Do you enjoy Pumpkin Beer?

[NTXBrauer]

I am not a hater, and enjoy an occasional pumpkin beer during the season. It does seem that there are more and more breweries putting these pumpkin brews out each year, and in this case more is definitely not better. The limited releases, such as Pumpkinator by St Arnold, are the ones I hold out for.

 

[soccerdad]

Various members of my fam like it so my son and I (he likes it) make 5G in the fall (like this coming Sat) and it is usually gone by Christmas. Our recipe is understated .. a can of pumpkin in the mash to add some sugars and 1 tsp pie spice at flame out. It's not the best beer in the world, but it beats a sharp stick in the eye.

 

[kh54s10]

I have only tried a couple. I do not like a lot of spice so when I brewed mine last year it was only 8 lbs of pumpkin meat.

It had just a hint of pumpkin which was what I was after. This year's will get just a little more. 10 lbs roasted a little longer.

 

[Cyclman]

I made an Imperial Pumpkin a year ago, it is HUGE, 10%+, yet I put only 0.3 oz of clove in a 5 gallon batch. (Enough that it didn't carb until I added champagne yeast this year).

To me, it tastes like a clove bomb. I wonder if I made one with NO clove, if that'd overcome the "overspiced pumpkin" beer objection so many people seem to have.

My IP has wonderful pumpkin flavor, but I think I just don't like cloves.

 

[Hello]

I love pumpkin beers. Pumpking is normally my favorite but I love warlock too. I drink them while wearing sweaters, leggings, and UGG boots. The white girl trifecta.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I was going to say that I hate pumpkin beers, but I've actually had 3 that I've quite enjoyed, Jolly Pumpkin's La Parcela, New Belgiums Kick, and this bourbon/vanilla/oak-aged old ale (that's a mouthfull) that a guy in my club brewed. In all cases though these were not really traditional 'pumpkin beers'

 

[ArizonaGoalie]

Two that I love: New Belgium's Pumpkick and Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin.

I just brewed a pumpkin beer for Thanksgiving. Light on spice, heavy on canned pumpkin in the mash. Turned out fabulous. Tried one bottle last night. Can't wait to get blitzed on Turkey Day on this stuff.

 

[HopSong]

Never taste the pumpkin.. but I do taste the spices. If the spices are mild and it's all balanced.. I like it. But, I've only had a few that were, to me, good.

 

[Cyclman]

Thought I'd give this a bump, see if opinions have changed over time.

 

[d3track]

I don't think my opinion has changed as much as I think I figured out what I don't like about them (come to find out many don't use pumpkin, just the spices) - and that its just such an overpowering pumpkin pie spice nutmeg bomb.

 

[sloanfamilydsm]

I enjoy a pumpkin beer every now and then. Not gonna choke down 5 gallons of it though

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

So far I can take them or leave them... But I'm willing to do more research.

 

[slym2none]

It's not my bag, baby.

 

[EtchyLives]

I'm ambivalent and usually get a couple bottles a year just because. This year I threw a rather large party at my house so I brewed up a batch of Thunderstruck and it's probably my favorite. The 1/2 tsp of spice in a tea post fermentation added the perfect amount of spice (not too much) and having the pumpkin in the mash actually gave a noticeable pumpkin flavor... something missing from too many commercial ales.

So considering this is one I brewed for everyone else I'm quite pleased.

Otherwise I like Flying Dog's "The Fear". Schlafly's makes me want to barf.

Next up: Posts about Holiday beers and how ginger and cherries are committing war crimes against Christmas.

 

[Braumeise]

If so, what type do you prefer.

No.
I prefer to leave it on the shelf and drink real beer.

 

[sloanfamilydsm]

No.

I prefer to leave it on the shelf and drink real beer.

I bet the hood on your sweatshirt messes up your mullet too.

 

[slym2none]

Us Southern rednecks don't wear sweatshirts with hoods. The mullet already keeps our necks warm.

 

[Braumeise]

I bet the hood on your sweatshirt messes up your mullet too.

bawahaaa! LMAO!
you just made my day!

Not that I would attempt to deny having worn or even owned a sweatshirt with a hood at several points in my life... those things come in quite handy in the barn... but a Mullet.... no, Sir! I can assure you by all means of fashion mishaps that I am the Queen of the "I can't afford myself club" after all and a mullet will just be no match for the Canel nail polish I wear to muck the stalls...

nice try, better try next time!

 

[garguy]

Pumpkin Beer is the kitties titties, 4 more weeks and mine will be ready to drink!!

