Rumpkin: A beer worthy of its pumpkin name

In the spirit of Halloween, my awesome girlfriend went out and got us a bottle of Rumpkin by Boulder's own Avery Brewing Co. It set her back about $15 for one 12 oz bottle of the pumpkin ale, which may sound like a lot, but I would say it was definitely worth the amount to try out this unique creation. They only brewed 512 cases of this beer and it was only bottled on October 6th, so it was fresh off the line. From what I heard, there was a two hour long line at Liquor Mart the day it was put on the shelves, and you could only get one bottle!

Instead of selling a syrupy beer with off-putting, artificial-tasting pumpkin flavors, Avery really created something special and unique that sets itself apart from the rest. As hinted by the name, Rumpkin is aged in rum barrels which really adds impressive traits to everything from smell to color to taste. I popped it open and put my nose over the bottle and instantly got a strong rum smell, which isn't usually something I get excited about in a beer, but this one was different. When poured into the glass, it had a warm amber color (more on the orange side than the red) and a very small head that disappeared not long after the pour. Like I said, the nose had blatant rum qualities, but once in the glass you could really smell the spices and the real pumpkin.

The taste is what really sealed the deal. Even though I was expecting something with an overpowering rum flavor, what I got was a delicious pumpkin beer with malty and caramel flavors, a product of its aging in an oak rum barrel. That being said, it still had a strong alcohol flavor, but not a harsh one that lingered in the back of your throat. After all this beer has a whopping 15.9% ABV, so it is going to have that alcohol taste.

I would absolutely urge people to go out and try this. It is definitely something two or three people can split and sip on since Rumpkin drinks more as a fine liquor than a keystone light.