When I popped open the bottle and took my first whiff, I got a sense that this was a robust beer. It has the smell of pumpkin pie. There is a bold nutmeg and cinnamon scent gives the impression that Shipyard is a dessert beer.

Pour it into the glass and the color is actually pretty light orange. It’s a wheat beer which is not evident on the bottle, but you get a little more information by checking out the Shipyard Brewery website.
I was expecting the beer to be darker in color given the robustness of the smell.

My first sip was delicious. The pumpkin flavor is strong and the finish is powerful. I would not call it bitter, but there is almost a citrus, acidic quality to the aftertaste and liked that, although I was expecting it to finish sweeter and to be more pumpkinny. I found it to be bold and courageous. It accomplishes what I feel like Post Road’s Pumpkin beer is trying, yet failing to accomplish. This is a must-try beer for anyone (over 21) who is interested in pumpkin ales.

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