REVIEW 127: JACK-O TRAVELER PUMPKIN SHANDY

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  The Traveler Beer Company

STYLE:  Shandy; Pumpkin Ale; Pale Wheat Ale

ABV:  4.4%

PURCHASE:  Six-pack of 12-oz. bottles, $11.99

SERVING:  12-oz. bottle, poured into pint glass. Heady from the bottle regardless of pour speed. A normal pour produced an initial head of over three inches; a slower one roughly one inch less. Good retention.

APPEARANCE:  Hazy and semi-transparent copper-rust body with a slightly off-white head. Very faint bubbling. No lacing.

BOUQUET:  Smells like liquefied pumpkin pie . . . literally. What else would you expect from a beer that calls itself a "pumpkin shandy?" Specifically, though, aside from pumpkin itself, the scent was heavy on spices such as nutmeg and clove, and seemed to add dashes of cinnamon, allspice, and/or something more obscure. 

PALATE:  Well, the taste doesn't quite pack the same punch as did the aroma, in terms of pumpkin. It's there, but somewhat muted until near the finish. It takes a couple beats to assert itself. Very smooth mouthfeel with soft carbonation and a body that's a bit on the light side. Not as full-flavored as it seems it should be; the spice factor, so prominent nasally, is almost nonexistent taste-wise. Finish is a little toasty and malty, leading to an aftertaste that maintains a moderate amount of pumpkin but adds an accompaniment of citrus zest that wasn't evident in the aroma. (The label on the bottle does say it's brewed with lemon peel.) 

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  If you had never heard of the Traveler Beer Company, you would likely think this came from Magic Hat. And why not? Both breweries are from Vermont, the same state that gave us Ben & Jerry's. Those Vermonters and their alternative tastes. 

I love Ben & Jerry's. This? Eh . . .




GRADE:  C+