Extra Special Butternut (Snoqualmie Falls Brewing)

PUMPKIN BEER #8

There was two reasons I went for this beer: 1. I’m a fan of the ESB beer style and 2. I’ve never had a beer with butternut squash.

A malty beer brewed with 300 pounds of butternut puree added to the mash of pale, aromatic and Crystal malts. Lightly hopped with Glacier and Spalt hops, this unspiced autumn ale has the subtle aroma and flavor of butternut. Alcohol 5.5% by volume. 

Extra Special Butternut pours an orangish brown with no visible carbonation. Head is once again a ring of foam.

Nose has hints of pale malts, pumpkin and what I can only guess is the butternut squash.

Taste is big on squash. There are hints of roastiness in the backend with a touch of pumpkin to add some sweetness. I expected this beer to taste more like an ESB (because of the name), but it ended up tasting more like a lager.

Mouthfeel is light to medium. There is no real stickiness or drying.

Once again I was disappointed by a beer not sticking to its “style”. I wish there were more hops or British malts in this beer, but the squash was a nice touch.

Overall: 5 out of 10

As a PUMPKIN ALE: 4.5 out of 10 

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