 

[TimKennard]

Every year I buy a 6 pack, every year #6 is thankfully the last one for the year. I like them, just in small doses, never brewed one because I don't know what I'd do with 5 gallons of them. Really just prefer regular styles of beer without the spices and what not. Goes for all beers really not just pumpkin.

 

[petey_c]

Two or three years ago, at the East End/North Fork Brewfest I had four or five pumpkin ales (4 oz. samples). That was enough for me. That's why I like to be able to put together a sixer of different brews. This way I'm not stuck with four novelty beers.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Kill it with fire. And I don't mean a propane burner and kettle. I mean set the pumpkins on fire and throw them out of an airplane rather than brew with them.

 

[lumpher]

i think pumpkin beer is nasty. every1 who enjoys it, good for you.

 

[Braumeise]

I mistrust everyone who drinks Bud and calls it beer... I am highly suspicious of anyone who drinks pumpkin flavored anything and dares to call it "beer"...

Pumpkin makes great soup...and it is wonderful when pickled sweet and sour for a vegetarian sushi roll...

I guess you could even add roasted pumpkin seeds to a brew and get something nice out of it - if people would just leave those "pumpkin-flavour" spices out of the equation.

To me that tastes like gingerbread spice and doesn't resemble anything I would do to a poor innocent pumpkin.

 

[Gerry_P]

The only one I would buy is Dogfish Head's, if they sold it around here. I tried Wasatch Black O'Lantern recently, that one wasn't bad. I have a little grudge because my go-to beer store took a bunch of good stuff off the shelves (several Founders and Oktoberfest beers, for example) to make room for about 10 different stupid pumpkin beers. Bah.

 

[CoreyD]

Where I'm from Rogue is "the best beer around" (not my opinion. they make good beer, but there are others that are better, and cheaper). I tried their Pumpkin Ale a few weeks ago. Nasty stuff. Too much spice. Not sure what spice it was, but it was way too much. After 3 or 4 glasses you don't notice it anymore (had a growler of it so I drank what I could), but it made me leery of trying any other pumpkin beer. Maybe next year I'll brew my own so I can regulate the spices. for now I am staying away.

 

[unionrdr]

What bugs me is you don't taste the pumpkin with the spices in the beer.

 

[jekeane]

Pumpkin beers are the American version of an Oktoberfest. I prefer Oktoberfest have enjoyed many pumpkin beers. I really don't need to see pumpkin beers in Florida in August.

 

[drainbamage]

I'm not a big fan. I'll try a few new ones each year just to see if one hooks me, but usually that stray pint or bomber is enough to get me through the season.

I'd rather drink Oktoberfests this time of year, or just move straight to stout season if it gets cool soon enough.

 

[JonM]

I got a local brewery's mixed 6-pack. One bottle was their annual pumpkin beer. One. That's enough pumpkin beer for me for 2015.

 

[Melana]

I like one pumpkin beer per year - only if it is barely spiced if at all.

 

[JonM]

The one I had was like nutmeg soup.

I like nutmeg, and I really really like this brewery, and their pumpkin beer is obviously a hot seller, but blech. No. Not for me.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I do not like the pumpkin beer.
I refuse to drink it every year.
Potatoe.

 

[TheCADJockey]

I'm kind of with @Melana on this one. I usually try 2 a year. The one I like and then one new one. Previously I enjoyed UFO Pumpkin, this year a local one beat it for the top spot. Despite it being a little sweeter than I normally enjoy, Horseheads Brewing, Inc. Pumpkin Ale is my new favorite. They did a really great job.

 

[Malty_Dog]

Well this thread gave me a chuckle. I am usually less than impressed with the pumpkin beers I've tried although the more imperial versions I have liked more. And wouldn't you know it, I just brewed Gordon Strong's Liquid Pumpkin Pie yesterday and it definitely smells like pumkin pie (pretty awesome actually). Tons of spices. I'm hoping it turns out to be a drinkable "dessert beer". I know I will be giving a lot away if possible.

So in short - pumpkin beers are OK a few weeks out of the year

 

[Melana]

YAY! Someone is with me!

 

[mkyl428]

 

[lumpher]

^^ What Mkyl said

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

I try a few a year, but don't go out of my way to hunt them down like some folks do.

The best one that I've had so far is Imperial Pumpkin Smash by Crown Valley Brewing.

My buddy is in a beer of the month club and doesn't like "heavy beer." Too bad for him. Great for me, as he gave me 3 of them.

Now if I could only find it in Michigan.

 

[Roadie]

It's ok as a seasonal thing. I haven't been to a bottle shop since our move to know what's available in the south, but in the midwest I liked Schlafly.