Customer Reviews

Always on tap Review by James

Rating

I can't keep this in the keg! Everyone that comes over loves it and says it taste just like pumpkin pie. (Posted on 5/13/13)

second times the charm! Review by JD

Rating

Brewed this the first time and did the recommended addition of the roasted pumpkin and Rahr 6 row - nice spiced ale, not much of a pumpkin taste. The second time around I added organic canned pumpkin that I put in a roasting pan and caramelized it in the oven to concentrate the flavors, (along with the extra grains) Kicked ass! pumpkin and spice flavors- (Posted on 5/8/13)

Nice Seasonal Session beer Review by Rob

Rating

This is not my favorite NB kit cause just due to the style but this beer has been one the favorite of the masses I let try my beers. It is a light easy drinking beer with just the right amount of seasonal spice. The spice is not overpowering just a light hint so you can pound away without getting sick of it. Will always try to have a batch to drink for the the New England autumn it just fits like apple cider.
(Posted on 4/28/13)

Fantastic!! (Follow the Recommendations of Others) Review by Mudflap

Rating

This brew was selected by my oldest daughter for our family get together over the holidays. After reading many of the reviews I brewed this kit using 3 small pumpkins and 3 #'s of the 6 Row Rahr. Added additional Pumpkin Pie Spice, Allspice, Cinnamon, and a small amount of nutmeg. 2 weeks primary, 2 weeks secondary, and then bottled. After 3 weeks conditioning this was a huge hit! Only concern was I did not do an adequate job straining the pumpkin from the wort and wound up with a gallon of sludge in the primary. ABV was 6.2%. Already have requests for this again next Christmas. (Posted on 1/16/13)

Great Pumpkin ale! Review by Reuben

Rating

I followed everything in the instructions except I added a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice when I transferred to secondary and it made this ale great. I am sure if I used a real pumpkin it would get even better but this kit was great in and of itself. Will definitely be brewing this again before too long! (Posted on 1/14/13)

Awesome! Review by jeremy

Rating

This beer made me salivate the whole time it was fermented. I added 60 oz of can pumpkin to the grains, 3 tsp of pumpkin spice, and 1/2 of brown sugar. sampled it before the primary and it tasted like pumpkin pie. Sat in primary for 2 weeks, secondary for 2weeks, the forced carbed for 10 days. It came out delicious and everybody loved it. Will be brewing this one again this fall. (Posted on 1/13/13)

My best brew, so far. Review by Joe

Rating

I've only been brewing for a year, having brewed 5 batches so far. Each batch has gotten better. They seemed to start out a bit watery. My "Pumpkin Pie" rocked! I used a pie pumpkin and butternut squash, my own (top quality) pie spice blend, and, had help from NB by turning the kit into a partial mash kit. I think that made the beer fuller. I will make this again next fall! (Posted on 1/5/13)

Good kit and easy to brew Review by tom

Rating

This was the first batch of beer I ever brewed and I did everything I could to destroy it and it still came out tasting good. When I brew this kit again I would add a little more spice and some pumpkin. Other than that it is a solid kit which I would make again. (Posted on 12/10/12)

Great Pumpkin Ale Review by Roger

Rating

Brewed this up towards the end of September. Added 8 lbs of freshly roasted pumpkins to the mash, as well as an additional 3lbs Briess malts. The results were outstanding...next time it'll have to be a 10 gallon batch (Posted on 12/9/12)

amazing beer - needs a little more spice Review by Preston

Rating

Primary 3 weeks, kegged and served on 12 psi.

I added the extra grains and three pounds of pumpkin. What a fabulous beer! If you taste it by sneaking a sample, don't panic. It will taste like it might have a acetaldehyde issue (it's the pumpkin - doesn't taste right until cold). Don't worry. Get it cold, carbonate it, and you will be blown away. The only thing I'd do different next year (this will be an annual serving, I promise that) is add more spices. If I was tasting them, I had no idea, and I'd like the spices to be a little more prominent. (Posted on 12/4/12)

Head to the grocery store Review by FullRoundAction

Rating

Like a lot of other reviewers have said, you're going to want to add a lot to this beer if you want it to compare to the big boys. Just be careful because this beer doesn't have much of a backbone, so any dry spices you use are going to be very sharp and upfront. I definitely recommend using whole ingredients during the boil or secondary, up-to-and-including real pumpkin or squash. (Posted on 11/24/12)

