It’s no secret I like all things pumpkin. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread – and, most especially, pumpkin beer. Pumpkin ale season is cause for unreasonable excitement on my part, and every year I try to get my greedy little hands on as many different varieties as I can. And then I drink them all. For you. And for science. The science of picking a good pumpkin beer, anyway.
These notes and opinions have been compiled over the course of the past…well, hell. Whenever it was I first saw a pumpkin ale available. Let’s say a month. And I managed to snag 15 different brands this year, so, it’s been a fun October. For the record, I also took photos of all the damn beers, but after the great Photo Dump of 2014, which took place last week when my iPad did a bunk and started acting like an assfaced vagina squirrel, I cannot locate any of them. So I retook what could from the stock in the fridge and used common use ones from the Internet for those I’m missing. Whatevs.
So let’s get to it!
15. Ithaca Beer Co. Country Pumpkin Ale – FAIL. Thin and flat, and where’s the pumpkin? This is more of a ‘Harvest Ale’ than a pumpkin ale, and it’s not even good in that category. Boo. Next.
14. Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale – Pretty label, right? Too bad that’s the best thing about it. I like Blue Moon’s summer seasonal collection, but this is disappointing. It’s dull. There’s not enough pumpkin or spice, and a false-note lemony flavor than disrupts the whole thing. You can’t just throw a few pumpkins and a handful of cinnamon into a batch of regular Blue Moon and call it pumpkin ale, guys. Moving on.
13. Magic Hat Wilhelm Scream Pumpkin Ale – I’m a fan of Magic Hat, but this is another disappointment. Someone needs to explain to these brewers the difference between a pumpkin ale and a harvest ale. Because they are not the same thing, and I can’t find the fucking pumpkin here. It’s like they threw some potpourri in the vat and called it a day. Blech.
12. Sam Adams Fat Jack Double Pumpkin – Sam’s idea and my idea of double-pumpkin clearly differ, but this was not bad. It’s slightly darker and heavier on the palate than I normally go for (being a wuss who chokes on IPA’s), but it has a fair pumpkin flavor and a nice dose of spiciness. Maybe a little too much allspice. But a fair showing from Sam Adams and a damn sight better than their Harvest Ale. That stuff is crap.
11. Tommyknocker Small Patch Pumpkin Harvest Ale – “A festive seasonal ale with pumpkin and a touch of molasses and spice”. It was more than a touch of molasses; otherwise, that’s right on. But the heavy molasses note lent itself well to the pumpkin, and that’s what’s important here.
10. Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale –This one was more about the spice, less about the pumpkin. But the ginger is a nice touch and it certainly wasn’t unpleasant. A pumpkin ale for people who don’t like pumpkin THAT much.
9. Wolaver’s Organic Pumpkin Ale – Smooth, simple, fresh pumpkin and spice. The pumpkin is right out front, but the sweetness is well-balanced with the spice. I have already picked this one up again.
8. Long Trail Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale – This was nice despite the boring label, with a decent-sized pumpkin flavor and a forward but not overwhelming mix of nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon. An easy drinker. (Ha, yeah I am. Wait, what?)
7. Southern Tier Brewing Company, Imperial Pumking Ale – This was my favorite last year, when I hadn’t tried nearly as many. It smells like fresh baked pumpkin pie. It’s got lots of body without being overwhelming. It’s spicy with a very pumpkin-y finish. It’s crisp and fresh and I didn’t immediately get sick of it like some fruity craft beers. But it’s going to be too sweet for most people. You really, really have to like pumpkin for this one.
6. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale – Medium pumpkin, a fairly high amount of spice but not overpowering. Very drinkable and one of the few I drank multiples of in one ‘sitting’ (I don’t really sit much. I’m short enough, I can’t reach anything as it is).
5. River Horse Hipp-o-lantern Imperial Pumpkin Ale – A good balance of pumpkin and spice, with a nice touch of molasses. Rich and heavier than my usual, but not too heavy. I’d like to try this again, but I picked it up in New Jersey and can’t find it here. Boo, Pennsylvania, you always do that.
4. Elysian The Great Pumpkin Ale – Yes, Elysian has two pumpkin beers, bless them. This one was spicy-to-sweet-and-creamy pumpkin goodness, without being over the top. A great choice for true pumpkin lovers.
3. Fegley’s BrewWorks Devious Imperial Pumpkin – Devious is fitting for this ale. It’s dark, spicy and fascinating. A little dark for me, but I keep coming back to it every year. Maybe it’s a Pennsylvania thing. We do SOME things right here. And yeah, that’s what she said.
2. Southampton Publick House Pumpkin Ale – Now we’re talking. The Southampton is smooth. It’s rich. It’s loaded up with pumpkin. And the vanilla really brings it out and adds something extra at the same time. This is super-drinkable and I want more, dammit. Of course, it was already sold out in my area a week after it hit shelves – and if that isn’t a sign of a good craft beer, I don’t know what is.
1. Lancaster Brewing Company Baked Pumpkin Ale – Speaking of Pennsylvania doing things right….Oh. Holy. Halloween. Goodness. In my admittedly humble opinion, this is what a pumpkin ale should be. The pumpkin is right up there, not hiding in the background. There’s the sweetness you associate with the pumpkin, perfectly balanced with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, and a bit of….vanilla? It would make sense, as it worked in the Southhampton. This beer is like having your pie and drinking it too (and that is what HE said) while still drinking a beer. It’s my very favoritest ever. And if you find it anywhere, I’ll pay double the market price….just let me know…
Mommy Needs Wine, Not Whine 