Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

Well, autumn is coming, and with it, pumpkin beers. Schlafly is a St. Louis brewery with some reach out here in the Northeast, at least courtesy of the excellent Oak Tree Buy-Rite liquor store, a local haven for beer enthusiasts.

So, let's get down to brass tacks. This is not a super strong beer, at 8.0% alcohol content, so there's no real alcohol note that could overpower the added spices. This is a fairly flavorful pumpkin ale, more reminiscent of pumpkin pie than Just Plain Pumpkin. There's a prominent note of cinnamon and nutmeg, with a smooth backing of pumpkin and cloves.

It's not the most pumpkin-y offering this season, and I think it's more of a dessert beer, but if you like pumpkin pie, and are on the fence about pumpkin beers, this is a good start.

3/5 stars, but keep in mind that I'm picky about my pumpkins.