Smashing Pumpkin Ale = Best Pumpkin Beer Review by Michael

Rating

Probably one of the best pumpkin beers I have ever tasted and I love pumpkin beer! I added my own pumpkin about four of the 12oz cans I believe (I used the cheap store brand) plus added extra pumpkin pie spice (doubled it), added some cinnamon (about 1 Tablespoon), and some nutmeg (about 1 teaspoon). Everyone who tried the beer loved it. It is a strong bold Ale that is perfect for the season, rich fall tastes the extra pumpkin and spices added an extra kick which I thoroughly enjoyed. Not overly carbonated as I used the natural process of the priming sugar (I don't like my beer overly carbonated to begin with). This Ale is best to be consumed within a week after bottling. While it still drinkable it did not have the same fresh flavor even three weeks after bottling. So drink it fast! (Posted on 11/14/12)

Amazing! Review by Timothy

Rating

Great brew! So much flavor, the best way i can describe it is perfect. (Posted on 11/12/12)

So far so good Review by Samuel

Rating

I did the canned pumpkin with 3 LBS of 6 row and 3 cans of pumpkin. I also doubled up on the spices and added an extra 1/2 TSP of nutmeg. I went with the Wyeast 1056 and did a starter. Pitched at about 66. I'm not sure how long the lag time was but when I checked it the next morning it was going crazy. It was very active for about 4.5 days then dropped off very quickly. Checked the gravity this afternoon (day 6) and its down to about 1.012.
It's tastes great for only being 6 day old. I expect this brew will end up very good. The extra spices added are not overpowering. I would recommend this beer, very happy so far! (Posted on 11/3/12)

Excellent! Review by kyle

Rating

Amazing, I only added 16oz of pumpkin from a can at the beginning of the boil. Had over an inch of head - I doubled the spices, so delicious. My dad loved it too. It's only been bottled for a week, had to try it out on Halloween. I'll definitely make this every year. This was my first batch of beer - It made 54 bottles, dag gum. Best beer I've ever had I think. (Posted on 11/1/12)

Great flavor. Review by Schott5504

Rating

This was my first time brewing this kit, and I couldn't be happier. I did include the 6-Rowe and baking pumpkins, also took the advice of others and increased the pumpkin spice amount. Never seemed overly complicated at all, and had a fun evening with friends brewing this. We left in the the primary for 12 days, then secondary for 16, and bottled two weeks ago. For all the pumpkin I added the pumpkin flavor itself is very subtle, but it does come out more when the beer is only slightly chilled and not straight from the fridge. This will certainly be on my list of beers to brew again. (Posted on 10/31/12)

Very good! Review by Patrick

Rating

Excellent beer! I followed the recipe but added an extra teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the batch, and let this sit 2 weeks in the primary, 2 in the secondary, and 2 for bottle conditioning. It is fantastic, very good head for it and subtle flavors of spice. I feel that the extra tsp helped it bring the flavors forward a bit more, only one seemed like it would be too subdued. I'll be brewing this one again! (Posted on 10/22/12)

Somewhat disappointed Review by Bob

Rating

I made the basic recipe, did not add pumpkin, did not add extra spices. 1 week primary, 3 weeks secondary, bottled. There is almost no head, despite the bottles having good carbonation. Flavor is a little malty, spices are subtle (which is fine), but overall the beer is only ok. The whole experience is a little one dimensional. It's not bad, just not great. It might be better if I had added real pumpkin or doubled the spices, but it might be a while before I try it again (Posted on 10/22/12)

Great Kit Review by tom

Rating

All I can say is, this is a great beer kit for fall. I'll be doing another kit soon. I did the modified version of it with the 6 rrahl & fresh pumkin. VERY GOOD!!!!!!! (Posted on 10/20/12)

good base for a pumpkin ale Review by Jeffrey

Rating

At the end of the boil I added a can of pumpkin pie mixture. I added a second can ( boiled it first) when I transferred to secondary. Great pumpkin taste however I did not left it sit in the fermentor long enough and with few exceptions when I open the bottles I get a big head immediately before I can pour into the glass. A couple more weeks in the carboy might have been a better idea. (Posted on 10/12/12)

