No Octoberfest for you, drink Pumpkin beer

[Calichusetts]

I feel bad for some of the bars/stores people have access too. I go to like 5-6 stores total and all are pretty balanced. Maybe 4-5 pumpkin and the same number of Oktoberfest (SN, firestone, peak organic, etc).

Aging out most commercial pumpkins two years make them really drinkable and pretty good (at least if the malt bill is decent to begin with.) Most are so overspiced its crazy. Two roads Roadsmary is outstanding, aged in rum barrels. Very well done and balanced. Most I can't stand.

 

[Mad4sax]

I'm curious as to why this particular set of spices has become synonymous with the flavor of pumpkin. If you've ever tasted raw pumpkin it has virtually no taste. Couldn't these spices be used to flavor potatoes or something equally as bland?

I use this same spice blend on roasted, grill or smoked pork roast and baked sweet potatoes also. I have used it in coffee when brewing.
It is awesome.

I do know my wort smelled just like my pumpkin pies do. Maybe just the spice blend. I believe some use sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin in pumpkin beer.

 

[FiddlersGreen87]

I don't mind the Pumpkin craze. It's not for me, but some aren't all bad. I'm with the OP's root problem.

I love Oktoberfest Marzens. Pumpkins are fine, but they should not over rule this awesome time of year filled with fantastic Oktoberfests.

I'm personally a beloved fan of Magic Hat's Oktoberfest ("Hex"). Well I emailed them asking if it would be available this year because it's the first year back from living in Hawaii where Magic Hat isn't available. It's been 4 year since I had Hex, and I was super excited to stock up. Well surprise surprise no Oktoberfest this year because it's been replaced by PUMPKIN. :smack:

 

[GHBWNY]

"Pumpkin Beer" my gourd! I'd dare anyone to take a bite out of a pumpkin and say, "I've waited all year for THIS!"

Ergo, why would anyone like the taste of so-called pumpkin-flavored beer? Oh, wait a minute... you say your "pumpkin" beer has a hint of allspice and a little nutmeg and sugar and vanilla and doesn't actually taste like the disgusting raw squash that it is? What's that? It has a taste similar to pumpkin pie? Ohhh...now I understand:

Pumpkin Pie Beer

 

[GHBWNY]

And here's another thing:

An "Oktoberfest" beer is not a particular style that gets you all warm and fuzzy for Sunday afternoon football or a cool fall evening by the fire. An old-country "Oktoberfest" is a beer that, prior to refrigeration, was brewed in the late winter/early spring, just prior to the onset of the warm summer months when ferm temps got too high to brew. The last run of beer was kept in cool cellars over the summer and in the fall when brewing could start up again as the weather turned cooler, the stored beer could be consumed. The lore and magic of the celebration of the fall harvest, etc. notwithstanding, the Germans needed no excuse to consume beer; this late-winter storage beer was what was available in "Oktober" for consumption as the production of new beer started up again.

 

[j1n]

I like pumpkin beer. I don't like it enough to brew a 5 gallon batch but ill pick up a 6 pack at the store of it. everyone has different tastes, no need to hate.

 

[BreezyBrew]

Market Saturation is coming.... People will realize most just aren't very good after trying many of them. That's what happened to me.

I live in FL where it's still 95 degrees and the pumpkin beers were out in July. Gross.

 

[sumbrewindude]

Disclaimer - I love pumpkin beers. Current infatuation is resting hard on Southern Tier's Warlock.

Finding an Oktoberfest around here isn't hard at all - you can get them as early as August, and they usually roll into Thanksgiving. Some are available all year. Finding a pumpkin beer that's not in a bomber or priced into next month is like looking for hen's teeth.

I'll take that pumpkin challenge - I've got 4 different varietys growing in the garden. Love me some pumpkin. Not a huge fan of overly "spiced" pumpkin...

:rockin:

 

[SPR-GRN]

my local place never has pumpkin beer, granted, my local place is the keezer in my basement.. ooh look a marzen!

