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When ROAK Brewing Co was on episode 210 of the Better on Draft podcast pre-COVID 19, they announced a ton of updates and information regarding their recent deal with Dark Horse Brewing Company, the future of ROAK, and their Milkshake IPA series. While all of the dealings with both breweries are important for the future of the Michigan craft beer scene, my mind was focused on the Milkshake IPA series which is made up of four flavors – Mint, Pink Guava, Pumpkin Pie, and Eggnog.

All of the flavor profiles are unique in their own way. In my opinion, the Mint worked surprisingly well, but the Pink Guava was not my cup of tea. Despite how polarizing these beers are, we have to acknowledge and admire the off the wall creativity put into all of these recipes. ROAK Brewing is cutting edge in terms of these flavor profiles becoming IPAs.

The beer poured nice and hazy into my glass and looked the part as a Milkshake IPA. The nose had a strong presence of pumpkin and spice, which made the mind do somersaults because the look did not match the scent. ROAK noted on the side of the can that lactose and wheat were added to the concoction which softened up the mouthfeel and made for easy drinking. The hops are hidden well and came out on the backend of the sip.

I thought this beer would be a perfect addition to Pumpkin Beer Palooza because it’s not a Pumpkin / Yam or Amber beer. It’s something a little different that breaks up the usual classification and idea of what makes a pumpkin beer. As a pumpkin beer lover, it is difficult for me to find anything wrong with the brew, which is why it has earned a perfect score from me.

I’m looking forward to finding and drinking other pumpkin IPAs. A quick look through Untappd shows that there are more out there for me to locate and try.

Cheers!

Disclaimer: Ed purchased this beer for review.

Pumpkin Beer Palooza 2020


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Ed Norton

Edwin "Ed" Norton was first introduced to craft beer when his designated fraternity Big Brother Vince asked him if he knew anything about the topic. Ed admitted his ignorance and the rest is history as Ed and Vince would split six-packs of craft beers each week during Ed's probationary status. Ed is now a craft beer enthusiast who is always on the lookout for a beer he has not tried when bottle shopping or drinking at breweries and bars. In addition to drinking beer, this livelong Michigan resident enjoys a bunch of hobbies that he doubts you really care about, other than drinking beer and sounding off about it.

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