Outstanding Review by William

Rating

This kit makes an awesome pumpkin Ale. I added the suggested 3lbs of 6-Row malt and used canned pumpkin as a partial mash for 1 hour. 1 week Primary, 4 weeks Secondary and 2 weeks bottled (used 1/2 cup of corn sugar). This beer turned out fantastic. Great body and perfect carbonation (I find the suggested carbonation a little too much for style). I highly recommend the additional grain malt. The beer has a great malt flavor, very smooth, nice spice/pumpkin flavor but not at all overpowering, and a slight alcohol note. Great fall beer! (Posted on 10/6/12)

Outstanding Review by Paul

Rating

We just tapped the first one out of the keg and all I can say is wow. We did the modified recipe with the of 6-row and the pumpkin meat. We used the canned meat and spread it out on a baking sheet and roasted it at 375f for about 20 minutes. Other than that, standard recipe. We force carbonated and could not be happier with this beer. This will be a annual brew for us. Bottling this weekend and then time to share. Thanks NB for another outstanding recipe. We start the Black IPA this week. (Posted on 10/5/12)

Better than expected Review by Joe

Rating

Brewed per instructions with addtional 1/4 TSP All Spice
1 Wk main fer
2 Wk carboy
Planned 4 week bottle conditioning

1st taste prior to bottle conditioning was amazing.

Pros: Nice aroma, good color, easy kit, amazing taste

Cons: Would have liked a slight more body

Overall - This will impress anyone who tastes it. Next batch will add real pumpkin to beef up he body (Posted on 9/27/12)

Better than expected Review by Joe

Rating

Brewed per instructions with addtional 1/4 TSP All Spice
1 Wk main fer
2 Wk carboy
Planned 4 week bottle conditioning

1st taste prior to bottle conditioning was amazing.

Pros: Nice aroma, good color, easy kit, amazing taste

Cons: Would have liked a slight more body

Overall - This will impress anyone who tastes it. Next batch will add real pumpkin to beef up he body (Posted on 9/27/12)

Great Beer, Good Place for Experiments Review by Thomas

Rating

I brewed this a couple of weeks ago and it was great. I couldnt find pie pumpkins yet, so I headed to the Asian market and bought 3 'Japanese' pumpkins and subbed out some of the LME for Thai palm sugar, both early and late addition. Very balanced beer; not heavy on spice at all. (Posted on 9/25/12)

Blow off warning! Review by Marc

Rating

Just brewed this yesterday. Got a big pumpkin, gutted it and roasted 2 trays worth of pumpkin for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees. Mashed in as directed, added the pumpkin pulp, sparged and boiled. I added the spice that comes with in the whirlpool. I wasn't sure if it'd be ample, but I tasted the wort after I did my OG reading and it was very smooth - was just enough actually. OG hit 1.060. I woke up this morning however, and it was going NUTS!! It blew my airlock and I've got a nice mess to clean up after work tonight - could be worse though - at least it smells like pumpkin pie in my laundry room ;) It may have been a pinch warm in that room last night since my wife did laundry all day yesterday. I'm guessing that's the issue, so I rigged a blow off tube for it this morning before I left for work. I'll give it a taste again before I move it to the secondary - am curious if much of the spice escaped in this morning's explosion...may have to add 1/8 or a teaspoon of all spice if that's the case. In any event, I'm super excited to try this beer in a few weeks. Should be carbed and ready to drink for Halloween. (Posted on 9/17/12)

Absolutely perfect! Review by Peter

Rating

I brewed this with 60oz of canned pumpkin baked at 350 for an hour with some pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar. I added 1.5tsp of spices in secondary. If I didn't add any, I don't think there would have been such a good aroma and flavor. OG of 1.061 FG of 1.004= 7.7% alc. abv! Can't wait to enjoy this on a crisp autumn afternoon (Posted on 9/3/12)

Love it even more! Review by Henry

Rating

Used real pumpkin this time, tuned on it just a bit.......best pumpkin I have ever had. Will make 10 gallons next time. Smooooooooooooth..........;) (Posted on 8/22/12)

Outstanding... Review by Travis

Rating

Just brewed this up last night ! This was our first time with this kit, as well as doing a partial mash and all I can say is WOW. The aroma of the grains and the process was outstanding. It's an experience I never had with basic kits and the wort sample was a perfect balance of flavors. (Posted on 8/19/12)

very good fall beer Review by Jeff

Rating

I ordered this kit at the beginning of July and brewed it at the end of July. I added 2 1/2 more tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice with an additional 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon and nutmeg. I let it sit in my primary for 2 weeks before I racked it to my keg and then waited another 3 days to carb before I poured my first glass. Very smooth and creamy texture. You can taste the pumpkin pie spice, but the cinnamon and nutmeg really stand out. My sister-in-law is a huge fan of all types of fall beers and she poured herself at least 6 pints of the smashing pumpkin ale! In my book, that is a good beer! I would recommend this kit and plan on making more for the upcoming football and holiday season. (Posted on 8/14/12)

