Brew Review: Shipyard Pumpkinhead

Remember when, approximately two and a half months ago, I was all excited to conduct a Halloween-themed brew review? And then I got a cold on Halloween weekend and was a little bitch and couldn't muster the energy to even put on my lobster costume, let alone drink beers? And then it was time for me to run a 60k (because I am an ultramarathoner) and then it was Thanksgiving, and then it was Christmas, and then I went to St. John and drank my weight in Corona and Carib and now here we are today, never having had those fall seasonals?

Well tonight I decided to do something about that. In part, this was because it was raining and I didn't want to go outside to buy new and different beers and decided to make due with what was already in my fridge, and in part this was inspired by my reading of "Brewed Awakening" by Joshua M. Bernstein, which has lit a fire under my brew reviewing butt. (That's a post for another day). So while I whipped up some dinner, I cracked open the solitary Shipyard Pumpkinhead that's been in my fridge since October.






As I poured this into a pint glass, I was hit with a pumpkin pie spice aroma. Not like, "hmm, this is subtle and smells vaguely like something that reminds me of pumpkin pie," but "this is made with McCormack's brand, pre packaged pumpkin pie spice from the grocery store." It was weird to encounter a smell so specific and yet so not a typical beer smell.

My first sip was actually pleasantly surprising; this beer tasted like cinnamon, and had potential for an enjoyable, warm-you-up-on-a-January-night beer. Eagerly anticipating sip number two, I left my beer to hang out for a few minutes and finished up my dinner.

When I came back to my beer and took anther sip, I was aghast; this tastes like dirty vegetables covered in cinnamon! Again, it was weird to taste something so specific that was also so atypical for beer, but this tastes like dirty vegetables covered in cinnamon! Who drinks this?! It's awful!

I'm reluctant to shit on Shipyard because I support Maine businesses, and it's my own fault for picking this beer, because I already knew I didn't like pumpkin beers. But seriously, who does like this stuff? I know you're out there (Brad). What is the draw? Do you like other pumpkin things? Coffee, cheesecake, muffins, and stuff? I hate all those things too, so again, I wasn't going into this tasting with the most open mind, but I'm really astounded that so many people seem to love this and other pumpkin beers. I poured this beer out.

In summation, I know there are people out there who like this beer and other pumpkin things. I am not one of them, even when those pumpkin things are produced by a brewer I usually like. If you do, you're a freak who drinks dirty vegetables. Good luck with that.