Released in the fall as a seasonal, Pumpkin Ales are unique. Some brewers use real pumpkin mash in the ale giving it a less starchy body, while others use pumpkin flavoring and puree (engregious!). Pumpkin ales tend to be spicy similar to a pumpkin pie with flavors such as ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.
Pumpkin Ales are also usually session ales (5-5.5% ABV), with more of a malty and spicy taste compared to hoppy. Although the best pumpkins ales are the one's with higher alcohol content and made with real pumpkins ingredients, and are well balanced in both sweet and spice.
Here's My Top 5:
5. Cambridge Brewing Company's Great Pumpkin:
Thoughts: Light and malty with well balanced spices. A very tasty pumpkin beer and also one of the first company to brew a Pumpkin ale, it should be noted it's the original recipe for the style of ale. ABV 4.2%
NOTE: Will be served Till MID DECEMBER AT THE BREW PUB!
4. Cape Ann Brewing Company's Fisherman Imperial Coffee Pumpkin Stout:
Thoughts: Okay they only made one batch of this last year but I was fortunate enough to try this at the Winter Beer Summit this past January. Astonishing! I may of found one of the greatest pumpkin ales ever produced. It was blended through with coffee bean which matched well with the nutmeg pumpkin spices, it was also sweet like a french vanilla coffee with a hint of chocolate malts. Now for somone this may have too much flavors, but for me it was orgasmic. Do visit their brewpub this fall and winter, because rumor has it their currently aging a new batch for a limited release. As for their fall seasonal pumpkin stout, original creamy silky like a guiness but with balanced spices and a toasty finish. ABV Imperial 11.0% & 7.0% Seasonal Ale.
3. Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin (Pugsley's Signature Series):
Thoughts: This Shipyard Ale is the only year round pumpkin offering on the market, has a taste that can be welcomed in all climates. Far supperior to their popular session ale Pumpkinhead, this ale is Pumpkinhead's "Big Burly Brother" with more of a sugary pumpkin pie taste. Despite being 9 percent in alcohol, its mellow with a slight spicy hop finish and a medium sweet malt. I've been told it ages well which is hard to resist considering it's stature. 9% ABV
2. Dogfish Head Punk'n Ale:
Thoughts:
Been described as the perfect pumpkin ale and the smell alone will overpower any other pumpkin ale's in the vicinity. Has a stout appearance but from the first sip the hops send a strange sensation to your tongue, similar to a british brown ale. Has a yeasty biscuit flavor with a well balanced cinnamon spice finish, no cheap gimicky brown sugar on the rim needed for this ale. Puts all the other pumpkin beers to shame. Warning it's very heavy and shouldn't be consumed more than a 4-pack. ABV 7%
1. Southern Tier's Pumking:
Thoughts: The mellowest of all high alcohol pumpkin beers and also despite it's uncarbonated appearance the best pumpkin beer I've ever tried. Now every fall I go back and forth between my favorite being the Punk'n and this one. So far from this years batch, the winner is Southern Tier. Smooth and sweet upon first impressions but with a powerful biscuity-spiced hop finish. The most memorable of it's style and should be served at 45-50 degrees to get the full flavor. As stated earlier, it's intimidating 8.6 abv shouldn't be dismissed by mellower beer enthusiasts. ABV 8.6%
It might be too late to purchase these seasonal's but if your fortunate enough to find one it will certainly pair well with your thanksgiving dinner!
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