After our prior efforts with Shipyard’s Smashed Pumpkin, I was tempted to try another beer that was more my style while it was still infused with pumpkin. I thought that maybe it was the style of beer more than the pumpkin that had fed my dislike for pumpkin beers. So I picked up a bottle of Southern Tier’s Warlock and asked G-LO to once again aid me in my effort.

The Warlock is from Southern Tier’s Blackwater Series and is an imperial stout brewed with pumpkin. Southern Tier is a brewer from Lakewood, NY and takes its name from the region in NY that represents the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. We have previously reviewed the Harvest Ale, the 2XIPA, the Old Man Winter Ale, and the Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale.

Here is what Southern Tier has to say about their Warlock:

Imperial stout brewed with pumpkins Warlock is brewed to enchant your palate on its own and also to counterpoint our Imperial Ale, Pumking. Make your own black magic by carefully pouring this Imperial Stout into a goblet.
Dark and mysterious, the Blackwater Series is serious about high gravity. Reanimate your senses with Warlock’s huge roasted malt character, moderate carbonation and spicy pumpkin pie aroma.

Let’s get down to business…

• Appearance: Deep, deep mahogany with just the slightest ruby tint and quickly dissipating tan foam.
• Aroma
  • Limpd: Lightly roasted, hints of coffee and the usual pumpkin flavors (nutmeg, allspice, etc.). Also getting an off-putting aroma that I can’t quite name (curry-esque, a little Indra Kunindra-ish).
  • G-LO: Smells like what I think a Pumpkin Latté would smell like (i.e. creamy and a wee bit coffee like). I say think because I don’t partake of the nonsense that is a Pumpkin Latte. Also, getting a coconut curry scent at the end.
• Taste
  • Limpd: Roasted, nearly burnt malt; a little boozy, a little creamy and a little fizzy. A decent imperial stout fused with a bad pumpkin pie. That coconut curry (thanks for the assist G-LO) just kills this for me.
  • G-LO:  Lightly carbonated with a thick and creamy mouthfeel. Starts off like an imperial stout with lots of dark chocolate and French roast coffee notes. The pumpkin pie kicks in at mid-palate and carries through to the end. That coconut curry vibe shows up in the aftertaste.
• ABV: 8.6%

The Verdict

Limpd: I have confirmed that it is not the style of the beer but the infusion of pumpkin and/or the spices that make up the “pumpkin” that I do not like. I will valiantly try pumpkin beers each year but I suspect that I will continue to dislike them.

G-LO: I can’t believe I am saying this, but I may have found a pumpkin beer that I actually enjoy. I had a feeling that the whole pumpkin beer thing would work with an imperial stout. I’m so glad I was right. For once.