Pumpkins in February? Totally legit.

Brewery: Epic Brewing Co. (collaborating with DC Brau)
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Name: Doesn't really have one, but it's part of the "Exponential Series."
Type: Imperial Pumpkin Porter (gourder?)
ABV: 7.3%
You read it right, this is an imperial pumpkin porter. It's also February. Trust me, I understand. February isn't really pumpkin based beer weather. BUT! I got this on sale at Total Wine and More so it's justified. Plus, I had passed this up during pumpkin beer season so that just means this was meant to happen. Was it meant to happen in February? Who knows. I'm just really enjoying typing February at the moment. Ahem. This is the first beer I've ever had from Epic and at the same time (in a somewhat ancillary fashion) it is the first beer I've had from DC Brau. However, this is not the first pumpkin porter I have ever had... And to be honest, my first encounter with a pumpkin porter was less than stellar. So how did this collaborative concoction fare? It definitely is more porter than pumpkin. Looking at the cold tar (in a good way!) gives no hint to what lies beneath and the cashew colored head sat proudly even as it eventually melted away but managed to live on as strong lacing. The nose is most definitely a porter. The aromas of delightfully bitter roasted malt takes center stage then, curiously, sweet cinnamon and nutmeg remind you that this isn't your average porter. And it isn't even an overpowering cinnamon smell, it is just enough to get you excited about what you're about to experience. I found the lighter mouthfeel yet slightly dense body to be inviting. It's not the liquid velvet an imperial stout emanates but it definitely had some weight to it. A proud porter, this is. Coffee inspired roasted malts take no prisoners. There is a solid amount of sweetness to this beer. If I didn't know any better I would say the taste is closer to a milk stout than a porter. That may have something to do with the inherent sweetness of the fresh pumpkin added or the sneaky amount of cinnamon added. Not at all lost in the haze of flavors is a nice splash of chocolate. But once all of that is gone you're back to drinking a porter. Granted, it is a quality porter that is chock full of roasted malt goodness and bitter aftertastes. This is a far better version of a pumpkin porter than the one I had in October of last year (never made it to this hallowed pages). Coming across this beer may be pretty difficult as it is A.) A super limited batch and B.) The end of February. However! Should you find it and are looking for something a little different and pretty tasty, grab this Epic/DC Brau hit that proudly boasts "Fermentation without Representation."

This is from Utah? Suck it, Brigham Young!