Gritty McDuffs Halloween Ale

Technically speaking, this ale can be described as an Extra Special Bitter. What that really means is that more of everything that goes into our bitter is added to the Halloween Ale -- more imported barley and more fresh Goldings hops from East Kent in England. This strong ale is also given some extra time in the conditioning tank, allowing it to mellow considerably.

12 oz. version, which is filtered, is brewed at Shipyard Brewing in Portland; 22 oz. version, which is not filtered and only sold locally, is brewed at Gritty McDuff’s in Freeport

3.3

168 reviews

Portland, United States

Community reviews

3.0 Sampled at the 2012 Portland Brew Festival. Slight pumpkin flavor and a little spice. Rather smooth.

3.5 Bottled. A way station on the way to porterville. Thick dark pour, nice malrs and pretty mild bitter. Good.

3.5 Poured a slightly clear amber orange color. Thin head. Notes of wine, wood, butter, bread,. Aftertaste was sugar, plum, toffee crunch. Smooth, clean, and sessionable. Enjoyable

3.3 Reddish amber in color with a tannish white head. Balanced with a good malty base and a crisp and hoppy finish.

3.5 Pours a clear copper amber in the glass. Spicy malt nose. Nutty flavor with some buttered toast which turns into a sweet berry fruit as it warms in the glass. Overall, it’s fairly tasty. I wonder what it would taste like on tap... Thanks to BarZigKin for sharing his bottle!

3.7 strong malt flavours which I wasn’t expecting: roast coffee, caramel some vegetables. root beer comes through as well. medium-bodied. not sure what makes this a "Halloween ale" as I certainly didn’t notice any pumpkin or much for spices for that matter, but a solid ale any time of year.

1.5 Deep brown body with a thin tan head - not looking like many ESBs i’ve ever seen. Aroma of stale malt, a bit past fresh hops, some cardboard, yeast and not much else - perhaps caramel and nuts - not so good. Medium-bodied; Super pungent nutty flavour with a lot of hops, a lot of nuts and way way way too much bitterness tasting like permanent marker. Aftertaste is earthy, dirty, pungent and a bit too overpowering - not so good, really. Overall, a pretty poor offering, not worth trying and definitely not worth spending a lot of money on. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from Oliver’s Beverage in Albany, New York on 18-November-2011 for US$ 2.65 sampled at home in Washington on 20-November-2011.

3.5 22 oz bottle. Pours a dark copper color, like an old penny, with a thin khaki cap. Cap quickly disappears leaving wisps of khaki lace. Aroma is caramel apples, molasses and dry autumn leaves. Earthy flavor with molasses again and a mild spice presence. Full bodied with an average amount of carbonation. I liked it.

3.4 Orange/brown color with a white head and a nice cascade. Straight up malt aroma with a nice sweet flavor that gets even sweeter as it settles. It actually had a little bite to it which finishes smooth and then stings you again.

3.3 Pours a clear dark ruby copper color with surprisingly good lacing. Aroma of butterscotch, caramel, and toffee. Flavor has butterscotch, toffee, and a hint of bread. Good beer!

3.3 Bottle, best before Sep. ’12. Pours clear ruby red with dark copper highlights, topped with a medium creamy cappuccino-colored head that leaves a ring of lacing. Aromas of sweet butterscotch and caramel, toffee, berry, and mild mocha. The flavor is light butterscotch and caramel, some bitter grass, and candy corn. Alright. [859]

1.8 Draft. Pours amber with a beige head. Not the first beer from this brewery I’ve had that was infected. Some sweet malts and light hops along with all the off flavors. Not good.

3.0 Pours an amber color with off white foam head. Aroma of caramel, earthiness, and spice. Sweet sugary taste with a bitter layer. Not that good.

2.6 Light amber in color with a thin head. Oddly fruity aroma, like rotting berries. Very little pumpkin or "fall" spice to note. Sweet, fruity flavor. Would not drink again!

3.1 A translucent dark amber alew tih a thin lacing off white head. In aroma, sweet berries and butterscotch, some Kool Aid powder, cloying. In mouth, a nutty and roasted malt with smooth British hops, medium bodied. On tap at Sunset Grill, Oct. 8 2011.

3.5 tap at Portland location - This brew has an aroma of caramel and pumpkin pie spices. The flavor is sweet with apparent though not overly strong pumpkin spice. There’s some lingering hops similar in flavor to some of their other beers. Good brew.

