Liz, a delightful person who shares my exact same taste in beer – strong, dark, complicated, malty – was willing to be my (Miyazaki-themed) date to Small Bar Logan Square’s Beer Nerd Halloween! So many autumn-themed beers, you guys. So many STRONG autumn-themed beers. I’m a little tipsy now.
Anyway, our favorite was the Black Note, from Bell’s. It was strong, an imperial/double, but very smooth. It’s a dangerous one, a sipping beer, to be taken slowly and consciously. We preferred the Southern Tier Pumpking to the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, but Liz says if you haven’t had Fisherman’s Imperial Pumpkin Stout (which you can’t get in Illinois) you haven’t lived. The Autumn Maple, I really thought I’d like it. Cinnamon, vanilla, maple, molasses, nutmeg, and lots and lots of yams – but it’s brewed with Belgian yeast, and I guess I don’t like Belgian style beers as much as I used to. Still, it was a really interesting twist on the typical pumpkin beer.
What about you guys? Do you have a favorite pumpkin beer?
Yesssssssss Sarah you are the bestest
No YOU! :)
I stand by Schlafly’s Pumpkin. We can finally get it out here!
OOH, can you get Jacques Au Lantern? I am not a fan of Belgian yeasts but I really liked it. http://www.evolutioncraftbrewing.com/brew-seasonal.htm
If you can get it, Sarah, you gotta try the Long Trail Brewmaster Series Imperial Pumpkin Ale.
If you can’t get it, then you should figure out an excuse for a visit to Vermont.
I have really enjoyed both Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale and Uinta Punkn’ Ale. The latter is my current favorite, but I’ll have to try Buffalo Bill’s again this year. The worst beer I have ever had was a pumpkin ale too, Pum King. So sweet I couldn’t stand it!
Our resident pumpkinheads really enjoyed Kelso’s excellent Industrial Pumpkin (that is, 10.5% of pumpkiny doom), though it may be hard to get outside NYC. Spicy!
Elysian makes a straight pumpkin ale called “NighT Owl” that’s to die for AND a Pumpkin Chocolate stout!!! They’re both incredible. That’s definitely my favorite brewery- they combine ingenuity with quality.