Catawba Valley King Dons Pumpkin Ale

Brewed by Catawba Valley Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Glen Alpine, North Carolina USA

On tap at barleys, Asheville. poured a dark amber with a small white head.Lots of aroma dancing on my nose.Fresh hot pumpkin pie with all the spices. Flavor was the same.Nutmeg, pumpkin pie and cinnamon.Flavor left me wanting whipped cream to finish it off.

Appearance: Pours a clearish, reddish-brown body with a thin, off-white head. Smell: A fragrant aroma filled with inviting toasted spices, but pretty meak when it comes to the actual pumpkins. Taste: Mild pumpkin flavor that’s lightly sweet. The addition of fresh spices adds a measure of earthy spiciness. Slight hint of lemon near the sweet finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: It’s one of those pumpkin ales that lays emphasis on spices and not pumpkin flavor. Still, though, it is a pleasant Autumntime brew.

Pours a fairly clear, red amber color, with a small off white head. Big, monster cinnamon notes fill the air backed by some pumpkin spice. Reminds me of DFH’s punkin, but times 2. Really gets your attention. The flavor was more cubdued than the aroma would lead you too believe at first, however. The cinnamon was there, but the pumpkin really took a backseat. It was more in the background and needed more of an influence in my opinion. Still pretty good, but could have been awesome. More balance is needed.

Name: King Don’s Pumpkin Ale
Date: 09/13/2003
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Asheville

spicy cinamon aroma, rich dry pumpkin flavor with very light spices,
-------- /> Name: King Don’s Pumpkin Ale
Date: 09/10/2005
Source: Chattanooga Brewfest
Words: Draft

sweet pumpkin pie aroma with lots of cinimaon, big body, big pumpkin pie flavor without being too sweet, too much bitterness for the style
-------- /> Name: King Don’s Pumpkin Ale
Date: 09/22/2006
Mode: draft
Words: Barley’s

huge cinamin aroma, lots of cinamin in the flavor, light bitterness from the spices,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.9/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

On tap at Westville Pub in Asheville. I finally broke down and tried this one. I usually stay away from beers in the spice/herb/vegetable category. I’m happy with this one though. Medium orange-brown body, with a minimal light brown head. Aroma pleasant pumkin, cinnamon, nutmeg (as I expected) but the flavor and palate were what most impressed me with this brew. The mouthfeel wasn’t just a totally watered-down wash-out like so many other spice/herb/vegetables I’ve had. There was also a certain sweetness to the beer which was nice. I was not disappointed by this beer in the least. Sure, my standards are a little low in this category, but hey, catawba done good.

Pours out a nice coppery color with a small beige head. Aroma is spicey and has alot of pumpkin. Flavor is sweet and spicey with a nice finish.

Draft at Charlotte Oktoberfest 2006. This one pours orange in color without much of a head. Smell is heavy with pumpkin, cinnamon, and other spices. Taste is sweet and similar to eating a piece of pumpkin pie. Pretty interesting beer, easily one of the better pumpkin ales I have ever had.

Draught. Pours amber/copper with a minimal white head. Aroma is cinnamon, and, well basically it smells like pumpkin pie. If only the flavor matched. Instead, it falls flat into a watery mash of pumpkin, spice, and unbalanced hops. Not terrible, but not as tasty as the aroma would lead you to believe.