Pumpkin Beer Suggestion?

If you can find some Schlafly Pumpkin Ale, that seem to fit the bill of what you are looking for (I have yet to see this anywhere outside Missouri, unfortunately).

For a very 'average' pumpkin beer in six-pack form (unfortunately it does not pack the 'full pumpkin spice' you are looking for), try the Lakefront Brewery Pumpkin Lager, if you like more of the lager style of beer. (Pumking and Punkin are Ales, of course).

 

O'Fallons is my favorite in terms of what you are looking for. I dont think it has hit stores yet tho

 

Or, as I just discovered this weekend, drive to WI. Cheese Castle had some Weyerbacher but not the imperial pumpkin when I was there. Several shops in Milwaukee did though. Awesome surprise

 

Woodman's in Kenosha is where I like to get my Weyerbacher fix. In fact I'll be doing so this coming weekend.

 

I would be happy to trade a 6pk of Schlafly Pumpkin!

 

Okay so Pumking is my Michael Jordan of the style. After many samples(Weyerbacher not included) I believe Wild Onion's Pumkin Ale is my Scottie Pippen. 6packs of cans should be available soon all over the area or just head to their very cool brewpub in Lake Barrington.

 

I really like Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin, New Holland's Imperial Ichabod, and strangely enough I found Sam Adam's Fat Jack to be surprisingly good as well. Unfortunately the Smashed and Fat Jack are bombers while the Imperial Ichabod is IIRC a 4 packer.

 

There's a good review of Post Road Pumpkin here:
http://www.theotherpaper.com/food_a...cle_b0b53d40-ed55-11e1-a4b4-0019bb2963f4.html

 

Smuttynose's is really balanced all-around. If you want a sweet one it's not what you're looking for, but it's a very good beer and really does a good job of bringing together the spicing, which isn't too harsh, with the pure pumpkin flesh. As many have mentioned, I also liked O'Fallon's pumpkin ale. If you have access to it, try Hoppin' Frog Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin.

 

Also, yes, Weyerbacher is really nice and I've only heard good things about Schlafly's, which I haven't tried yet.

 

I don't know if Avery ships to IL, but I've heard Rumpkin is amazing. I'm watching closely to see when it gets released and will be stalking a few places in GR that I know gets Avery.

Also, the suggestion on Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin is seconded. Just had some of that the weekend before last and it was pretty effing amazing.

 

What are you looking for have Zombie Dust if intrested

 

I agree that Schlafly is definitely right up there with Pumking and Punkin in terms of the best examples of this style. Not available in Chicago though, so I've had to look elsewhere (I believe they distribute to Springfield, IL too, if that helps) for a go-to pumpkin beer this year.

I have had Wild Onion's Pumpkin Ale and found it to be a nice, bare bones alternative to the 'big three'. Was also lucky enough to find Lakefront Pumpkin Lager recently and liked it just fine- I think I'm spoiled though in that Schlafly would be my go-to sixer when I was travelling to STL regularly and I've yet to find a brewery that puts out six-packs at that quality/pricepoint. Hopefully something will emerge this year, I'm fine with the Wild Onion if not since at least it's local/readily available.

 

The only one that I can comment on is Tyranena Painted Ladies, that is by far my favorite pumpkin beer I have had to date. It is big, but not as big as Pumking which is a good thing when you are not craving cake in a bottle.

 

Hoppin Frog Frogs Hollow......

 

Enjoyed that one. Haven't had the other 2. Excited for O'Fallons to get back on the shelves any day here!