3 Flavorful Reasons to Try Pumpkin Ale

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by Mia Torres

[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”3/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Winter is here and with that comes all kinds of holiday food, booze and “get-togethers”. Other than the normal eggnog, hot toddy or spiked coffee, how about pumpkin beer? I’ve heard a lot of people say that they’re skeptical about pumpkin beer – mainly because they think they won’t like it. Well, I have tried a lot of pumpkin ale and let me tell you, the beers I’ve tried (so far) are deeeeelish! You don’t want to miss out trying these, especially with your favorite foods. I’m going to let you in on a few of my faves. Ready? Let’s go!

A Seasonal Sampling of Favorites

First, I tried Punkin Ale by Dogfish Head Brewery – Milton, DE. The pumpkin flavor was subtle and didn’t overpower me with “pumpkinyness” and there was no after taste. And, bonus, the alcohol content is 7%, so two of these “bad boys” and I was good to go!

Photo Source: Dogfish Head Brewery

Next up is Splashing Pumpkin from Great South Bay Brewery – Bay Shore, NY. You guys are going to Looooove the smell of this one! I sat there sniffing it for a few minutes (and got a bunch of weird stares) HAHA! This beer smells like you have been walking through a pumpkin patch all day. It smells like a bottle of fresh pumpkins. This beer pours clear, is orange-brown in color and has a taste of brown sugar, clove and cinnamon. The pumpkin is subtle, however, not overpowering.

Photo Source: Great South Bay Brewery

Last but not least we have The Great’ER Pumpkin from Heavy Seas Beer – Baltimore, MD. This one is a dark orange, with traces of nutmeg and cinnamon, has a subtle taste of bourbon and a splash of pumpkin.

Photo Source: Heavy Seas Beer

This is only a small preview of my favorites. Since these beers are all in the same class, they can be paired with roasted turkey or duck, lamb, stuffing, sharp cheddar cheese, nuts, dried cranberries, raw vegetables and of course, dessert! I hope you enjoy these food and beer pairings as much as I have. Until next time![/x_text][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section]