 

[worlddivides]

I'm another guy who loves pumpkin pie and thus I like a well-done pumpkin beer. That said, not all of the pumpkin beers out are well-made. Some don't taste anything like pumpkins and some taste like cheap canned pumpkin or squash. Personally I think the ones that taste like a balance in between a really well made pumpkin pie and really well made ale (whether that's a wheat, a stout, or whatever) are the ones that taste the best.

I don't understand that hate for pumpkin beers that some people have, but I do understand the hate for Oktoberfest beers not coming out and the hate for pumpkin beers coming out before the pumpkins are even harvested (meaning that the beers are using canned pumpkins).

 

[fishhead202]

Ah sales creep. Same reason Starbucks released their Spiced Latter in August, why there's 'back to school' sections before school's even out, why I'm going to see Xmas decorations before I turn the AC off, and why black Friday has become a black Wed-Friday. Ridiculousness.

I do like some pumpkin ales though

 

[NickTheGreat]

I like pumpkin pie and pumpkin bars/muffins. thats it. Everything else pumpkiny needs to go!

 

[Braufessor]

To each their own..... but, damn, I hate pumpkin beers.

It is too bad when they start taking the place of multiple other options instead of just being an alternative. I would be pretty frustrated if one of my local establishments started pulling good options and replacing them with pumpkin beers....... If they swap a pumpkin in for a "summer shandy"...... I could care less. But if I showed up and Bell's Two Hearted was gone to make way for "Spiced Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Amber Ale".... . Well, I would be looking elsewhere

 

[FiddlersGreen87]

...pumpkin beers coming out before the pumpkins are even harvested (meaning that the beers are using canned pumpkins).

It would be refreshing to see someone capitalize on this. Putting Pumpkin beer back into a "novelty" category by only selling pumpkin beer from the time that pumpkins are harvested until say Thanksgiving. Then use some marketing to stamp on the bottle that "there's a special reason the beer is only available from X to X because they don't use canned pumpkin. Pumpkin beers that show up prior to X rely on old canned pumpkin to beat the season."

 

[kaconga]

These beers might change your mind about Pumpkin...

Dark of the moon changed my mind about pumpkin! I am looking forward to that, the other pumpkin beers, not so much.

 

[frozennorth]

On a whim I bought a bomber of Southern Tier pumpkin spice beer last night. My wife and I agreed, it was horrible! (It was the only beer I have ever poured out. Nasty!) I have changed my mind about brewing one now. I shall work on an Oktoberfest for next year, as I have my lagering chamber set up now. No more pumpkin beer for me.

 

[Talgrath]

To each their own..... but, damn, I hate pumpkin beers.

It is too bad when they start taking the place of multiple other options instead of just being an alternative. I would be pretty frustrated if one of my local establishments started pulling good options and replacing them with pumpkin beers....... If they swap a pumpkin in for a "summer shandy"...... I could care less. But if I showed up and Bell's Two Hearted was gone to make way for "Spiced Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Amber Ale".... . Well, I would be looking elsewhere

Spice Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Amber Ale sounds amazing, now I want one.

 

[HerbieHowells]

I was at Oktoberfest in Snowbird on Sunday, and there was nary an Octoberfest in sight. Plenty of pumpkin beer available. Granted Uinta claims to make one of the best pumpkin beers on the market, so I can see why they would make it the fall beer festival centerpiece. I was quite happy with the Uinta pilsner and Kolsch, but a little malty punch would have been nice.

 

[Weezy]

To each their own..... but, damn, I hate pumpkin beers.

It is too bad when they start taking the place of multiple other options instead of just being an alternative. I would be pretty frustrated if one of my local establishments started pulling good options and replacing them with pumpkin beers....... If they swap a pumpkin in for a "summer shandy"...... I could care less. But if I showed up and Bell's Two Hearted was gone to make way for "Spiced Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Amber Ale".... . Well, I would be looking elsewhere

Spiced Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Amber Ale?????????

Pffft.

I only drink Bacon Peanut Butter Spiced Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Amber Ale on Cocoa Nibs.

