Elysian "Night Owl" Pumpkin Ale

5 out of 5 Hops



Another awesome brew from Elysian Brewing Company in Seattle. Forgive my local prejudice, but this is an amazing fruit seduced beer. Fruit beers can be a little strange and sometimes too sweet, or no fruit evidence at all. This is Elysians' original pumpkin ale. Each year they brew several versions of pumpkin beers in the fall. I have tried the stout, but I prefer the Night Owl. Their is a spice aroma that is distinctly pumpkin pie minus the baked crust, but not overpowering. Taste is a balanced, lightly hopped, malt flavor with a spice and pumpkin after taste. Several grains are on the bill which would lend to a more complex taste. Hop bill is all Target, which is a dual purpose English style bittering and aroma hop. I love the use of a single hop throughout a brew; typically two or more hops are used for most beers. Single hops give you a chance to fully appreciate its flavor. In a fruit beer, you don't want a highly hopped flavor that would detract from the fruit. IBU is at 20 for this one, which seems low by most hop head standards, but no complaints here! This review is a little late for acquiring this beer, so look out for it later this year.