Gone are the days when a pumpkin ale had to be thick, dark and viscous, sickly sweet and heavily redolent of cinnamon. Burnside Brewing is noted for reworking classics, like their popular lime kolsch, and brewmaster and co-owner Jason McAdam pulls a similar trick with this ubiquitous fall seasonal. Pilsner, cara and cherrywood smoked malts give The Dapper Skeleton Pumpkin Ale a lovely tawny hue in the glass and serve as a light base for the fragrant, nutty squash. The cocoa nibs and secret spice blend are surprisingly restrained accents, while—unlike in McAdam’s searing, much-decorated Sweet Heat—the chilies are present mainly in the aroma and in the aftertaste of this elegant beer.
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