How do you feel about Pumpkin Beer?

Of for sure, I definitely enjoy blends with pumpkin ales and porters or stouts! The pre-made pumpkin stouts like Warlock don't quite do it for me, so I prefer to control my own proportions.

Speaking of that Yuengling Hershey's Porter: it seems like the regular Porter became scarce around here once that was introduced. I haven’t even tried it yet because it doesn't seem like my kind of thing 'straight', but in a blend it might be worth trying.

 

FWIW I enjoy drinking it straight. I had one a couple of evenings ago.

If you buy it for blending give one a try as a standalone. Maybe you will enjoy it too?

Cheers!

 

When I first got into craft beer I loved them. Then, I got sick of all things pumpkin spice, (including coffee and desserts) and didn't even want to touch for like six years.
Then, starting last year, I have slowly started coming back around on them. However, I still haven't bought more than two packs per yet.
I do like the spices, but if we're going that route, I'd rather drink winter warmers or Belgian styles.

 

I buy a couple every season, preferably a higher alcohol low spiced brew. Pumpkin is OK as a fermentable, I just don't like spice overload upon which many brewers insist. So no, none of the above choices in the poll.

 

Searched and did a quick scan of both current pumpkin threads but didn't find the comment(s) I thought I recalled about the seeming lack of pumpkin ales in recent years (maybe it was just "new" versions?) but was surprised to read these facts from GBH news editor's Twitter account :

Early in the season, he noted:

 

For several years I tried almost every pumpkin beer I could find and every single one was nasty, except Dogfish Head Punkin-it was disgusting, worse than nasty. It's the one and only beer I've ever spit out of my mouth and immediately rinsed my mouth to get the taste out. Then one fall The Wellhead Pub in Artesia brewed an excellent one. It was so good Diane the brewer gave me the entire keg because it had soured in the keg and was delicious. She couldn't sell it as a sour so she gave it to me, and my son and I bottled it and savored it for a couple of months.

 

I like pumpkin beers in the Fall and Winter, but only the understated pumpkin beers, the ones that don't clobber your palate but instead build up slowly and where by the end of the beer you are getting the pumpkin and spices.
I'll usually find these on my travels at small local breweries.
Cheers!

 

I also like the historical aspect of pumpkin beer, much like I appreciate beer tradition and history period. I haven’t had one this year, though. Six packs tend to be too many for me for the style. I’d be interested in a nice pint bottle a year. Punkin Ale is good. Some are obviously over spiced. I’d say the best range is between 6-8% ABV and lean toward a creamy flavor over the sharper spices.

 

I buy a some Pumking every year and save one for the next year to try. I have a nitro in the fridge right now which I will drink soon. Its the only one ive tried that actually tastes a bit like pumpkin and isn't inundated with massive amounts of spices which to me kills everything. Roadsmarys Baby would be the only one I would try again. As a chef this overkill of pumpkin spicing this time of year makes me sick honestly.

 

I’ve loved pumpkin beers since the mid 1990s. I get a selection every fall and thoroughly enjoy them. It’s just beer. Drink what makes you happy.

 

I enjoy a good pumpkin lager made by Lakefront Brewery in Wisconsin. Once we’re past Halloween I’m not that interested in it though.

 

Interesting. A jack-o'-lantern thing I suppose.

In contrast I consider Pumpkin beers to be more of a month of November thing, a pumpkin pie aspect for me.

Cheers!

 

I'm good for a couple of year. If I buy a sixer I'm usually sick of it by the end, but I'll order some when out for dinner.

 

Since I posted above “In contrast I consider Pumpkin beers to be more of a month of November thing”:

My Pumpkin beers I have purchased (so far):

· Elysian variety 12-pack: The Great Pumpkin, Night Owl, Punkuccino and Dark O' The Moon. I have only had one bottle so far (The Great Pumpkin).

· Flying Dog The Fear Imperial Pumpkin Ale – two singles; I drank one and it was very good!

· Evolution Jacques Au Lantern Belgian Style Pumpkin Ale – two singles; I drank one and it was very good!

If I can find more of the Flying Dog, Evolution and Dogfish Head Punkin Ale in the singles section of my local supermarkets I will buy one more six-pack of Pumpkin beers (2 each of this list).

Cheers!

 

I was not able to find the beers on my above shopping list but I did purchase a mix-a-six today which included one bottle of Schlafly Pumpkin Ale and one bottle of Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale.

I will continue to be on the lookout for some Dogfish Head Punkin Ale in the singles section.

Cheers!

 

I've been looking for singles but still haven't found any yet. At this point I'll pick up a sixer soon enough, just to try it in both situations.

My current blend is actually Schlafly Pumpkin with Yards Washington's Porter, and it is going to be tough to beat. It's a seamless blend, with each beer complementing the other. Try it if you can.

 

Michael, a factor is how much chocolate flavor you want as part of the blend.

I am a fan of Yards Washington Porter but I personally would be more inclined to drink that beer as a standalone but I suppose the statement of "never say never" is applicable here.

On a related note I did post about an Elysian Pumpkin Stout in today's NBW thread.

Cheers!

 

I've never cared for pumpkin spice beer.

 

I like it fine as a standalone. And it's a great Traditional Lager mix as an improv Hershey's Black & Tan as well.