 

[Kosch]

I like some pumpkin beers myself. But really, if I'm going out for a beer, I don't want a novelty beer. Pumpkin beers are for buying in bottles and enjoying at home (for me anyway).

We have a local brewery that a lot of pubs have on tap around here. I hate it, it's like a really crappy cream ale with crappy pumpkin spice. Or something. Everyone raves about it though. Bleh.

 

[GHBWNY]

Non-HBTF conversation:

"Hey, have you tried this new SloshinCrotch Autumn Pumpkin Ale?"
"No, why?"
"It tastes just like your grandma's pumpkin pie! It's awesome! Want one?"
"But why turn pumpkin pie into beer?"
"I don't know. But you gotta try one!"
"I'll, see ya' later."
"Hey, where ya' going? I thought we were going to have a beer?"
"You can have mine. I'm going to Grandma's."

 

[grizzly2378]

To be fair, the same thing being said about the over-saturation of pumpkin beers this time of year could be said about the over-saturation of IPAs in, well, any time of year. There's a bazillion of em. Not saying that's good or bad, it just is. I like IPAs just fine. And, obviously, lots of others do to. But some people don't.

The breweries are gonna crank out what sells. Happens to be pumpkin beers this time of year. Not a huge fan myself, although I did just buy a sixer of Alaskan's Pumpkin Porter that was pretty good...more subdued on the pumpkin spices than some others. I've had other pumpkin beers that were horrible. Same can be said for some IPAs. To each their own.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[CarbonTom]

I'm experiencing the same problem its Marzen season for me...and the taps are all being filled by pumpkin. Hey, I enjoy a pumkin beer every once in a while for fall, but less festbiers??? what the sh!t. Curse you market trends!!

 

[ntempleton]

I would love to know how many of these pumpkin beers actually have any pumpkin in them. Shockingly few, I'd guess. "Pumpkin Pie" beer indeed.

 

[ktblunden]

Fyi, there's an Oktoberfest in Sierra Nevada's fall sampler. Haven't tried that one yet, but the Vienna lager in the pack is fantastic.

Cracked the SN Oktoberfest last night. It was delicious.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I'm a chef IRL, and my biggest peeve with "pumpkin" flavored anything is that ITS NOT PUMPKIN FLAVORED! It's clove/nutmeg/cinnamon flavored! Stop calling it pumpkin beer when it's really pumpkin pie beer or pumpkin spice. There are obviously some exceptions to this, but at the end of the day, it's not the same thing for most beers.

 

[zmanzorro]

I don't mind pumpkin beers but this is a new low:

http://firstwefeast.com/drink/pumpkin-spiced-natty-light-is-real/

 

[NickTheGreat]

I'm a chef IRL, and my biggest peeve with "pumpkin" flavored anything is that ITS NOT PUMPKIN FLAVORED! It's clove/nutmeg/cinnamon flavored! Stop calling it pumpkin beer when it's really pumpkin pie beer or pumpkin spice. There are obviously some exceptions to this, but at the end of the day, it's not the same thing for most beers.

That's true. Maybe I'd like "pumpkin" beer. I know I don't like that potpourri crap. :cross:

 

[sumbrewindude]

I don't mind pumpkin beers but this is a new low:

http://firstwefeast.com/drink/pumpkin-spiced-natty-light-is-real/

Well crap. Looks like I'll be getting a case of Natty. Maybe that'll get the pumpkin kick out of me...

(says the in-discriminant pumpkin beer lover)

 

[Uintafly]

I was at Oktoberfest in Snowbird on Sunday, and there was nary an Octoberfest in sight. Plenty of pumpkin beer available. Granted Uinta claims to make one of the best pumpkin beers on the market, so I can see why they would make it the fall beer festival centerpiece. I was quite happy with the Uinta pilsner and Kolsch, but a little malty punch would have been nice.

You must have missed Bohemian's Oktoberfest and the little tent near the tram with a selection of around 8 imported styles from Germany. I am pretty sure there was at least 1 Oktoberfest. But you are right, there should have been more. That being said, Wyld on tap is pretty damn good, and the Jack O' Lantern wasn't terrible.