Beer of the Week: Bad Jack’s Pumpkin Ale, Sound to Summit Brewing

Bad Jack’s Pumpkin Ale

Sound to Summit Brewing, Snohomish

Style: Pumpkin Ale

Stats: 6.66 percent ABV, 20 IBU

Available: On tap at the brewery and at Rocko’s Fireside Tavern in Everett.

My thoughts: When brewing this pumpkin ale, Sound to Summit head brewer Grady Warnock had a pumpkin pie in mind. He wanted the drinker to think of Thanksgiving dessert when they sniffed the beer and tasted it.

Mission accomplished.

Brewed with 65 pounds of pumpkin per batch, white sugar and a special blend of spices, Bad Jack’s has the aroma of Grandma Millie’s best pumpkin pie. The spices, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean, linger on the palate and give the beer a distinct pumpkin pie aftertaste.

Warnock used an amber ale as the base and then suped it up, bringing the beer in at a scary 6.66 percent ABV. The Belgian yeast gives it a subtle base, allowing the pumpkin and spices to shine.

Last year the beer sold out quickly, so Warnock decided to move up the brewing schedule. The beer was officially put on tap on Friday and Warnock hopes the seven barrels will last past Halloween.

From the brewery: A malt-forward brew with subtle pumpkin flavors beneath pumpkin pie spice overtones and vanilla. This bad boy has a big ABV kick to top it off!

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