I have never really been a huge fan of pumpkin beers. I spend most of my fall absorbing as many Oktoberfests beers and autumn ales as possible. I love the rich malty smoothness of Oktoberfest beers...Hacker Pschorr, Sam Adams, Brooklyn, Geary's Autumn Ale and of course der Konig of them all, Ayinger Oktoberfest.
However, over the last couple of years I have dabbled in pumpkin ales and I have to say I am a convert. I don't really go for those super-sweet, over-spiced, run of the mill pumpkins, but I have found a couple of outrageously good ones. Southern Tier Imperial Pumking is truly amazing. I bought one early last fall and it converted me like Saul being struck from his horse with a flying pumpkin. It is a whopping 9% of early fall warming greatness and smells like a fresh pumpkin muffin. I couldn't drink more than one of these 22oz bad boys, but it is extremely enjoyable as a dessert beer. It is much more complex and certainly more drinkable than I had imagined.
On the other hand, Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale might just be the only sessionable pumpkin beer I have ever tried. It is not over spiced and has a remarkable earthy kind of raw pumpkin flavor with a super smooth maltiness and a nice touch of hops to boot. This beer looks like autumn too--it pours a beautiful orangish color with a thin white head. Simply put, this beer smells amazing too. I just paired one up with a fresh batch of Trader Joe's pumpkin bread (and I threw in some semi-sweet chocolate chips for good measure--into the bread that is). I am so tempted to go double up on both right now.
Drop a comment and let me know some of your favorite pumpkin beers, I am interested in finding some additional good options. Enjoy the fall weather and cheers.
5 comments:
It's about time you became a convert!
I still love Oktoberfests so much more than Pumpkin Ales though.
I just cracked open a Dogfish Punkin Ale...as I said, I have never really been into pumpkin ales, so I never got around to trying this one. One word...fantastic. This might just be the perfect beer with thanksgiving dinner or a gobbler sandwich after he holidays. The spices and sugary sweetness are balanced well by a nice hop bite and alcohol esters provide a bit of warming...just in time for the crisp New England fall nights.
I was going to suggest Dogfish Punkin (though you beat me to it by a few months)...I spend the entire fall buying every four pack I can of that sucker. I think it's actually the only pumpkin beer I like, though I'll try anything CBC puts out.
Beth,
That sounds like a squirrel I know with the initials D.P. He hides away cases of Sam Adams Octoberfest every year and drinks it til March!
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