PumpkinFest 2011

When October rolls around, there’s nothing quite as wonderful as cracking open a pumpkin inspired brew.  Here’s the best of the best, as well as the rest for 2011.

Top Pumkings

Southern Tier Imperial Pumking – Without a doubt this is one of the best pumpkin beers in the country.   With strong presence of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, as well as a creamy mouth feel, and nearly pie like character, Southern Tier Imperial Pumking is without a doubt one of these best on the market.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale – Perhaps unlike any other beer in the group, Dogfish Head Punkin Ale demonstrated the true character of the pumpkin better than any of the others.  Both the savory and sweet nature of the squash were evident, and the spicing was balanced, and robust, even enough so to carry the beer to Thanksgiving.  Definitely worth a go.

Shipyard Brewing Smashed Pumpkin Ale –  Shipyard Brewing Smashed Pumpkin Ale is definitely one of the more interesting flavor profiles among the group.  While most others are running clear toward the nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, Shipyard broke out the honey, caramel, and vanilla.  Much like a sweet potato, this pumpkin brew took to these quite well, and made for a smooth refreshing take on pumpkin ales.

Spiced and confused

Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin –  Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin pulls out all the stops, and anchors, when it comes to restraint.  This beer has hops and spice galore, with a strange tendency to veer into the caramel and molasses territories.  While all of this adds complexity, it makes drinking a large quantity of the bomber a bit of a challenge compared to some of the other brews.  It’s a unique experience worth having, and definitely for a few friends.

Woodchuck Private Reserve Pumpkin Cider –  Being the only cider, it’s a bit hard to say how great this really is.  There is something to be said for being the only competitor in your class, and Woodchuck Private Reserve Pumpkin Cider takes advantage of it, pushing plenty of vanilla and spices, while being the only maple tinged entry in the group.   Sweetness and brown sugar carry home the experience for a nice easy drinking cider.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale – The folks at the Brooklyn Brewery seem to have let the Post Road Pumpkin Ale out to have a bit of joyride.  When it got back, it had swallowed the better part of the spice rack, and rolled itself in cloves.  It’s not bad, but what an intense ride it must have been.

Plain Pumpkin

Ichabod Pumpkin Ale – While Ichabod Pumpkin Ale clearly has a following (based solely on emails from people trying to purchase it), and the right mascot, it just leaves a little to be desired.  Sure it’s spices are nice, and the pumpkin comes around, but the whole experience feels somehow disjointed.  With a few carbonation issues, this brew is solid, but lacking depth.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale –  Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale went down the misguided road of taking the challenge of pumpkin beer literally.  That being said, as a brew it’s quite solid, and pleasantly hopped, but there’s just not enough pumpkin and spice to keep it from feeling like eating a pumpkin.

Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale –  It’s made by Coors, and unsurprisingly Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale goes down smooth, with plenty of subtly, and nods to all the right spices.  Now as soon as it starts being interesting, and not leaving the drinker feeling a lack of satisfaction and desire for more, it’ll be brilliant.

Get the Catapult

America’s Original Pumpkin Ale – Buffalo Bill’s Brewery clearly thought that you don’t mess with success.  Unfortunately for Buffalo Bill, it seems the world has moved on.  While they succeeded in nailing the cinnamon component, the beer has carbonation issues, and is completely outpaced by most of the other more refined candidates in the field.

St. Ambroise Citrouille – Thankfully, there were few beers that went quite so wrong as St. Ambroise Citrouille.  In a misguided attempt to make the pumpkin shine, there was way to much emphasis on a squashy sort of flavor, and at some point a carbonation war ensued, making this beer far less than pleasurable to drink.

Tommyknocker Small Batch Harvest Ale – Tommyknocker Small Batch Harvest Ale takes the prize for everything right about creativity being dragged off into the weeds and beat with the execution stick.  The problems with the Harvest Ale range from too much molasses [by a country mile or three] to not enough pumpkin, to an extremely odd flavor and texture profile.  This beer is clearly unique, but much like a twisted fork, it doesn’t mean you want it at a dinner party.

That’s the order for 2011.  Agree?  Disagree?  Let us know below!  If you want to see your favorite brewery’s beer on next years list leave a comment, or suggest they send us a message on our contact page!