Blue Point Big Mother Pumpkin

There isn’t a great story to this one – I love pumpkin beer season, and when I see one on the shelf that I haven’t tried, I basically always buy it. That’s how I ended up with Blue Point’s Big Mother Pumpkin. It appears that this is sort of an amped up version of their regular pumpkin ale.

Brewery: Blue Point Brewing Co. (Patchogue, NY)

Rating: 79/100

Comments: Sitting at 9% abv, this is a big pumpkin ale. It pours a mostly clear dark ruby/amber color with some creamy off-white head. The aroma is pretty strong and has all the elements you’d expect: nutmeg, allspice, brown sugar, and maybe a touch of cinnamon spice. When it comes to taste, it loses points for me on balance. The beer’s nutmeg, allspice, and other fall flavors are strong, but overpowered by booze. I even felt a little alcohol burn at the back of my throat. With the high abv and moderate body, it’s definitely a sipping beer; good for a cold, fall evening in a cabin, I imagine.