Love it Review by Hank

Rating

This is the first beer I ever brewed. I was looking for mich brewings screamin' pumpkin ale............it is nowhere near that, but the longer it sits the better. next time I will use real pumpkin, I will try this again soon. I wish I had more, as it is an awesome beer I can not buy at the local liuqor store. I doubled up the spices (reading what others wrote) (Posted on 5/31/12)

Perfect seasonal Review by Regis

Rating

This was my 11th homebrew, and I decided to stick to the NB recipe with the only deviation being the extra addition of Vietnamese Cinnamon. I like this better than 90% of the "pumpkin" ales on the market.

It's not fair to call this a pumpkin ale since the original recipe doesn't call for any, but this is far more complex than those I've tried - more spicy than straight up pumpkin flavored, which I think is a good thing. Great when fresh, but after aging for six months, it's developed a slight tart characteristic - which is odd, but I'm enjoying it... (Posted on 4/9/12)

Hard to Keep Around Review by JP

Rating

I brewed this before the holidays to have around when family was in town. I made the 5 gal extract batch and I keg all by homebrews. It was ready about 3 weeks before the holidays and the wife and I had a hard time keeping it around for the family to enjoy. Will definitely brew this again for next year. I would like to see it have a little more robust flavor but it is really good the way it is! Enjoy! (Posted on 1/11/12)

Good Brew Review by Kevin

Rating

I tried everything possible to screw this up. But still came out as a decent drinkable beer. Will up the spices next time. (Posted on 12/28/11)

Good beer enjoyable Review by Kevin

Rating

I "rushed" this kit. But after aging in the bottle for 2 full weeks it developed a very good head, smooth, with a slight bitter taste at the back. Will use more spices if I make this again. (Posted on 12/26/11)

Very tasty but very "peakey" Review by Gary

Rating

Sampled a taste at first racking and was quite disappointed. Tasted again at bottling time and the flavor had noticeably improved.
Then the magic occurred.
We timed this Ale to be ready for Halloween (about 7 weeks after brewing) and it was a brilliant surprise. This one REALLY improved with fermentation. A big hit at the party.

However ... this one definitely is a "Drink When Ready" sort of beer as the following weeks have not been kind to it. After about 2 weeks it really began loosing it's flavor.
I suspect if I could have fit the whole batch in my fridge and put the yeast to sleep at it's peak, it might have retained it's flavor. Guess I'll have to wait for next year's batch to find out. ;) (Posted on 12/21/11)

Very Mild and Drinkable Review by Danni

Rating

My first homebrew so I wasn't sure what to expect. Followed the boil instructions exactly and then three weeks in primary and three weeks in bottles. So far its got a gorgeous color, great aroma, and a very mild balanced flavor. I'll definitely add the extra pumpkin spice tablespoon next brew. To echo, seems to be getting more flavor with age. A good easy stock beer to make and still head and shoulders above anything stores sell. (Posted on 12/10/11)

Use fresh ingredients on this one where you can Review by ChefBrewer

Rating

Brewed this one with fresh roasted pumpkin, fresh ginger, grated nutmeg, and Cinnamon sticks. Had it in the primary for 1 week and same on secondary, tasted it after 2 weeks in the bottle. At the poor the smells just pop out and as it rolls down the roasted pumpkin gives and outside flavor to the mildly hopped ale. Hope this one lasts more than a couple weeks, not looking too promising!!! (Posted on 12/8/11)

Great Beer for My First Crack at Homebrewing Review by Ross

Rating

This is a great tasting autumn beer. I used 2 cans of organic pumpkin and steeped it with the grains. In the secondary i used an additional teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract that had soaked in a cup of Captain Morgans spiced rum for a couple of days. It is very tasty and have gotten many positive reviews. I will probably leave out the cinnamon in the secondary next batch. (Posted on 11/29/11)

wife keeps drinking my stash Review by Abandon Dog Brewery

Rating

awsome beer and don't mess with it. went by directions and it came out great. only issue is the wife likes it to much and is getting into my half of the keg. (Posted on 11/21/11)

