Phillips Brewing Company Crookeder Tooth Barrel Aged Pumpkin Ale Spice / Herb / Vegetable at 7.3% ABV (C$7.49 at South Trail Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)
Appearance: clear medium amber, one fat finger of creamy light tan head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: vegetal pumpkin and spices, bourbon, vanilla, citrus, woody. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, light tart. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, short duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)
Oh yeah, that works – think pumpkin pie, with bourbon sauce. For me, this is pretty much the holy grail of pumpkin beers: a pumpkin beer that I like, without qualification. I would drink this without complaint, any time. Somewhat more intense pumpkin and spices than its little brother, but the big difference is the depth of flavour imparted by the bourbon barrel aging. And on that note, I’m done with punkin beer for the year – glad I saved the best for last! (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
