One of the things many craft beer drinkers look forward to every year is the release of their favorite pumpkin beer. This is also a bone of contention for many because pumpkin beers are released earlier and earlier every year. In a perfect world, the beer would be released at precisely the right time for all the consumers who drink seasonally. The minds at Tin Whiskers must have heard the complaints from the masses and felt sympathy to the plight of the seasonal drinkers. On Friday, September 19th, Tin Whiskers released their Schottky Pumpkin Ale. Named for a German physicist who helped develop the theory of electron and ion emission phenomena. Now, I don't really understand much of what emission phenomena of electrons or ions is, but I can tell you that the Schottky Pumpkin Ale hits the mark for those who crave the unique combo of pumpkin pie spice and actual pumpkin flavor in your fall beers. I have to admit that I am an unabashed pumpkin beer fan. I love the season of fall and I love what different brewers can do with this style of beer to make it unique and special. The Schottky Pumpkin Ale has a wonderful color that is a medium caramel with an orange that probably falls between 12-15 SRM. It has a nice foamy 1/2 inch head that enhances the aromatics. The 5.5% ABV and 26 IBU make this beer something that can be enjoyed multiple times during the span of en evening.
The nose is very inviting and immediately make you feel like sitting down for a nice slice of pumpkin pie. The beer is spiced with pumpkin pie spices and the allspice and nutmeg really star. The aroma is not too overpowering and allows you to fully experience all the other sensory things happening in this beer without them becoming muddled together.
As you taste it, you first notice the pumpkin pie spices. Then, the flavor changes to focus your palate on the pumpkin flavor itself. This is nice because one of the complaints that is often heard about pumpkin beers is that the brewer was too heavy-handed with the spices and the other flavor subtleties are lost. That is certainly not the case with the Schottky. The pumpkin flavor is clean and balances out the sweetness from the spices.
The mouth feel is a combination between a nice spice tingle and then a balanced and dry effervescence. This is a very crisp pumpkin ale that makes it a nice and drinkable choice. It has a robust feel to it without being too heavy.
Tin Whiskers released this beer just in time for the fall. They celebrated the release last Friday night and the feedback and sales have been positive. They brewed three batches of this beer to ensure that it will be around for the better part of fall. However, I would make plans to get down there and have a pint of this delicious fall seasonal sooner than later. You don't want to end up like Linus at the end of It's A Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown because you didn't get a chance to try it; cold, alone and sucking your thumb in your neighbors garden. That scenario only ends well for cartoon characters.
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