciness of the cinnamon, ancho, and chipotles. This spiciness finishes out the beer, leaving a strong, lingering heat. I thought this was a great beer. I really liked the heat, and thought that the slightly sweetened (pumpkin infusion) Irish Dry Stout backbone provided the perfect base for the spiciness. I wonder if this was inspired by Mayan and Aztec chocolate drinks. This was probably my favorite beer of the evening.
1090. Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
"Possibly the world's first pumpkin Berliner Weisse! Infused with autumn spices and fresh sugar pumpkin and, well, a secret ingredient to turn this beer a bright orange. Sweet upfront, tart in the finish, pumpkin-spicy in the middle."
Pours a cloudy, golden, orange color, and is topped by a light, white head. The aroma is grassy and grainy with mild spice aromatics, and a sour apple undertone. The initial maltiness leans towards sweet with hints of grassiness. The finish is pleasingly tart with a dry, and earthy character. The pumpkin pie spice is mild, but present throughout. This was another favorite of the evening.
1091. Jack O' Bite
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with pale, 77º Crystal, Munich and Cara-Hell malts, and bittered lightly with Glacier hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter; aged in Jack Daniel's and wine barrels for 6 weeks, inoculated with yeast from Rodenbach."
Pours a hazed, amber-red. It's topped by an off-white head with good lace. The aroma is boozy with woody, acidic and funky notes. A pumpkin and malty sweetness upfront moves into a tart bite. The finish is dry. I thought this was an interesting blend of pumpkin, Scotch Ale, and sour.
1092. St. Alphonso
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This was the one non-pumpkin beer I had all night. It's sort of a cross between a Belgian Pale Ale and a hoppy APA. Their description:
St. Alphonso pours a pale, straw color, and is topped by a white head. The aroma is primarily hoppy: lots of resin and grassy hops, and a bit of citrus. A distinct citric flavor accompanies a light, grainy maltiness upfront. This moves into resiny and leafy hop flavors in the finish, which contribute more to flavor than to bitterness. This one seems insanely drinkable.Brewers have long held a tradition of naming beers after patron saints. We wanted to do the same, but which saint to choose?
All of the good ones being taken – St. Arnold, St. Bridgette, St. Augustine, etc., etc. – we were left with old Saint Alphonso, patron saint of church pancake breakfasts.
What’s he got to do with our newest beer? Nothing, really. Like I said, all of the good saints were taken.Inspired once again to abuse our position and mess up the mainstream, we’ve created an “American” take on the Belgian single, or table beer. Created for consumption on a daily basis while at the meal table, as opposed to the richer and stronger doubles and triples reserved for festival times, bière de table in Belgium is a lower alcohol beer with plenty of spicy, yeasty, malty flavors.
Our spin involves our house Belgian yeast strain and bucketloads of American hops. Brewed with pale and aromatic malts, its primary flavors and aromas are big, floral, grassy and citrusy thanks to Glacier, Amarillo, and Centennial hops. Glacier hops were added at first wort, and combined with Amarillo and Centennial at the end of the boil and in the whirlpool. Additionally nearly 1.5 pounds per barrel of dryhops were added for that bit of something we call “extra.” No bittering hops were used, but the flavors and residual dryness from the hops, combined with a very well-attenuated, super-dry, light-bodied beer, create a perfect balance on the palate.
Call it a hoppy Belgian session beer if you like.
We call it St. Alphonso.
1093. Hansel and Gretel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Czech Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with organic pale, Weyermann Munich and Cara-Hell malts, with pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with peeled and pureed gresh ginger in the boil and bright tank and hopped with lots of Czech Saaz hops (otherwise it wouldn't be traditional)."
Pours a clear, golden color. Ginger and pumpkin notes beat out the Saaz in the aroma. The pumpkin contributes a distinct sweetness to the style. This sweetness moves into a ginger-spice center, and through to a nice, hoppy bitterness in the finish.
Labels: American Porter, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian Pale Ale, Berliner Weissbier, Czech Pilsener, Irish Dry Stout, Pumpkin Ale, Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy
