Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat Ale

Brewer: Shock Top Brewing Company, St. Louis, Missouri
Alcohol Content: 4.2%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat is the first seasonal ale from Shock Top. With a flavor that’s refreshingly fall and distinctly Shock Top, it’s guaranteed not to be the last.

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat is a traditional Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with ripe pumpkins and a variety of autumnal spices, including nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. This seasonal unfiltered wheat ale has a deep amber color and is crafted with a refreshingly distinct pumpkin spice that fully captures all the flavors of fall."

Wilk's Take:
Now, it normally would not be in my nature to start a beer critique by mentioning another beer, but my hand is almost forced to in this situation.  I've never tried a pumpkin ale prior to this year.  I suppose I've always stuck with any number of Oktoberfest brews and shied away from pumpkin varieties.  At the Beer Geeks one year anniversary celebration (which, I know, I never wrote about), I had the pleasure of trying Southern Tier's Pumpking.  I was amazed.  The snifter held pumpkin pie in a glass, complete with whip cream.  No, the beer wasn't topped with whip cream but it sure tasted like it was.  This set the bar incredibly high for pumpkin ales to follow.

Enter Shock Top's Pumpkin Wheat Ale.  If you inspect the neck of the bottle closely, nestled just below the cap, Shock Top has provided instructions on how to pour the beer.  I'm paraphrasing here, but it goes something like this: "Pour down side of glass until there is about 1/2 inch of beer left in bottle.  Swirl bottle around to release full flavor of spices, then pour remainder."  I missed this the first time.  Let me assure you however that swirling the remaining half inch really does nothing to alter the taste.

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat is a beautiful autumn color.  If you are opposed to drinking pumpkin ales, it is just worth pouring a glass just to see the colors blazing at you.  Imagine driving through south western Michigan on a perfect October day and you will see unimaginable leaves being wrestled from trees.  Blend all of those colors together and you get Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat.  The combination yields a rusty orange look that is darker than 70s style carpeting but lighter than stained cherry wood.

The smell is what you would expect.  The pumpkin is the primary aroma and you can certainly detect the autumnal spices that usually accompany pumpkin: cinnamon, nutmeg, clove.  What is lacking is the wheat aspect of the beer.  At least through the smell.  When you drink Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat Ale, you can taste the pumpkin and spices and they taste good.  Not nearly pumpkin pie in a glass, but damn tasty.  The wheat is subtle and at the tail end of any pull, so at least the claim to Pumpkin Wheat Ale is a solid one.

Suggestion: Do it.  'Tis the season to try autumnal beers and Shock Top has a good one with Pumpkin Wheat Ale.  It's their first seasonal and it's a damn good one.

Value: I bought a six pack for $6.  That's a steal in my opinion.  I drank three of them while watch the Bears game Sunday afternoon and could have finished the other three if I didn't try another beer that day.  I found mine at Wise Guy's.  Go out and get yourself some.

Michelle Factor: For the first time, Michelle finished a glass.  She took the obligatory sip, told me she liked it and I told her to have at it.  She did.  Although she left some brew hanging.  A picture is forthcoming.