Good with Changes Review by Lou Brew

Rating

I forgot to add the spice pack at boil. So I made a tea of pumpkin spices from Joy of Cooking cookbook recipe for pumpkin pie. Now in this brew I had steeped pumpkin I cooked under the broiler. Without the spices there is a faint hint of mellow, fulsome pumpkin vegetable taste. Instead of replicating the spice addition from NB I tripled the recipe from Joy of Cooking. It is fabulous. I will quadruple next time and add a bit more nutmeg. Love the kit. (Posted on 11/20/11)

mellowing as it ages Review by flytyer

Rating

I brewed this on Labor day weekend. It was my first PM using grilled pumpkin and 3lbs of 2-row. Initial tastings had me concerned due to how prominent the spices presentd themselves. More of a cinnamon red hot than a pumpkin pie taste. After three weeks in the bottle the spices have mellowed substantially, and it is quite drinkable. Good copper color, mild aroma, low hops, small tan head when poured. I'll be interested to see what other people think of this on Thanksgiving. (Posted on 11/10/11)

Another Great Kit From NB! Review by Brett

Rating

Having come to the US from Australia, pumpkin beers were not part of my brewing repertoire, but I thought it would be fun to have some on hand for the holiday season.
I brewed this kit exactly as per instructions (apart from one Whirlfloc tablet at 15 minutes before end of boil), using the Wyeast 1056 yeast option. One week in primary, one week in secondary. Bottled less than 2 weeks as I write this, but drinking wonderfully already, & wife likes it too. Mainly malty aromas, but a subtle though noticeable pie spice flavor that I find just right. Just enough bitterness to provide balance, but this beer is not about hops!
My only point of comparison is Sam Adams pumpkin ale, but I like this much better. My only problem now is making sure there is still some around for Thanksgiving (and Xmas is not looking good at all!). (Posted on 11/9/11)

I messed up, still godd beer! Review by Ajae

Rating

This is a good brew, I accidently added the aroma hops for the full 60 boil. Gives it a dry bitter taste, but I love APA's so I really don't mind. Smells great! I'll try the all grain kit soon. (Posted on 11/8/11)

Hit of the Party Review by We All Put the Yeast In

Rating

This one was great. Everyone at our Halloween party loved it (especially the ladies). I added one can of pumpkin (not the canned pumpkin pie just plain old pumpkin) to the boil and it was absolutely perfect. I wish I was thinking ahead enough to have another batch ready for Thanksgiving. Live and learn but I will make this again....and again! (Posted on 11/6/11)

Will not wait for the next to do this one again Review by John

Rating

A great ale anytime. Not too spiced, and a nice overall mouthfeel. Straight recipe was just fine. (Posted on 11/1/11)

Loved it! Review by C4Brewing

Rating

We also added twice the spice as what came with the kit. 3 weeks primary and 3 in the bottle. This will surley become a brewing tradition year after year.

(Posted on 10/27/11)

Needs More Spice! Review by Eric

Rating

I mashed 45oz of canned pumpkin with 3# of Rahr 6-Row and the specialty grains in the Smashing Pumpkin ale extract kit. There is a huge pumpkin presence in the beer and you can tell there is pumpkin involved by the aroma. I do however think that the kit needs more spice. I cannot find any pumpkin spice aroma in there and a lot of the reviews are saying the same thing. I already carbonated the beer in my keg but plan on opening it to add more spices to the beer. Just a thought but maybe you want to tweak the kit from 1tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice to 1.5 or 2tsp in the spice packet.

After the Rahr 6-Row my ABV is now bumped up to just over 6.8% so it's a bit warming and I'm loving that! (Posted on 10/25/11)

Add Tablespoon MoreSpice; Well Liked Result Review by Michael

Rating

Based on comments of others -- and other recipes I've looked at that call for much more than 1 tbsp of spices, I added a tbsp of Shilling's Pumpkin Spice to the NB spice. Still far from over-powering, so I would do this again. Left 3 weeks in primary at 67 degrees (used White Lab CA Ale liquid Yeast: WLP001); bottled (used corn sugar, not table sugar) and kept at 71 degrees. Started tasting 1 week after bottling and got good reviews by all who tried. Nice head. Good seasonal specialty beer. Easy to drink. Definitely a repeat. (Posted on 10/24/11)

