Beer – #321 – Lakefront – 25th Anniversary Series #03 Imperial Pumpkin

BeerFest continues with this the Lakefront Brewery 25th Anniversary Series #03 – Imperial Pumpkin

Brewed by Lakefront Brewery in the style of a Spice/Herb/Vegetable and they are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA

Selfie

This is a Lager brewed with pumpkin and spices with vanilla added and aged in brandy barrels.

It pours a copper-orange with a fine, off-white head. The aroma is caramel-forward, followed by cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, oak, and subtle brandy notes. The full, moderately bright mouthfeel starts with cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel malt, then yields Madagascar vanilla bean, oak, and brandy flavors. A lingering oak and malty sweetness are left on the palate; a reminder of how we’ve honed our craft over the past 25 years.
Like our Pumpkin Lager, this goes great with fall meals, but the intense flavors demand richer foods. Roasted or glazed foul will pair excellently: we suggest honey glazed turkey or roasted duck. Try sweet potato and butternut squash hash as a side, or a spiced butternut squash purée. Also a great a dessert beer serve it with French vanilla ice cream topped with maple glazed walnuts or a simple bread pudding with dried cranberry and pecans.

MALTS:

TWO-ROW PALE, BELGIAN ARO- MATIC, 20 L CARAMEL, PUMPKIN PUREÉ

2 row pale malt – AKA Klages. A grain that has 2 rows along the seed head. 2 row malt has more starch per unit of weight than 6 row. 2L

HOPS: MT. HOOD

Mt. Hood is a triploid aroma-type cultivar, the 1983 result of a cross between the colchicine – induced tetraploid female Hallertau mf (USDA 21397) and the USDA 19058M, male plant. It is a half-sister to Ultra, Liberty and Crystal.

An aromatic variety derived from Hallertau with a refined, spicy aroma and clean bittering. A good choice for lagers. (alpha acid: 4.0-6.0% / beta acid: 5.0-7.5%)

So – a 355ml Bottle, of an 8% ABV beer, which is about 240 calories in a 2.2 standard drink package.

Candy sweet aroma on opening, bit peppery. This turns into a really fully sweet aroma on pouring. No head of course.

Full mouthfeel of really ‘thick’ tasting beer, that coats the mouth, nicely carbonated, and a bit lovely.

But is is very sweet on the palate, heavy sweet. The aroma is quite intense and your nose gets full warning about what is about be supped.

I get a lot of impression of a spice base in this, and due of course thinking about it, it’s from a brandy barrel, and so therefore I’m going to make my head think properly about the taste it’s getting.

‪#‎PhilsBeeerFest14‬ has started off well then.

The Pdubyah-o-meter likes this a bit, very good at 8. There is a real burst of taste when you sup this, and the alcohol is making itself known in this too.

Easy drinking though, and as it warms more of the warm caramel shows through and the alcohol get more tart, and this tangs up the tongue. Quite enjoyable and I’m a bit happy

For no reason I’m listening to Bill Callahan, and I have the sportsball on mute on the teevee. Lots of layers and lyrical things going on.

SPICE/HERB/VEGETABLE

Any ale or lager made with herbs, spices or vegetables. The additive should be distinctive in the aroma. See beer description for flavor. Body, color, hop character and strength vary depending on the type of spice, herb or vegetable used.