Is Pumpkin Beer alien to the PNW?

I'm from Texas, and I can't remember pumpkin beers from way back then either. If anything, it seems like there used to be more spiced winter warmers.

 

I remember trying ST Pumking on someone's recommendation a couple years ago, and it was nasty. Just terrible. I have no idea how it got the score that it has on this site. It was the first pumpkin beer I had ever tried, and it turned me off to pumpkin beers entirely.

But as much as I don't care for straight-up pumpkin ales, I could see maybe the addition of a reasonable bit of pumpkin to a stout working well. I think a darker, roastier, maltier, creamier beer -- like an imperial oatmeal stout -- could stand up to that adjunct better. Anybody happen to try any pumpkin stouts that they liked?

-- Nathan

 

As fresh hop beers are winding down, imperial stouts are picking up. I have no time or inclination for pumpkin beers.

 

For everyone who doesn't like pumpkin beers remember there are those that love them. I enjoy st pumking tremendously as a dessert beer with a little kick, but it is very sweet and a bomber is to much to drink. Also punkinccino is a very well made beer.

 

I didn't think it was sweet at all. To me, it tasted like one would expect the result to be if somebody threw raw squash into a blonde ale. It had a very off after-taste/finish. I think it was one of my brothers who commented that it tasted like beer that had been brewed with band-aids.

This was on-tap at a local establishment. Maybe we encountered a bad batch.

-- Nathan

 

Haven't had it on tap in awhile, but the bottles I've had this year were great in my humble opinion. It's pumpkin pie in a glass to me everything from the spices to the crust minus the whipped cream.

 

I have to agree with others that ST Pumking is one of the nastiest beers I've ever had --- and I like pumpkin beers. I found it cloyingly sweet and an aftertaste rancid vanilla syrup.

With that said, I am one of those PNW folks who look forward to pumpkin beers and looked forward to the annual Elysian Pumpkin Fest. I don't go anymore.

 

I'll throw my hat in as a ST Pumking fan. The sweetness doesn't bother me, and I find the "rind forward" style appealing. Although I am not a connoisseur of the style, I haven't found another example with that flavor profile.

While on the topic of ST, I have heard that people mix Pumking with ST Creme Brûlée. Mixing beers really isn't my thing, but it sounds crazy enough that I'd try it. Unfortunately, Creme Brûlée is another seasonal that isn't available right now.

I had a bottle of pFriem Pumpkin Bier last night, and was impressed. It's more of a belgian style ale with pumpkin. Developed nicely as it warmed up, and I was wishing the bottle wasn't so small. If they made an imperial version of this, it might well kick ass.

 

I made a dark sour pumpkin saison last year. It was good.

 

I was a huge fan of pumpkin beers last year and this year I kinda dgaf.
Maybe because there are just so many great beers out there and there isn't enough time to wade through crappy pumpkins.
For every pumpkin beer I enjoyed last year I had at least one drain pour.
I do always enjoy the dogfish head Punkin. It's more of a subtle pumpkin rather than the Southern Tier approach.
I also enjoyed Ft George's Squash Buckler. All they added was fresh carmelized pumpkin. Apparently, I like the simple pumpkin beers.
Oh, Ballast Point's pumpkin was pretty good too. But dfh beats it by a slight margin.

 

I hadn't found a pumpkin beer that I love until last Friday. I had a chance to enjoy Rogue's Pumpkin Patch Ale and loved it! Not too spicy and just enough sweet.

http://www.rogue.com/rogue_beer/rogue-farms-pumpkin-patch-ale/

 

Haha, yeah, I have been guilty of sharing that one on social media this year, too.

All of this talk makes me want to try Pumking again, though, only because *nobody's* description here matches my memory of it. If I am going to hate it, I want to hate it for accurate reasons...

I have also been curious to try Warlock, to satisfy my curiosity about pumpkin stouts. But I haven't found anybody around here that carries it.

-- Nathan

 

My personal experience is that there are some pretty awesome one's out there and a lot of over spiced garbage one's out there. It's increased seasonal popularity has caused a lot of breweries to brew a lot of it and distribute it as far as possible.

Fresh hops is still our thing, but it's a very short, niche, season whereas pumpkin beers have much broader reach.

 

I've seen that one, but been unsure about buying it. If I recall it was kind of expensive. $16?

 

IF I decide to have a pumpkin beer in season, it will be Elysian Great Pumpkin. I know they sold out and screwed Dick Cantwell but this is a good beer. And I hope it continues to be good.

 

Pumking - tastes like pure liquid pumpkin pie, yet somehow they pulled it off in my opinion. It is sweet, but oddly satisfying.
Warlock - I poured mine down the drain, insanely cloying and horrendously unbalanced. But, some people swear by it!