Do you think Imperial Pumpkin beers are pointless?

I think non imperial pumpkin beers are pointless.

 

My favorite is Schlafly Pumpkin Ale and it clocks in at 8%, I don't really care if it is regular or imperial...so to me it is pointless.

 

Do you know how stupid the designations are anyway? Imperial, Double, Mega, Uber, Hulk, Super-duper ...just pick one already.

 

And all because you can't put "Fuckload" on a bottle. I'd like a Russian Fuckload Stout please? Tell me that wouldn't be great to say at a bar.

 

I need a Hulk IPA.

 

It doesn't need to be an extra style on BA, but I don't mind differentiating strength with an adjective of some sort. Maybe not "imperial" but something. There's a pretty big difference between Pumking and Uinta Punkin' after all.

 

In terms of style, I tend to enjoy stronger pumpkin beers like Pumking, with preference going to Rumpkin. I am happy to have the style. Don't think they are pointless one bit.

However I've never really understood having "Pumpkin Ale" as a stand alone style. Wouldn't it just be a Fruit / Vegetable Ale? Or even simply the type of ale that it would be without the pumpkin element? Warlock is listed as a Sweet Stout, Alpine Ichabod is either a Porter, Wild Ale or Dunkelweizen depending on the year. So unsurprisingly, they are absent from the category. By that logic, why then wouldn't Rumpkin be classified as an American Strong Ale? I understand that this would be upsetting to people because they then would not be able to pull up just the pumpkin beers. So maybe as a sub-style, that way the list can include some of those absent beers?

Or go the other way and give each of them it's own category. Pumpkin Ale, Imperial Pumpkin Ale, American Strong Pumpkin Ale, etc. Maybe other styles follow suit? For instance, we have 8 different types of stout on BA, none of which are the popular coffee or chocolate stouts.

 

Not to be a stick in the mud, but why does ABV matter. We drink craft for the taste, right? The alcohol is a bonus.

 

Some styles shouldn't be 'imperialized" in my opinion. For example, pilsner or kolsch. Pumpkin beers on the other hand I don't have a problem with getting the imperial treatment. Pumpkin beers, to me at least, are good desert beers as they often have many spices I associate with sweets made in the cool weather months. So if those spices are accompanied by a bit more sweetness and booziness, that's cool with me. And this is coming from someone that shies away from most all imperial styles anyways.

 

This. This should be put up for post of the year.

 

The ones I've had this year have been.

 

I'm waiting for an Imperial Pumpkin Pilsner, personally.

 

In a perfect world all beers would be imperial.

 

Not in my perfect world, I love pumpkin brews especially as its starting to cool off, it's like a good start to my favorite time of year, Stout Season!

 

So, I'm not a fan of pumpkin, but once in awhile I'll comprise (i.e. Midnight Sun TREAT)

 

And I'll take an Uber Porter.

 

Do people buy them? Yep. Than apparently there is a point.

 

I was just going to say that Imperial Pilsner/Pale were much more pointless.