Category: Craft Beer

Guest blog post by Alia Broman

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#10 – October 10, 2013: Hey! Pumpkin’ by Denver Beer Co. (Denver, CO)

I have a certain bias towards LOVING Denver Beer Co., as I worked with an owner’s wife at Children’s Hospital Colorado.  And yes, I do go to DBC occasionally just to destroy my significant other in Candy Land and/or “accidentally” cheat at battleship.

Color: Honey brown

Year of conception: 2013

ABV: ???

Cost: $14.99 + tax for a growler

Availability: only Denver, CO for now, sorry!

Description by Denver Beer Co: “As the weather turns cool this spiced beer is sure to warm you up.  The pumpkin brew has a gorgeous, unmistakable “pumpkinguts-orange” pour thanks to over 100 pounds of real pumpkin used in the mash.  The nose if full of cinnamon and nutmeg spices with a drink that is a melody of autumn and a lingering finish that will have you reaching for your sweater.”

*Disclaimer: I bought this growler 3-4 weeks ago, so the flavor may no longer be accurate.  The nutmeg and cinnamon are still potent aromatics, but the beer itself isn’t as special as I remember.  It’s more of a “pumpkinguts-orange” flavor than pour, and the spices disappear when imbibing the liquid.  There’s nothing intriguing about this ale except that it is only available at DBC, and that I would have been happier reviewing a glass than a growler (#whitegirlproblems).  Given my track record of only viciously slamming one beer thus far, I think I will take one for the team for not drinking my growler sooner and preserve DBC’s dignity, giving them kudos for their sportsmanship and effort, a la Denver Broncos circa 2012.  Maybe next year guys, maybe next year!

Pie Pieces: 2 – Green

Guest blog post by Alia Broman

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#9 – October 9, 2013: Imperial Pumpkin by Dry Dock Brewing Co. (Aurora, CO)

There’s nothing scarier in Colorado than Aurora.  Seriously. Do you even READ the news?  So I was a bit suspicious when Dry Dock “suddenly” came out with a “pumpkin” beer.

Color: Russet

Year of conception: 2013

ABV: 9.0%

Cost: $9.99 + tax for one 22oz bottle

Availability: all liquor stores great and small (probably not outside CO for now)

Description by Dry Dock Brewing Co: “This spiced Imperial Pumpkin Ale is Autumn in a glass. Real pumpkin added into the mash brings a rich, smooth base to this copper colored ale. Saigon and Indonesian cinnamons, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, mace and cloves spark thoughts of all of the gruesome things that make this such a special time of year!”

Holy Headless Horseman.  This beer is AWESOME!  Warm pumpkin pie straight from the oven greets your nostrils as you inhale this fragrant ale.  From first smell to first taste to the bottom of the glass, I can’t get enough of this beer!  The pumpkin added directly to the mash highlights the “classic” pie spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but I think the secret ingredient is cloves.  Every year I make pumpkin pie from scratch, and you have to add CLOVES in order to make PUMPKIN pie.  Luscious, light, and lascivious, this ale will seduce your taste buds and make you cheat on what you thought was your favorite pumpkin beer.

Pie Pieces: 4+ – The Coolest Jack-o-Lantern You’ve Ever Seen

Guest blog post by Alia Broman

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#8 – October 8, 2013: Pumpkin Ale by Upslope (Boulder, CO)

Even though Boulder parents don’t vaccinate their children, leading to this past year’s pertussis epidemic, I do appreciate the beers produced by those hippy-dippy Sierra Club yuppies.

Color: bronze-gold, not much head when poured from the can into a glass (as beer should be)

Year of conception: Since 2011 (won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival)

ABV: 7.7%

Cost: $15.99 + tax for a 4-pack of 16oz cans

Availability: some liquor stores great and small (probably not outside CO)

Description by Upslope Brewing Co : “Adding Baby Bear pumpkins from Boulder-based Munson Farms to malt and hops makes this a truly local farm to brewhouse collaboration. A custom blend of six spices rounds out the flavors in this highly anticipated limited release fall ale.”

Case in point: Upslope’s Pumpkin Ale.  While not the most creative of names, this beer truly has it all.  A mixture of subtle, unnamed spices (cannabis, perhaps) plus organic pumpkins with an adorable name (Baby Bear!) make this beer irresistible.  A rich, malty flavor leaves you satisfied, without feeling like you just ate an entire bag of mini-Butterfingers.  The honeyed aftertaste glosses over the palate and lands delicately in your stomach.  Deliciously rich, this ale makes me want to spread peace, love, and pumpkin beer. 

