Prebeer Preamble: Over much of the Northern Hemisphere, summer has given way to autumn. A whole new wave of fall seasonal beers are turning up on store shelves and taps, and a growing number of them involve that apotheosis of autumnal squash, the pumpkin. Today I and my Draco Vista Review Krew (Michael R.Mennenga, Doug Kress, Tim Adamec, and Brian Brown) take a look at this phenomenon, and try to wrap our heads around the benefits (or lack thereof) of adding vegetables to your beer.
Beer #1: A sign of pumpkin beer’s ascendency is Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale, from the fine folks at Blue Moon (a.k.a. Molson-Coors). Macro-pumkin marketed like a micro, with “all natural” pumpkin flavor. Kinda gets you drooling, doesn’t it? Warning: the word “fizzy” is used in describing this one…
Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk. “Thom Tash from Kona Brewing Co.” Kona’s seasonal Pipeline Porter is very popular in Hawaii, on the mainland and beyond. Pubcaster and Heartland Brews contributor Phil Clark from The Brit and Yankee talks with the Kona Brewmaster about this and other brews produced with local ingredients in the 50th State.
Beer #2: A product of one of America’s oldest brewpubs, Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale can safely be called the progenitor of pumpkin beer. Does it’s “classic” status lead to a satisfying drinking experience, or should pumpkins remain the stuff of pies and jack-o-lanterns and stay out of beer all together?
Beer Geek Moment: “Seasonals” Pumpkin beer is but one example of “seasonal” beer, brews that only turn up at certain times of the year and reflect the vibe of the time. Take a whirlwind tour through the calendar by way of a pint glass in this little Moment.
Postbeer Postscript: It turns out where the tasters stand on pumpkin pie has a lot to do with how they score these beers. Who likes lots of spice, and who wants to actually taste the pumpkin? Tune in and see!
Show 38: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Beer Guy! [36:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4435)
I find the Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale that you mentioned as an alternative in the beer preview post to be quite good. It maintains the pumpkin pie flavor down to the bottom. Of course, I *really* love pumpkin pie, so perhaps I’m a bit biased, but my wife loves it, too! I was curious about the Harvest Moon, but I think I’ll steer clear after listening to the episode. That’s why I love listening – keep me away from the bad beers and introduce me to the good ones.
Chad,
It’s cool to hear someone have a good “alternative beer” experience. Not that people have reported BAD experiences, but I don’t get much feed back of any sort about the alternatives. Shipyard’s pumpkin appears to be getting a big push this year, so it’s nice to hear the quality is high.
Thanks for the good words!
The BB Pumkin Ale really does set the standard for that style in my opinion and is pretty much a non objectionable beer (even for those that don’t care much for fruit, etc. flavored beer). I look forward to drinking it every year. The Shipyard is pretty tasty as well, with a little more spice flavor compared to the BBPA. I tried to drink a few bottles of the Bue “Harvest Moon” but found it to be too carbonated for the style, which masked (or unmasked) my desire to taste a smooth spicey flavor. Maybe better on tap? The Kona Porter is awesome and you will want a bigger glass after your first sip. I am in So Ca and drinking the Pipeline Porter makes me wish for cold weather!