Not Impressed Review by Brewgal

Rating

Didn't add additional ingredients and after 2 weeks in the bottle it was very metallic and no pumpkin flavor at all. After 4 weeks it is carbonated and much less metal. Now it's drinkable and a mild brown beer - nothing special and our least favorite of the kits here. I recommend the Spiced Ale kit more. (Posted on 10/24/11)

Great Review by Maddog

Rating

I'm pretty new at homebrewing. This kit is the best beer I've made. I added another tsp of pumpkin spice. 1 didnt seem like enough. I also used the wyeast. I'm very happy with how it turned out. Its going to be great for halloween, thanksgiving and christmas if it last that long. Thank you Northern Brewer. (Posted on 10/17/11)

what a hit! Review by blk89cobra

Rating

i made this as a second keg for my wedding, my friends are the typical timid bud light an miller light drinkers. After they tried it, the 5gal went fast, i was proud to see that my home brew was such a hit. now i am here buying another kit to bottle for safe keeping, lol (Posted on 4/13/11)

Excellent Brew Review by stinsondawg

Rating

I first brewed this beer in the fall because it sounded like the right type of beer to have around as the weather changed from hot to cold. I'm now ready to brew my 3rd or 4th batch, in under a year. I love the stuff, my wife loves the stuff, and I can't keep the neighbors away. It's a great beer with a slight spicy or pumpkin flavor. It's not overwhelming, it's not like eating pumpkin pie. I highly recommend the beer, you won't be dissapointed!! (Posted on 4/12/11)

Not good Review by AB

Rating

I was not impressed. I had some high hopes, but it wasn't very good. It seems to be getting a little better with age, but it's not quite drinkable.

This is the second time I've tried a pumpkin ale, and not been impressed. Although it may be better with the extra pumpkin spice like others have suggested. (Posted on 3/25/11)

Great beer for the fall season Review by Brandon

Rating

I wasn't sure what to expect with this beer. However, once I tried it, I was very pleased.
It has a nice, smooth finish, with a great pumpkin spice flavor to it. The flavor isn't overpowering at all. It's just right. It came in at around 5.5%.

I did a comparison with six different singles of Pumpkin beer out on the market in my area. This one beat them all.
I'll more than likely brew this one again for the upcoming fall season. Worth a try. (Posted on 3/15/11)

Double your spice addition Review by Tyler

Rating

Great beer, I brewed with double th spice addition and added real pumpkins to the boil. 3 Pie pumpkins, covered in spices and cloves, baked until soft and the rind peeled away, cut into small chunks(more surface area in the boil), and placed in a muslin bag and boiled for 40 min with the grains.

Definatly a once a year beer. tastes even better if you draft it out half and half with an IPA. (Posted on 2/18/11)

Excellent - got rave reviews from family and friends! Review by Thrasher

Rating

This was my 2nd brew and it was a great success. Shared with friends and family and they all loved it, even those who didn't particulary care for pumpkin spiced beers. I actually added a vanilla bean when I racked to the secondary fermenter. I split a vanilla bean, and got out all of the seeds, then cut up the bean and put it in a little container of vodka for a week. I then added it to the secondary. Added a little extra kick to it which I really liked.

It took mine a little longer to carbonate than the 2 weeks. For some reason mine became fully carbonated after 4 weeks in the bottle. I think because I failed to stir the beer after adding the priming sugar.

All in all, a great recipe and will definitely brew again! (Posted on 1/4/11)

That didn't last long! Review by boswell3000

Rating

Since my wife allowed me to start brewing, I wanted her to choose something she wanted to have brewed. She chose this kit, and by all accounts, it is one that I will brew again.
Very nice malt profile - one that served as a vessel to hold up the spice element of the recipe. I didn't measure how much of the spice packet included, but it was not the whole thing. We both prefer spiced beer that are more subtle. This one did not come off like pumpkin pie in a glass due my decision.
When I brew this again, I plan to do another hop addition late - maybe something subtle to increase the hop profile. Overall, a very tasty batch of beer. It was completely gone after our holiday party. (Posted on 12/26/10)

Room for improvement Review by 3TW

Rating

I wasn't necessarily disappointed in this beer but I wasn't completely satisfied either.

