Name: Ichabod Ale
Brewer: New Holland Brewing Co. (Holland, MI)
Classification: Pumpkin Ale
Alcohol: 5.5%
Thoughts: I really like the inventive name for this Pumpkin Ale by New Holland Brewing Co. Mainly because they didn't take the usually road and involve the word "Pumpkin". Yet, it easily maintains the Halloween/Autumn/Pumpkin vibe that this month is all about. This pumpkin Ale pours a gorgeous hazy pale pumpkin-orange. And despite the Legend of Sleepy Hollow involving the Headless Horseman, you can see in the picture that this is a heady brew. The smell was familiar, but not "beer-miliar". It reminded me of burning metal and was slightly off-putting. Very little spice was involved in the aroma as it was more malty and earthy. Tasting this beer I again noticed this burnt metal aroma, but I powered through it and got more of what i expect from a Pumpkin Ale. Notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and sweet caramel rested themselves on my palate, but the hops were kept in check. The absence of hops in this beer is clearly its downfall to me. They kept the spices calm and the malts sweet, but there is no attack-mode from this beer. If the hops were bitter or biting it would have added a new dynamic to this beer that would make it uncommon even among an already uncommon style of beer.
Rating: 79/100
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