Pumpkin Beers 2024

See last year's samplings here!

The stores are full of seasonal flavors including the ubiquitous pumpkin spice. The liquor store is no exception to this flavor contagion. Here are some pumpkin-based beers that I tried this year...

Caramel Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale (8.6 percent alcohol by volume) by Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, New York--The label had no write up but the web site says, "The King’s magical court flourished with the alluring addition of Caramel Pumking. Savor the magical aroma of spiced pumpkin pie as it unites with the sweet enchantment of caramel in each sip. No matter how you celebrate the season, this brew is sure to leave you spellbound." The beer has a light copper color and a hint of fine aroma. There's a bit of the bitterness hinted at by the "IPA" initials (regular reader may remember my distaste for the typical IPA--India Pale Ale). This beer is not so harsh. The pumpkin notes are delicate and the caramel is not noticeable enough to register. The brewer has some other Pumpkin ales with different emphases, maybe the caramel would come out by contrast to the others. Alas, I did not get the others and I am not impressed enough with this brew to give them a try. Caramel Pumking is not bad but it is not outstanding.

Jacques Au Lantern Belgian Style Pumpkin Ale (6.3 percent alcohol by volume) by Evolution Craft Brewing Company, Salisbury, Maryland--A repeat from last year, this pumpkin-colored ale has a bit of the sourness of a sour ale with a light pumpkin flavor. I associate pumpkins with sweetness, so it does a good job making the sour ale something different. This beer isn't terrible but it is not satisfying to me. The fun name suggests some Frenchness that isn't there either. I guess I am a sucker for a cute or fun name, as the next beer clearly demonstrates...

Roadsmary's Baby Pumpkin Ale (6.8 percent alcohol by volume) by Two Roads Brewing Company, Stratford, Connecticut--The very entertaining label (which suits the very entertaining name) calls this a "Pumpkin Ale brewed with spices and aged in rum barrels with vanilla beans." It has a dark copper color that goes with the dark title. The pumpkin flavor is subtle; the spices are subtle; the vanilla is almost undetectable; the rum-barrel flavor just isn't there. I found this very surprising. It tastes a lot like a standard pumpkin ale with just a few subtle notes. This beer doesn't taste bad but it doesn't live up to its name or its label description. I hope I remember well enough not to buy this for next year's pumpkin beer tasting.

The Great'er Pumpkin Pumpkin Ale (10 percent alcohol by volume) by Heavy Seas Beer, Baltimore, Maryland--A repeat from last year, the label says, "As fall approaches and thoughts turn to Halloween, we roll out The Great'er Pumpkin. A copper ale with notes of vanilla, oak, pumpkin and flavors of autumnal spice." That description leaves out a key fact elsewhere on the label: "Aged in Bourbon Barrels"! I am a sucker for barrel-aging and this brew does not disappoint (unlike the previous beer). Like other beers on this list, the pumpkin flavor is not very strong. But it is there along with the hint of spiceness. Those flavors blend well with the bourbon notes added from the cask aging. I like this a lot, just like I did last year. 

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (8 per cent alcohol by volume) by Weyerbacher Brewing Company, Easton, Pennsylvania--The label modestly announces, "Ale brewed with pumpkin and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, cloves." Weyerbacher is a favorite brewer for their Merry Monks Tripel, a delightful Belgium-style beer. This slightly sour ale has a nice pumpkin flavor that is very welcome and inviting. There's no razzle-dazzle, just a straight-forward coppery ale with a flavor of the season. I wouldn't drink this all the time but it's a nice taste of the season, like egg nog will be in a few months (even if it is already in the stores). 

Lancaster Baked Pumpkin Ale (7.5 per cent alcohol by volume) by Lancaster Brewing Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania--Another humble label that says it's an "Ale brewed with pumpkin, spices and natural flavor." This ale has a lot of the pumpkin color, like a copper that is almost orange. Like others, the pumpkin flavor is very light. The spices are also light at the start though they kick in with the aftertaste more. This is another nice, seasonal brew that is satisfying in September and October. Maybe it will make it to Thanksgiving in late November. It definitely has that "comfort food" feel like pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Oatmeal Stout (6 per cent alcohol by volume) by Fat Orange Cat Brew Company (no functioning web site!), North Haven, Connecticut--The only description on the label is "Oatmeal Stout with Pumpkin Spice & Coffee." On the other hand, the label does a good job looking like a coffee shop to-go cup. The stout definitely looks like a stout--no copper coloring here! It's as black as a Halloween cat (or straight coffee). The flavor is dominated by the coffee (at least, that is all I can taste). I can almost taste some pumpkin but not really. I guess if you love the flavor of coffee this is a treat, but when I want a beer, I want a beer flavor somewhere in the mix.

I guess it's another year for Great'er Pumpkin--that's the six-pack I would buy from this group.