Pumpkin Ales: Low ABV & Good

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by johnnybgood1999, Sep 9, 2016.

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  1. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    My favorite pumpkin ales are higher abv, generally around 7-8% and higher. That said, I cannot make a night with friends out of drinking them. Many nights I'm drinking Oktoberfest beers and low abv pumpkins mixed in.

    The problem is I haven't found lower abv pumpkin beers that have the characteristics I look for in the 7% plus crowd, like creaminess/viscosity, heavier spices, etc.. If the lower abv beers have one quality then they lack the other, such as Pumpkin Down, which is creamy, yet very low on spice.

    Bigger pumpkins I like:
    Pumking, Schlafly, The Great Pumpkin, Alewerks, Pumpkinator, Hoppin Frog, Weyerbacher.

    Lower abv beers I've had:
    Brooklyn Post Road-I've had a couple bottles that were quite good. More often there is something off with the beer.

    Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale-Again, I've had good bottles, but more often than not I get a weird metallic flavor.

    Blue Moon-Could actually be very good with the malt base. Spice profile is out of balance.

    Ballast Point Pumpkin Down-Creamy, good, yet spice profile is barely discernible.

    Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin-Spices are off! Haven't had their new 20 Pounds of Pumpkin.

    New Belgium Pumpkick-Cranberry ruins this beer. Awful beer from a good brewery.

    Shipyard Pumpkinhead-I wanted a Pumpkin ale not a fireball candy flavored beer.

    Anderson Valley Fall Hornin-I like this beer. Good malt presence and spices are fairly well done.

    New Holland Ichabod-Spices made me cringe. Just didn't think it meshed.

    Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat-Weak spice presence.

    I'll stop there. I've had a few more, but I find 90% of them drinkable, yet not all that good. Any suggestions for a creamy ale, 6.5% abv and below, with a well balanced and pleasing spice profile? I can even deal without creamy. I guess I'm more bothered by astringent spices, which are somehow not astringent at all in bigger pumpkin ales.
     
    #1 johnnybgood1999, Sep 9, 2016
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  2. Celtics76

    Celtics76 Pooh-Bah (1,781) Sep 5, 2011 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah

    I don't have an answer for you, as I'm in the same boat. I don't like pumpkin ales that are <7% or so, for much of the same reasons. So nowadays I only drink the imperials, and I'm fine with that..
     
    #2 Celtics76, Sep 9, 2016
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  3. Lucular

    Lucular Grand Pooh-Bah (4,367) Jun 20, 2014 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I was going to suggest Stevens Point Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale but it is 7.5% abv. My best suggestion is to take a trip into Central PA to Selin's Grove Brewery for their Pumpkin Ale. It's 5.6%, served on nitro, creamy pumpkin pie goodness. Only drawback is they don't distribute and you can't get growlers of the Pumpkin Ale (since it's on nitro). However, given your description of what you're looking for I can tell you this beer is exactly what you're looking for. It should be available around mid or late October and last year at least it was still on tap at Thanksgiving.

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1666/39371/
     
    #3 Lucular, Sep 9, 2016
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  4. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    I'll definitely keep that in mind if I make it through there. Sounds delicious. I meant to put Whole Hog in the list of bigger pumpkin ales I've had. It's a solid beer, for sure. The lowest ABV pumpkin I've had that was high quality (IMO) is close to Whole Hog. Williamsburg Alewerks Pumpkin is 7.4% and still more in line with an imperial as well.
     
    #4 johnnybgood1999, Sep 9, 2016
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  5. beerboy9960

    beerboy9960 Zealot (600) Jan 28, 2011 Oklahoma
    Trader

    Elysian puts out night owl pumpkin ale and Punkaccino coffee pumpkin ale that
    are < 6%
     
    #5 beerboy9960, Sep 10, 2016
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  6. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    I hear great things about their pumpkin beers. As far as I know, they haven't made to Virginia yet. Hopefully the AB purchase purchase will bring them here at some point. Does any other brewery have an imperial, but also make lighter versions of the style?
     
