Pumpkin beer recommendations?

Both Sixpoint and Blue Point on the East Coast say that they get their fresh/wet hops "shipped overnight" from HopUnion - they don't specify shipping company or exact transport method, but a truck wouldn't make it "overnight". Stan Hieronymus notes in that Sixpoint blog that HopUnion overnighted 30,000 pounds of hops this season.

 

Didn't notice that the Blue Point page I linked to above (the first time I replied to you - sorry if this seems overkill but it's an interesting photo ) didn't just have a single photo of hops, but an entire slideshow of them recieiving and brewing with their wet hops, including this photo of the boxes from HopUnion.

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As well as this caption on another photo:

 

Nice find. I was thinking that 200lb bales of fresh hops would be unsafe based on my experience with how hot our compost pile can get in just a couple of hours, but putting them in small, heavily ventilated boxes seems like the perfect solution.

On another note, I can't imagine what the shipping cost would be to get 30,000lbs overnighted from WA to NYC.

 

I guess one could call it an "orange IPA". Might as well fill out the full color spectrum.

 

ISO

 

Hmm. I have no idea. I know of a pumpkin farmhouse ale (Hardywood Park), and a number of hoppier versions of pumpkin ales. I tend to think of pumpkin ales as one the maltier side. But I could be convinced. If anyone finds any good ones, do please let me know. I run a pumpkin beer review blog: http://thoughtsonpumpkinbeer.wordpress.com. Cheers.

 

Ass clown makes a pumpkin IPA, never tried it though

 

It was my favorite IPA of 2012. Would drink it again if I ever got the chance.

 

I think a hop like Citra that has background herbal/spice notes could work in a pumpkin/spiced IPA where the spices are kept low to not fight too much with hop flavor.

I used to make a pumpkin pale ale where the hops were noticeable - it was modeled after Smuttynose's Pumpkin when it first came out - which used to be more bitter, hoppier, and less spicier imo. I entered mine in a contest and one the comments said that pumpkin beers should never have any bitterness or hop aroma/flavor - F you.

 

It seems like every year the date that pumpkin beers show up is earlier and earlier. I love pumpkin beer specially Pumking, but I want these beers in the fall not the end of summer. I'm also worried that by brewing so early they won't be able to use fresh pumpkin. Does anyone know if anywhere in the US has already started picking ripe pumpkins yet?

 

I'm not sure what the typical pumpkin season is but I've seen some pumpkin picking here in PA already. Though I doubt too many pumpkin beers actually use fresh pumpkin.

 

Why wouldn't they use fresh pumpkin?

 

A majority of brewers just used canned pumpkin. I'm assuming it has to do with the timing in which pumpkins harvest. There are some breweries that use real pumpkins though.

 

Illinois is one of the biggest producers of pumpkins. We have had them at stores for at least
a week.

 

Pumpkin doesn't add anything to the beer anyways. It's just the brown sugar and spices that make the "pumpkin" flavor.

 

Real pumpkin is messy... Canned is already processed... Often those who use "real pumpkin" opt to use sweet potatoes or other substitutes in its place...

 

We were discussing this two months ago, when pumpkin beers first came out.

 

Don't worry about "freshness" - these cans have a "Best by" date of 2023 - lots of "just off the farm, just like grandma used to open" shelf life left.

Oops - post has been moved, sorry if this is the same "Pumpkin" thread in which I've already posted this image. I mean, there's so many pumpkin threads- it's hard to keep track.

The Bros. should think about giving these "flavored malt beverages" their own forum.

Thank goodness these "Traditional Craft Brewers" don't use corn and rice in their pumpkin ales, huh?

 

the reason they use the canned or frozen pumpkins is the fact that by the time the pumpkins are actually ripe for the picking they would not have enough time to brew and ship the beer.

 

around when are pumpkins are ripe for the picking? Only takes a month max to brew and ship the beer