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.

War of the Christmas Novelty Ales 2021--Dessert Edition

See previous wars here!

At the liquor store, I noticed a lot of beers that had dessert-like theming just in time for the Christmas season. I thought this would be a fun twist on the usual War of the Christmas Novelty Ales, so I hunted around for as many as I could find. Here they are!

Blackwater Series Nitro Creme Brûlée Imperial Milk Stout by Southern Tier Brewing Company (10% alcohol by volume)--The can is not very descriptive, just calling it an "Ale brewed with vanilla beans and with natural flavor added." The "Nitro" part of the name refers to the canister inside that introduces nitrogen to the beer. Why? The result is much like pouring a Guinness with the cascade of bubbles going down. The beer is dark and rich with the smoothness of cream (another effect of the nitrogen). The sweet vanilla flavor isn't overly saccharine, it's just right. The stout bitterness is just hinted at as the last flavors leave the mouth. This ale is definitely both a dessert and a beer rolled into one.

Blackwater Series Nitro Coconut Truffle Imperial Milk Stout by Southern Tier Brewing Company (10% alcohol by volume)--Another in the line above, this can says it's an "ale with sea salt, dark chocolate and natural chocolate & coconut flavors." It has the same look and feel (cascading darkness and smoothness of cream, thanks in part to the nitrogen cartridge). The chocolate and coconut are well balanced with each other and also with the beer part of the brew. The flavor is even better. This one ends with a little smokiness rather than bitterness. It really gives the impression of being a coconut truffle in liquid form. Yum!

Holy Donut Imperial Stout with Donuts and Toasted Coconut by Lone Pine Brewing Company (10.5% alcohol by volume)--The label says "Holy Donut brewed in collaboration with our friends at The Holy Donut. Crafted using Dark Chocolate Toasted Coconut donuts baked right here in Portland, along with toasted coconut." The can also has a warning on it: "Caution: Beer in can is delicious." The beer is an Imperial Stout with blackness of color and robustness of flavor that often has a coffee vibe. The flavor is considerably lightened by the donut hints and chocolate notes. The chocolate is the strongest of the added flavors. I don't quite get the coconut flavor but there is a toasty/smoky aroma that lingers afterward in a nice way. I like it but it's not outstanding.

Christmas Pancakes by Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (9.2% alcohol by volume)--The label calls this an "Imperial Milk Stout with Spices, Honey, and Maple Syrup. Hardywood Christmas Pancakes takes our Gingerbread Stout out for breakfast. We intensify our already decadent GBS with gallons of local maple syrup for a sweet and sticky treat. Who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?" I have not had their gingerbread stout, so I can't compare the differences. I can say that I do taste the gingerbread base, a nice set of spices to give some color to this inky black stout. The honey and maple syrup take the edge off, making the beer a little thicker and easier on the palate than the usual stout. It's quite delicious and I don't think I need to even try their gingerbread stout. Speaking of which...

Gingerbread Stout by Guinness Open Gate Brewery (6.0% alcohol by volume)--This Baltimore-brewed (I really need to go visit) stout is very modest with its write-up: "This winter treat was brewed with allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon." [but apparently without an Oxford comma] This beer is definitely more of a stout than Christmas Pancakes. The smoky, dark flavor is not covered by the addition of sweeteners. The holiday spices are there but not front and center. It's a nice stout but not outstanding. I probably would have liked it more if I hadn't had pancakes first.

Shoo-Fly Pie Porter by Lancaster Brewing Company (6.2% alcohol by volume)--The label says, " Bringing to mind the flavor of homemade Pennsylvania Dutch Shoo-Fly Pie, we brewed our porter with pure Lancaster County molasses and a colorful array of toasty malts. We then add pure vanilla for a flavor profile that's both smooth and uniquely complex." The porter base is well complimented by the blend of non-traditional flavors. It is very much like a liquid shoo-fly pie. The combination of bitter and sweet works well, like having a cup of coffee or tea with your shoo-fly pie. I like the flavor even if it is not exactly a Christmas treat.