As many know, I am fiend for the orange gourd known as Pumpkin. Whether in a pie, a latte, or as a flavor of beer - I cannot get enough pumpkin and wait all year for the orange goodness. I also have a fondness for beer, so the matching of the two is a beautiful moment in heaven for me. As such I am on a mission this year to try as many pumpkin ales as possible and rank them as to my preference. Your preference many be different and that is perfectly fine. What I am looking for in my pumpkin ale is a good taste of pumpkin, slight spice, and smooth finish that leaves your palette refreshed and warm. Others prefer hard spice, but for me that feels overpowering and missing the target of pumpkin taste. As appropriate I have left notes for myself, if you have any, fork away and make your own list!
- Cisco Pumple Drumkin Spiced Ale
- Southampton Pumpkin Ale
- Post Road Pumpkin Ale
- Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
- New Belgium Pumpkick
- Evolution Jacques Au Lantern
- Harpoon UFO Pumpkin
- Red Hook Out of your Gourd Pumpkin Porter
- Devil's Backbone Ichabod Crandall
- Shipyard Pumpkinhead
- Southern Tier Pumking -- Felt overpowered by spice, left with a mouth feel of allspice only.
Some additional suggestions...
Sclafly Pumpkin
Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin
Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin