Introducing: The Pumpkin Ale
Taking a small step out of my scheduled posting to introduce one of my favorite seasonal styles: the Pumpkin Ale. While October may be over, there is still plenty of time to enjoy these spiced brews. Almost exclusively a Fall seasonal, pumpkin beer can include a lot of variety within the style. Most tend to be medium to full bodied, and anywhere from light orange to dark black (for Pumpkin Porters/Stouts). Different breweries use different methods to add the pumpkin quality to their batches. Pieces of pumpkin, pumpkin puree or even just a liberal use of all-spice can create a wide spectrum of tastes. In my experience, those that use hunks of pumpkin (added to the mash) have an earthier, more hearty flavor, while puree gives a lighter taste, more similar to pumpkin pie than the pumpkin meat itself. No matter how the pumpkin is added, however, almost all pumpkin beers and then spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice etc. I personally prefer slightly sweeter, pie-like styles myself, though the earthy qualities can nicely compliment darker porters.
When trying a pumpkin beer, expect a sweet and malty base, minimum bitterness, and a strong spiced flavor. Even those with lighter bodies can leave a sweet and sticky mouthfeel. This season, shop and sip around! There are a great variety of variations on this style out there (and seemingly more every year). Do you prefer a sweeter, more pie like beer? Or do you want to taste the vegetable itself? Somewhere in the middle? Go find out, and Happy Halloween.
C.K.
Pint Half Full 