Alaskan Imperial Pumpkin Porter

This 8.5% ABV porter brewed with pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices is from the Alaskan Brewing Company of Juneau, Alaska.

The beer pours black in color, with a short, thin, head of light tan. The aroma is yam, pumpkin, and pumpkin spices, with a background of dark roasted malt and light char holding it up. The aroma is mostly pumpkin and spices, but the flavor is more balanced, with the dark roasted malt, char and coffee notes coming up nearly equal. It still lets the pumpkin be the star. There is ample sweetness, with the brown sugar especially showing up in the aftertaste, but there is enough dark roast to bring it to a semi-dry finish that has a moderate bitterness. The beer drinks smooth, with a heavy enough body to hold up all the flavors, with a strong tingling of very fine carbonation. This is a good take on the style, makes me think strongly of fall, and begs for a cool night and a small dram of whiskey sitting next to it.