Cracked this brew open and smell a beautiful patch of wild flowers. Huh? That’s right. The aroma coming off of this beer is more like your mother’s flower garden than Linus’ pumpkin patch. There is nothing sincere about the scent of this beer, so don’t expect the Great Pumpkin to rise out of the bottle and give you any toys. You will be lucky to get a rock.

This pours a deep red, which is what I was expecting when I poured the Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale. After agitating the beer, I took another deep sniff and got a trace of vanilla.

When I tasted this brew I was shocked to find a creamy, sweet flavor. Holy CANDY CORNS Batman! This beer tastes more like those barfalicious, pumpkin-shaped, candy corns than pumpkin.

The beer is not vile. It’s highly drinkable and finishes without any real aftertaste. I think it is an attempt to have pumpkin beer appeal to the masses and I give it credit for trying to straddle the line with some creativity. Give it a try if you are of age.

The Shipyard Pumpkin Ale: Rating B
Blue Moon Pumpkin: Rating: C