PUMPKIN PARADE

Fall means pumpkins. Pumpkins mean one of my favorite beer styles hits the store shelves: pumpkin ales. I headed down to my independent and local beer store, 99 Bottles, and stocked up to get me through fall (or at least the first part of it).

Here is what I picked up…

PUMPKIN ALE 

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale
Once my standard pumpkin ale (and perhaps more my “gateway” pumpkin ale) was Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale. Then I had Night Owl and I find I can no longer drink the former. Buffalo Bill’s is now too sweet for my palate and too heavy on the cinnamon, almost as though they brewed pumpkin ale with Red Hots cinnamon candies. Night Owl has a good solid pumpkin flavor as its base.

Uinta Punk’n Pumpkin Ale 
This pumpkin ale is another solid pumpkin ale. I know I liked it, but can’t quite remember how it fared against Night Owl, which is one of the main reasons I picked it up. I think Uinta has a strong stable of beers and want to compare Punk’n against Night Owl.

IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE

Elysian The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale
If my memory serves me, The Great Pumpkin is Night Owl exponentially expressed. It may be too much for me. I will have to drink it and jog my memory.

Southern Tier Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Likewise, Pumking. I remember it as heavy-laden with pumpkin and spices, but without being overbearing; I hope I remembered correctly. As with Night Owl and Punk’n, the plan is to compare and contrast The Great Pumpkin and Pumking to notice similarities and differences.

PUMPKIN PORTER/STOUT 

Elysian Dark O’The Moon Pumpkin Stout 
This is one of my all-time favorite beers. It is chocolate cheesecake pumpkin pie, with a spectacular graham cracker crust flavor. I am looking forward to this bottle perhaps more than any of the others.

OakShire Big Black Jack Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter 
I’ve never had this, but I’m hoping that it is a comparable companion to Dark O’The Moon.

PUMPKIN WILD CARDS

Anderson Valley Fall Hornin’ Pumpkin Ale
I chose this one to have another inexpensive “regular” pumpkin ale in the mix. I’m interested to see how it fares against Night Owl and Punk’n.

Justice Brewing Belgo Pumpkin
This is the beer that I am most looking forward to exploring. I know what Dark O’ the Moon tastes like simply by writing about it. I’m having trouble even imagining what this Belgo Pumpkin tastes like. Is it a sour pumpkin saison? Is it a Belgian dubbel or tripel with a hint of pumpkin, spice, and tartness for good measure? We will soon see.

Two Beers Pumpkin Spice Ale
Two Beers has been making some great ales, and I expect that this will be another solid offering from them.

The plan is to post tasting notes of each of these over the next few weeks. Get ready for the pumpkin parade!