On the plus side, the overall malt flavor was nice and it had a very nice mouth feel, as well. I also enjoyed the nice pumpkin flavor at the finish (I used eight pounds of fresh pumpkin along with two pounds of Rahr 6 Row). We served this at our annual Halloween party and our guests seemed to enjoy this brew. I've also noticed it has definitely improved with age.

On the down side, there seemed to be a subtle bitterness (not overpowering but, to me, definitely noticeable). I also think the amount of pumpkin pie spice that was supplied in the kit was insufficient as there was a prominent absence of these flavors.

I'll try this one again because I think it has a lot of promise. Next year I'lll add some brown sugar to alleviate the bitterness and boost the amount of spice to provide more character. I'll also brew my next batch at least a month earlier to allow some additional bottle conditioning time.

(Posted on 12/15/10)

Punkin Pleasure Review by st. anky

Rating

I brewed this kit in late August so It would be ready for the season. It came out great, by far the best seasonal brew I have made yet. I always pass out by home brew's to family and friends and ask for honest opinions. This one got the best review of all. I was a little worried about the pumpkin taste due to brewing it with the spices and not actual pumpkin but it came out prefect. Everyone said it had just the right amount of pumpkin and it was not overwhelming like some ale's came be. I will be making this kit for every Fall season from now on. GREAT BEER! (Posted on 12/7/10)

Great Fall Beer Review by Seanyville

Rating

Do You Like Harvest Moon? No? Well now you can anyway! This beer is perfect when the weather changes and the leaves fall. Takes a little longer to carbonate in the bottles but it is well worth it. Great fall flavor in this beer! Will order again! (Posted on 12/5/10)

Better with age Review by ylpaul2000

Rating

This is the second time I've used this kit and this time I used 2 pounds of pumpkin puree and some extra pumpkin pie spice. At first it gave some odd flavors but after about 6 weeks of cold aging the flavors came together beautifully! Over all this is a GREAT beer for the Harvest season, I will be brewing it every year. (Posted on 11/30/10)

Could Not Be Happier! Review by INK

Rating

This is was my first kit from NB and I could not be happier. I have brewed other kits in the past from other companies and they are not as good as this one (quality of ingredients). Since purchasing this kit, I have purchased several other kits including a wheat beer (added 3lbs of garden picked frozen blackberries! - which I just kegged today), the dry Irish Stout which I really am excited to brew!
Primary - 16 Days
Secondary - 21 Days
Keg - 4 days at 12 PSI
To me, this pumpkin brew is better than several I have purchased in stores for $7/22oz bottles! (Posted on 11/20/10)

Smashin Success Review by Jeremy

Rating

I ended up using two baking pumpkins and mashin with the 2 row in my brewing pot. After 7 weeks beer came out pretty good, maybe need a little longer to let the spice mellow out. Overall, very good beer! (Posted on 11/8/10)

Pumpkin On! Review by the brewing goat

Rating

i've always loved pumpkin beers and wondered how the hell brewers did it, well low and behold I have now joined that club, i put a little more cinnamon in mine drinking one now, on a cold harvest day. Thanks NB Cheers (Posted on 10/29/10)

first NB kit was a hit! Review by Patches

Rating

I had one girl tell me this was the best beer she'd ever had... This was the first NB kit I'd brewed with--about my 7th or 8th batch ever. I'm very excited to brew the Three-hearted ale if this is what they're going to turn out like! The spice packet added a very nice subtle flavor to the beer. It goes very well with pumpkin pie! I like that it is very light and easy to drink and not too overpowering in any regard. Will definitely go with NB from now on, prices are amazing. Thanks. (Posted on 10/23/10)

I'm a little disappointed Review by Matt

I've had great results with many NB brews, but this one was disappointing. It has an aftertaste I don't enjoy and something is missing, not exactly sure what. A few tweaks could probably make this a good brew. (Posted on 10/9/10)

Disappointing Review by T

Rating

I love pumpkin beers, but most don't have any pumpkin aroma or taste to them. I would place this one in that category as well. I also added an extra oz. of spice, too. Still not a bad beer, just wasn't what I was expecting. I will try again, adding more to the recipe. (Posted on 9/7/10)

My Favorite Brew Yet Review by Eric

Rating

I brewed several different batches of beer from NB and I think this might just be my favorite one so far. Nice and bitter yet a little malty and sweet like it should be. Great tasting beer. It has a fantastic color to it. Look beautiful under light. Definitely going to brew this one again. (Posted on 4/13/10)