Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ales are one of the enigmas of my life; I don't like pumpkin pie at all, and can't seem to think of any other pumpkin anything that I enjoy, but pumpkin beer is something I look forward to every year. Now, this review is coming out a little too late for this year, but next year I recommend at least trying a couple of different ones if you've never had them.


Buffalo Bill's, out of Hayward, California, produces this Pumpkin Ale packaged with a good looking label. Once poured into a glass though, it's another story. It sits a orange-red color and has small, foamy bubbles on the top. The bubbles go away quickly, and the beer looks sort of flat in the glass which is never good. The smell of pumpkin beers are what I look forward to most a lot of the time, and this one does a pretty good job in that aspect. You'll smell all the spices you'd want to find in a pie, nutmeg, sweet sugars, and some cinnamon, but the pumpkin aroma could stand to be amped up a bit here. Drinking Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale will be a pleasant experience as it is not heavy and doesn't stick too much to the insides of your cheek. The taste isn't as pumpkin-y as I would have hoped from a pumpkin ale, so it fails to live up to its name, but the other spices stick around in the flavors. Overall, it's a pretty average pumpkin ale, and if you're just starting to try pumpkin beers I'd stay away from this one or you'll be disappointed. Not an awful attempt though, and not something I would turn down if offered.

Rating: 76/100