The Bruery Autumn Maple

Brewed by The Bruery
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Placentia, California USA

750 ml bottle from South Bay Drugs ($7.99). This was the 2008 version drunk today, so it’s been aging for over a year. Pours a chalky muddy brown with hints of orange and red. No real head (yes, I was aware of the carbonation problems from this inaugural batch). Aroma is dominated by normal pumpkin pie spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice) with some yam/pumpkin notes. Tastes strongly of sweet yams (fortunately, I really like yams) and the aforementioned spices. This has an earthy sweetness with some maple hints as well. The finish is lightly sweet and tangy with the spices. A hint of alcohol, but otherwise the high ABV is hidden well -- this is quite quaffable. I like it, but the complete lack of carbonation is a problem. I may pick up a 2009 bottle and re-rate. (191, 215)

Enjoyed this beer with Thanksgiving dinner, and it definitely fit the meal. A sweet and spicy beer, roasted malts, molasses, slight bananas, and tons of autumn spices giving it a pumpkin pie quality. Very fitting for the season, and a good, interesting beer, but not something I would drink everyday--a little too sweet (in the wrong way) for my everyday tastes.

25.4 oz bottle. Foggy orange brown with diminishing beige foam. Nose is nutmeg, cinnamon and earthy yam. Medium body with a tang. Taste is yeasty sweet potato pie then bitter spices. Certainly has the biggest vegetal presence of similar brews i’ve tried but succumbs, as is often the case, to an unpleasant stale spice finish.

Bottle. Unclear brown body with a small off white head. The aroma is fruity and light sour with notes of syrup and spices. Heavy sweet pumpkin flavour with some spices and dark sugar. Body is close to flat.

Bottle: Had this for thanksgiving, spiced and sweet aroma, dark with a thin white head, sweet and malty taste with fairly full body.

My first foray with this bruery and I know understand what the hype is about. A truly interesting take on a movement in the beer world for autumn/spice/pumpkin beers that has raised the bar for everyone else. Too often are these types of beers just regular beers with a little bit of clove and cinnamon thrown in to give you a spiced holiday feel. This beer however blends a couple of new ingredients to add subtle complexities to a smashing base brown ale. A lot of maple syrup in the flavor for me along with a little bit of nuttiness. A bit of a sweetness on the finish but not an overly sugary sweetness. I’m guessing the sweetness comes from the yam aspect. Really enjoyed this interesting take on a fall beer and looking forward to more from these guys.

Served this one pre-Thanksgiving meal to a couple of my beer drinking guests since beer sampling is as important as the Turkey on Thanksgiving. This brew was the surprise big hit of the day. Aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon and alcohol. Nice smooth spicey flavors - lots of cinnamon and nutmeg - and the yams are not nearly as overpowering as pumpkin seems to be in beer. Also picked up some gingerbread and some warming alcohol. This beer was a nice addition to the holiday meal.

75cl bottle. Lightly hazy brown-red with a medium off-white head. Lots of spice and some alcohol in the aroma, with nutmeg and sweet potato standing out. The flavor is sweet and spicy with a boozy kick in the back and a dry finish. I’m going to have to say that this has breached the upper limit of pumpkin (yam) ale. The alcohol is just a little to dominant in the flavor profile, with some complimenting maple and spice. Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Nice, but a little to ambitious.