3.3 From a bottle poured an amber color with a good amount of head. Malty flavor with a quick finish.

3.2 12oz screwtop bottle. Pours Halloween orange with a thin white head. A tad on the sweet side with caramel, vanilla and butterscotch flavors. Very little hop presence. Just OK.

3.2 12 ounce bottle. A nice amber body with a slightly off white head. Aroma had notes of grassy and citrus hops. Strong caramel and bread malt notes. Initially flavor had a good malt profile, some nice sweet caramel and a thick bread flavor. Hops were bitter mostly, some citrus and a little grass. The finish was disappointing, there was this astringent flavor that off set the other flavors.

1.9 Botttle. This was dissapointing. Gritty’s makes some of my favorites but I couldn’t get over the finish on this beer. The front end was good but the finish had a strong alcohol heat and a lot of hop bitterness. It just didn’t seem to work for me or to be balanced. It did get a little better the warmer it got.

3.6 12 oz bottle. Used a lager glass. Dark mahogany color, small white head. Nose of caramel and spice. I recommend getting this on draft or 22 oz bottle. NOT the 12 oz… big difference for sure. The flavors are malty with a distinct hop bitterness. The bitterness and spice mingles well together. I’ve rated most of Gritty’s brews, this is the best offering without question. Get this on draft, you will not be disappointed.

4.2 Bottle. 12 oz. Split with and courtesy of Vinnie. Pours a light chestnut clear-brown with a fat, tightly-bubbled, off-white head. Aroma of aged Dutch caramelized gouda cheese, pinot noir vinious notes, root beer, vanilla, and some crazy toffee, marzeny malt hints in the back. Medium to light bodided with an insanely unique mouthfeel; weak, modest and loose upon sipping, shifting through to finish with a sweet, then ever so-slightly bitter kick. This is a really fucking great beer.

3.0 Amber orange color with thin off-white head and visible carbonation. Big malt nose. Sharp hop bite on first sip, dry. Malt provides decent support and sweetness (toasty). Drinking on a warm summer night but would be much nicer on a cool fall night.

4.0 a perfectly stand alone beer. deep and fine brown color with a light brown head that is thick flavorful and gathers in the bottom of the glass. mellow, deep and malty it is a bit slick with light sweetness and a perfectly matched hop profile. a very good, brown ale, English bitter, Austrailian Lager among probably others. This brew was simply a pleasant surprise! slight Bourbon like finish with soy just subtle enough to entice. some mellow caramel.

4.0 Tap at the brewery. Very nice and aromatic. Aromas of caramel and spice. Taste is sweet, with bitterness taking over, and long length. Palate is velvety, and medium bodied. Brown, with a thin head.

1.9 12 oz bottle from Jeffy. Poured a deep red body with a smaller frothy off white head. Aroma is rusty copper, butter and wet malts. Fizzy body but after two sips I refused to put anymore in my mouth to get a better idea of what else is going on. Flavor is horribly buttery, not sure what else there is because I cant get past the butter. Ugh total drainpour.

3.2 Bottle: Pours golden amber a thick white head. Aromas of hops and malts with hints of caramel and spice. Tastes is balanced between the hops and malts and allows the mild sweetness and spice to noticed. Overall it is a tasty ale.

2.8 Location: 12 oz bottle from Buy Rite - Jersey City, 10/24/10 Aroma: The nose is caramel malts, a little bit of spice, and some light floral notes Appearance: It pours a mahogony color with a creamy tan head and some spotty lace Flavor: The flavor is medium (plus) sweet up-front, herbal and bitterness on the finish Palate: The body is medium, it has a that British ESB feel to it, and a somewhat sticky feel Overall Impression: This is an alright ESB. The flavor is OK, and there isn’t anything particularly wrong with it, but it isn’t so exciting either. Just a boring ESB. It drinks alright I guess, but something about it just doesn’t work that well.

3.2 On tap at Mahars. Pours a great brown with a nice creamy head. Aroma is a bit soapy, taste is nice but somewhat bitter in a bad way. Musty sweet malt is too much in this one.

3.5 On tap at Gritty’s in Portland. Dark amber color with tan head. Malty aroma. Sweet caramel flavor with some nuttiness and a floral hop finish.