It seems like everyone is churning out pumpkin beers these days. While it IS fall, and the pumpkin is a great symbol of our American identity (moreso than smallpox, I suppose), I think we’ve just about hit the saturation point.
That said, I had some pretty good pumpkin beers this year. All suceed in paying tribute to the orange gourd. Some, like Dry Dock and Southern Tier, excel in creating a pumkin pie dessert beer, while others create a more balanced pumpkin experience with their herbal blends. In no particular order my top five this year:
Avery – Rumpkin
Dry Dock – Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Epic – Fermentation Without Representation
Southern Tier – Pumking
Upslope – Pumpkin Ale
Llama Approved!
I wanted to focus on those you can get in store, but for the record, you can find some pretty good ones at your local brewery. Sadly, I’ve also hit some not-so-good ones.
But even better than finding a great pumpkin beer among many impostors is finding a great pumpkin in a sea of mediocre ones. That’s right, I’m talking about going to a pumpkin patch. I recommend Rock Creek Farm. Easy to get to, and prices that can’t be beat. With a stick. With a stick containing a nail driven though the business end.
Wading through a sea of pipsqueaks and pumpkins ain't easy.
Some of you might say that you can just go to your local grocery store and buy a pumpkin. Shame on you. I think Dave Mustaine eloquently wrote about you in “Countdown to Extinction.”
So back to the pumpkin:
I’m a purist when it comes to pumpkins. I believe a properly picked pumpkin should be both spherical and appropriately colored (a majority of orange, and a hint of green to take you through the Day of the Dead.)
More like Hardy than Laurel.
All that is left to do is to crack open a Rumpkin and sit by the porch to wait for the Great Pumpkin. At the very least, he will commend you on your sincere beer selection.
What say you? What’s your favorite pumpkin beer?
Hops Spring Eternal 