Fordham Spiced Harvest Ale

Now that it's officially Fall, I figured it was time to crack open a Pumpkin Ale. After dinner the other evening I grabbed a bottle of Fordham Brewing Spiced Harvest Ale from the fridge. I received the sample bottle from the brewery last month but hadn't gotten around to trying it out. Actually, we reviewed this beer last fall, so I already knew I would enjoy it. Pumpkin Ales and Spiced Ales can be hit or miss for my palate, but Fordham's Fall seasonal is quite tasty.

The beer pours a deep amber color with a thin off-white head. The aroma is rich with pumpkin and spice, but it smells like a pumpkin pie, not just pumpkin pie spice. The flavor is that of sweet pumpkin combined with the zing of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove. The classic pumpkin pie spices are there, but it's really the sweet pumpkin that is foremost. The spicy notes linger behind in the finish, along with a bit of zesty hops.

My impression remains largely unchanged from last year. The exception being I didn't wait until November to enjoy it. Fordham Brewing does Pumpkin Ale right. Spiced Harvest Ale is refreshing, savory, and light bodied. And it's on the shelves now.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will.