Pumking is Southern Tier in a bottle. Southern Tier does not do flavor halfway. Choklat was the most powerfully flavored beer in the Tournament of Stouts. Pumking will absolutely be the most powerfully flavored beer in the Tournament of Pumpkins. The nose is overpowering - in my opinion this is a wonderful thing. I love to know how the beer tastes before it ever hits my lips. The spices mostly hit on the sides of my tongue and bubble up in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel on Pumking is smooth; bubbles are sparse in a properly settled pour. There is a bitter aftertaste that isn't hoppy, but more a product of the spices infused in the beer.
The color is actually a little on the light side of copper, but still well within the standard for this genre of beer.
It's been no secret that Pumking is one of my favorite pumpkin ales, and I think it has a very strong chance to go all the way in this tournament. It may, however, fall prey to the same issue that Choklat ran into in the earlier tourney; the flavor is so intense that after a while you just want a break. Unlike Choklat, though, I can actually drink a whole bottle (22 oz). That's a bit dangerous, though, as Pumking is (like any truly good beer) a decently heavy hitter, clocking in at a mean 9.0% ABV. The high ABV adds just a touch of sweet that does well to enhance the flavor.
Southern Tier is a craft brewery in Lakewood, NY, and they have a huge selection of seasonals. I’m a fan of Choklat, Pumking, Heavy Weizen, and Krampus. Check ‘em out if you like full-flavored beers. Bud Light fans beware.
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