    #6 johnnybgood1999, Sep 10, 2016
  7. BMBCLT

    BMBCLT Grand Pooh-Bah (3,427) May 9, 2014 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    The Bruery Autumn Maple is pretty damn good. "We don't need pumpkins in our beer!" Made with sweet potatoes. Thirsty Dog's BBA 12% Imperial Pumpkin is really good too. And of course, Avery Pump[KY]n and Rumpkin. All four are great fall time sippers!

    [​IMG]
     
    #7 BMBCLT, Sep 10, 2016
  8. FarmerTed

    FarmerTed Pundit (928) May 31, 2011 Colorado

    I guess you could pour a Rumpkin into a liter of seltzer and have a nice low abv pumpkin beer.
     
    #8 FarmerTed, Sep 10, 2016
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  9. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    Yes! This is the solution I was looking for!
     
    #9 johnnybgood1999, Sep 10, 2016
  10. Slack

    Slack Pooh-Bah (2,018) Feb 14, 2012 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Not in VA but they are in MD and DC, I picked up the Punkacinno and The Great Pumpkin at Total Wine Laurel
     
    #10 Slack, Sep 11, 2016
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  11. Pantalones

    Pantalones Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2014 Virginia

    Only pumpkin beer I've been thoroughly impressed by so far (though, to be fair, I don't buy every single one I see so I've only tried a few) has been Fairgrounds Fall Ale from Brothers up in Harrisonburg, VA.

    Bought a random single bottle last year, not even aware it was a pumpkin beer until checking the label closer after I got home... turned out it was by far my favorite of all the pumpkin beers I've tried so far. If I see a six-pack of that one around this year it's going to be one of those buy-on-sight beers regardless of how full my fridge is (assuming my bank account is full enough to be impulse-buying beer at the time, anyway. XD)
     
    #11 Pantalones, Sep 11, 2016
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  12. Wasatch

    Wasatch Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,050) Jun 8, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Wasatch Brewery used to have a pretty tasty one at 4% ABV.

    Cheers!
     
    #12 Wasatch, Sep 11, 2016
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  13. CanConPhilly

    CanConPhilly Grand Pooh-Bah (4,421) May 17, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I have the same issue as you. The only pumpkin beers I like tend to be high abv and wildly unsessionable. In a pinch I pick up a 6 of Uinta Punk'n cans. Not nearly as good as Schlafly, Whole Hog, Williamsburg, etc, but only 5% abv, with very prominent pumpkin pie spices. I can kill a 6 of it in a night if the mood strikes.
     
    #13 CanConPhilly, Sep 11, 2016
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  14. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    I forgot about Uinta. It hasn't showed up here yet. It is pretty solid. Problem is I don't see a whole lot of it where I'm at. I was buying a good bit of it last year until Food Lion mysteriously started charging $15 a 6 pack instead of around $9.
     
    #14 johnnybgood1999, Sep 12, 2016
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  15. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,036) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I had the Night Owl. Quite tasty at 5.9% abv.
     
    #15 Bitterbill, Sep 12, 2016
  16. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    Just saw the Uinta today and it's the right price at $8.99. I've got a friend in NOVA that will pick up some Elysian. Are their beers in 12 oz bottles or bombers?
     
    #16 johnnybgood1999, Sep 13, 2016
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  17. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,036) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I had it on draught but the reviews mention 12 ounce bottles.
     
    #17 Bitterbill, Sep 13, 2016
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  18. dcotom

    dcotom Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,637) Aug 4, 2014 Iowa
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I like Sam Adams Pumpkin Batch. It is a saison brewed with pumpkin and spices, 5.6% ABV. Problem is, I don't know if it's in this year's lineup. I found a sixer of last year's in a discount cart at the grocery store last weekend, and it's drinking just fine. I haven't tried 20 Pounds of Pumpkin yet, but I will.
     
    #18 dcotom, Sep 13, 2016
  19. Sir_Whats-his-face

    Sir_Whats-his-face Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2015 Oregon

    Rogue makes a consistently very nice pumpkin ale. I know they're controversial here, but their pumpkin ale is pretty traditional and tasty, and under 6% ABV.
     
    #19 Sir_Whats-his-face, Sep 13, 2016
  20. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    I believe it got the boot. Haven't tried 20 Pounds of Pumpkin yet either. Amazingly enough, I've only seen it at one store here, a Kroger that's not close to my house.
     
    #20 johnnybgood1999, Sep 13, 2016
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