Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale

Still dragging my feet on the fall ales, I pulled this one out of the ‘beer cellar’ this evening. Elysian has a knack for introducing interesting flavors into their ales without making them overbearing. This one tastes like a good pale ale with hints of pumpkin and pumpking spices rounding it out. Because of this, Elysian’s infusions work more to broaden beer horizons than to supply fraternities with pints with which to ply their ‘sisters’. The aroma here is subdued, a nice lightly hopped scent, not an overpowering nutmeg, which mostly makes itself known in the tail end of a swallow. The hue is a pleasant caramel…N tells me it’s like a burnt sienna crayon. The body is medium and bordering on creamy, strong enough to carry both the beer and the spices. I sense a mild smokiness as well, as I work my way towards the bottom of the glass. This is definitely a nice ale to enjoy in front of the fire on a crisp and cool night, so I think that I’ll return to doing that now. Overall, I’d say that if you’re not against the use of adjuncts this is a fine pumpkin ale, and look for it next fall, or if you’re lucky at some of your specialty shops. cheers!