Pie Pieces: 4 – Jack-o-Lantern

Guest blog post by Alia Broman

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#7 – Oct 7, 2013: Punk’n by Uinta Brewing Co. (Salt Lake City, UT)

Uinta’s motto is Earth, Wind, and Beer. And to make it extra special, Punk’n is part of their organic line, which means it contains 3% organic  ingredients!

Year of conception: since 2010 (won a silver medal in the World Beer Championships!)

Color: coppery-orange, with a decent amount of head

ABV: 4%

Cost: $9.99 + tax for a mixed 6-pack of 12oz bottles

Availability: all liquor stores great and small

Description by Uinta Brewing Co : “Malt and hops accented with roasted pumpkin and spices of the season. A subtle hint of vanilla and honey. Punk’n is a wonderful compliment to foods with nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove flavors. Try it with roasted turkey, squash or pumpkin ravioli, peach cobbler, or pumpkin cheesecake!”

My new motto is: Earth. Wind. Beer. And PUMPKINS (specifically pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin cheesecake)!  Unfortunately, I did not have any of those tasty treats to pair with this ale, but I found that this beer performed flawlessly on its own.  While most pumpkin beers I have tried have seemed bathed in spices, Uinta’s Punk’n is a much subtler, slicker beer.  The vanilla and honey give this ale a tasty, silky finish, without leaving your tongue feeling sticky.  Low on the ABV and light on the spices, Uinta did an amazing job putting the pumpkin first when brewing their homage to the esteemed autumn gourd.

Pie Pieces: 4 – Jack-o-Lantern

Guest blog post by Alia Broman

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#5 – Oct 5, 2013: St. Ambroise Citrouille (Pumpkin) Ale by McAuslan Brewing (Montreal, Canada)

Voulez-vous une biere a la citrouille? Mai ouis!

Year of conception: 2011 (won a Canadian gold medal)

Color: dark red when held up to the light, purple-tinted bubbles rising to the top

ABV: 5.0%

Cost: $8.99 on sale (reg. 9.95) + tax for 6-pack of 11.5oz bottles

Availability: upscale, specialty liquor stores

Description by McCauslan Brewing: “Each year as the leaves fall and the north wind blows, St-Ambroise Pumpkin Ale make its return – a magical potion that casts a potent spell with its well-crafted blend of blond and caramelized malts, gentle hop, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and pumpkin. Its delicate malty character and hint of sweetness will quench any creature looking for easy-drinking refreshment.”

Buying a Canadian pumpkin brew may seem a bit “fou” (crazy) to some, but when faced with a beer I’ve never before seen, out comes my wallet!  This beer has amazing autumn colors, and transforms the entire pint glass into a magical lava lamp.  Faint nutmeg and cinnamon greet the nostrils when placed directly above the brew, but the spices really come to life when they cascade over the tongue.  This ale has a bite that quickly disappears, leaving your tastebuds searching for more.  Alas, while this beer is much more “curiuex” (curious) than I had anticipated, the description by McCauslan holds true, that this is a very easy-drinking refreshment, and not something that hits you in the face and says “CITROUILLE” (PUMPKIN)!

Pie Pieces: 2 – Green

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#6 – Oct 6, 2013: Smashed Pumpkin by Shipyard Brewing Co. (Portland, ME)

So far the most disappointing pumpkin beer I have reviewed was Shipyard’s Pumpkinhead Ale. Unfortunately, the next most disappointing beer I have tasted is Shipyard’s Smashed Pumpkin.

Year of conception: 2009

Color: Denver Broncos burnt orange!

ABV: 9.0%

Cost: $10.99 for a bomber (22oz)

Availability: I bought mine from a liquor store employee in an upscale establishment who had kept it in the back refrigerator for himself.  I’ve since discovered it in our local liquor store adjacent to Denver’s up-and-coming Five Points area (supply>>demand).

Description by Shipyard Brewing Co: “Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aromas of pumpkin and nutmeg.  The Pale Ale, Wheat, and Light Munich malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of hops to balance the sweetness of fruit.”

The reason why this beer is so disappointing is that its hype far outweighs its greatness/pumpkiness.  As far as I can tell, Shipyard simply took their Pumpkinhead ale, added some malt, toned down the red-hot flavor, and tied up the whole thing with a shiny wrapper.  That being said, the nutmeg overtones are much more effervescent than the Pumpkinhead, and the sharp, “fire-y” kick doesn’t completely overwhelm the senses.  This beer has a much more mature and palatable body, thanks in large part to the combination of malts.  While the Pumpkinhead Ale has grown from an ugly duckling into, err, a somewhat less ugly adult mallard in the Smashed Pumpkin, I’m still yearning for a pumpkin beer that relies more on pumpkin and less on pumpkin “overtones.”

Pie Pieces: 3 – Orange, for taste; 2 – Green, for price/availability/hype