Southern Tier Rum Barrel Aged Pumking
Southern Tier Brewery
Here's a little treat that tastes even better because my wife bought it for me: Southern Tier Rum Barrel Aged Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Now, I'm a big fan of Southern Tier Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale (and pumpkin beers in general), so this was a natural for me. Southern Tier rarely does anything by half measures, so I knew this would be good.
Truth be told, I was standing right there at Total Wine waffling on this one because of the price; that's when the wife made the executive decision and bought it. I'm glad she did, as we shall soon see.
OK, I did the latter (kept it hidden away). My bottle of Southern Tier Rum Barrel Aged Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale is about a year old, being the 2016 edition. It has an alcohol content of 9.5% by volume per the label, and I paid $15.99 for it. As I said, pricey. The label has changed for 2017.
About Southern Tier Brewing
In 2002, founders Phineas DeMink, Sara DeMink and Allen 'Skip' Yahn started the brewery with the vision of reviving small-batch brewing to a region rich in brewing tradition. With equipment from the Old Saddleback Brewing Co. in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the Southern Tier Brewing Company began production in the woods just outside of Lakewood, New York.
Southern Tier Rum Barrel Aged Pumking
Tasting Notes
Southern Tier Rum Barrel Aged Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale pours to a bright orange color with a tall fizzy short-lived head and a truly inviting buttered rum and cinnamon nose. Taking a sip, the beer is quite rummy at first, then the pumpkin emerges, and the rum seems to really bring out the fleshy, stringy vegetal meaty pumpkin flavor. It's lightly buttery, but not so much as straight Pumking is, and spicy in the finish with dry nutmeg and cinnamon. Really delicious and warming with alcohol in the finish.
Value & Verdict
I paid $15.99 for a bottle, about $5 more than I think it should be.
A rum soaked pumpkin pie? That's here, too. I really enjoyed this one, and would give it 4.5 stars less a half star for the high price. Incidentally, I shared my bottle with my daughter Jessica, who is herself an avid Pumking fan. She liked it too.
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