Seasonal Creep isn’t creeping any more.
Hey. You. Seasonal creep.
You’re my best friend.
Now that it’s September and the summer is unofficially over, there’s no more whining to be made about pumpkin beer and all the wonderful seasonal flavors it brings us. My favorite time of year is back!
Given my propensity for all things pumpkin – especially beer – I’ve anxiously been starting my annual stockpile of pumpkin beers. As you begin to buy up the delicious stock from your local store, here are three recent pumpkin beers I’ve had – one worth seeking out and two to probably avoid.
Reminder: If you need a refresher on my pumpkin beer rating scale, check out this post.
New Belgium Pumpkick
Quick notes: Bland malt aroma, light pumpkin pie spice flavor and the use of cranberries only makes it taste slightly bitter rather than a tart aftertaste.
Rating: One pie slice, for trying.
Quick notes: Solid aroma filled with pie spices, notably cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of orange. The taste is lacking, mostly reminding me of an amber ale. Slight pie aftertaste, but without the smell, this could certainly fall into the “amber ale” category for me.
Rating: Two pie slices, since it at least nails the nose of a pumpkin pie.
Quick notes: Malt is strong, but taste of actual pumpkin seems unmistakable. Ginger pronounced. This carries an awesome pie taste, dominated by cinnamon. There’s a solid pumpkin pie aftertaste that borders on sugar sweet by the time it goes down the gullet.
Rating: Four pie slices.
As I continue through this season’s collection of pumpkin beers, expect more ratings to help you pick out the right bottles. If you have any recommendations, please leave them in the comments below.
Cheers to fall!
Related
+Bryan Roth
“Don’t drink to get drunk. Drink to enjoy life.” — Jack Kerouac