Belgo Pumpkin, a Sour Pumpkin Ale by Justice Brewing Company.
22 ounce bottle served in Sam Adams glass.
6.0% alcohol by volume
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The pour is hazy, hazy orange. A few streams of bubbles can be seen. A thick head of off-white forms, easily three fingers thick. It dissipates into a finger-thick foam head.
The nose is of berries and faint spices, with faint undertones of sour leather.
The tongue is sour—lemony, sour berry tart. As the sour calms down, there may be a bit of pumpkin there but it is hard to tell.
The mouthfeel is medium. Whatever sweetness is there (and I think it’s there) is quickly dried out by the sour.
After the looooooooong finish, there is some pumpkin flesh, a hint of spice, some Belgian funkiness.
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After the initial “sour shock” wears off, there may be some pumpkin there, but this isn’t going to give me the pumpkin pie I seek. It’s not bad; in fact I quite rather like it; but it’s not at all what I imagined.
I need to let it warm up a bit and see what happens…
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As it warms, it becomes more sour Belgian with hints of pumpkin flesh and ginger than the “sour shock” it was prior. Sour is still there and prominent (and somewhat dominant), but as it warms it increases in complexity.
I like this ale quite a bit. It’s still not what I expected and bit strange, but a good and welcome strange. It's an adventurous and playful beer; not for the faint of heart.
Recommended if you like sour ales.
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