You don’t have to be into IPA’s to love this beer – Read our juicy hazy review
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As someone who loves fall and all things pumpkin beer, I was excited to try Saranac Pumpkin Ale, a seasonal that captures the flavors and essence of the fall season. The brewery began producing this beer in 2010, with the goal of creating a beer that would showcase the traditional flavors of the season.
The aroma of Saranac Pumpkin Ale is reminiscent of pumpkin pie, with a strong sweet and spicy scent that is sure to awaken your senses. On the palate, the pumpkin flavor is balanced with the warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. While it does have a mildly bitter finish, the beer remains refreshing and drinkable.
What sets Saranac Pumpkin Ale apart from other pumpkin beers is the brewery’s commitment to using real pumpkin in the recipe. This adds to the authenticity of the flavor and ensures that you’re getting a quality product. The combination of pale, caramel, and Munich malts also creates a nice balance of sweetness and spiciness.
While it may not be one of my very top favorites, I still highly recommend giving Saranac Pumpkin Ale a try. Its sweet and spicy aroma, balanced flavor, and quality ingredients make it a great addition to any fall beer lineup.
- Pumpkin Ale
- ABV: 5.4 %
- 15 IBUs
- Seasonal
- Available in 12-oz Bottles (6-packs)
- Utica, New York-based Family-Owned, Craft Beer Brewery
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DuClaw 31 Pumpkin Spice Lager is a seasonal beer that was first brewed in 2008 as a one-time release for Halloween. Dark amber in color, I found it to be tasty, with a slightly bitter finish.
It is nicely spiced, thanks to the addition of pumpkin and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It smells strongly of pumpkin and feels creamy in the mouth, both of which add to the overall taste experience. It strikes a nice balance between sweetness and spiciness, with neither overpowering the other. Bottom line: I found it to be a smooth, easy-drinking pumpkin beer.
- Pumpkin Spiced Lager
- ABV: 5.7%
- 27 IBUs
- Seasonal
- Available in 12-oz Cans and Draft
- Baltimore Maryland-based Craft Brewery
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Kona Big Wave has been my favorite beer since I first tasted it in the summer of 2022. I’ve never drank a more refreshing beer.
“It tastes like it was brewed with magic water.” All kidding aside, those were honestly my very first thoughts. My second thought was to take another swallow, and before I knew it, I had quickly finished my first bottle.
You don’t have to be a fan of tropical-inspired beers to love this beer. The beer is perfectly balanced. For me, it’s flawless. Nothing is overdone, and nothing is left out. It’s smooth to drink and has a clean, slightly fruity finish, leaving no bitterness on the tongue. The aftertaste of the Big Wave Golden Ale is, “simply leaving you wanting more.”
Video editing:Roman Golyak
Now, if you’re reading this review, I don’t want you to go out looking for this beer with unrealistic expectations, thinking something magical will happen on your tongue. Or that it will blow your mind or something. I’m just saying that this is a damn good beer.
Both Big Wave and Kona Brewing Company’s Longboard Island Lager are regularly stocked in my refrigerator. Nothing beats Big Wave as my favorite dinner beer and general thirst quencher. The only time it’s not in my frig is when I want a change of pace. The fact is if I didn’t occasionally run out, I might not ever drink another beer.
- Light Golden Ale
- ABV: 4.4%
- 21 IBUs
- Year-round
- Available in 19.2-oz and 16-oz Cans. 12-oz Bottles & Cans. On Tap
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii-based, Craft Beer Brewery
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Pascal Sugar shares the first in a series of amusing beer stories with the Denim BMC blog. In this video, Pascal shares a one-minute story based on “The Patron Saint of Beer,” but somehow dilutes it into something hilarious about a drunken monk from a small village in England who saved the lives of people who were drinking tainted water in his village by convincing them to drink beer instead of the water.
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Like First Takes Stephen A. Smith’s “A-List,” this list is fluid. However, this list is fluid, not because of indecision but mainly because there are a lot of pumpkin beers out there, and I haven’t tried them all. OK, there could be some shifting and a change of mind later, but today, this is where things are.
Back in September, I thought I’d get a head start on Halloween by reviewing some seasonal pumpkin-flavored beers. Pumpkin beers were not really my thing (but I’m a fan now), and I ended up on a journey where all I drank were pumpkin beers for three months.
At first, I had planned to simply review Samuel Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale, but you know how things you don’t appreciate at the time can come back to haunt you later? As time passes, a voice in your head says, “That was a really interesting flavor; I think you should try it again,” and before you know it, you’re hooked. In my case, I began purchasing six-packs of every pumpkin beer I could find. Now, I’m ranking them. Check out my list of the top pumpkin beers. I welcome you to leave your thoughts and comments.
# 17 – Pumpkin Ale
Five Boroughs Brewing Co.
Five Boroughs Brewing Company makes a pumpkin beer with beautifully designed can graphics. With hints of pumpkin and spice, I put it in my lighter-flavored category. Its Pumpkin Ale is marketed as “well-balanced and drinkable.” I did enjoy it but deducted points for the lingering, overly bitter aftertaste.
# 16 – Pumpkin Ale
Smuttynose Brewing Co
With most beers, I can write a review after a few sips. Things pop into my head. I know if it’s good or bad right away. In my review of Smuttynose Brewing Company’s Pumpkin Ale, I really struggled to find something to say about it. Nothing really good or bad stood out, which is why it’s not that high on my list. READ THE OUR REVIEW
# 15 – Dunkin’ Pumpkin
Harpoon Brewery
The pumpkin flavor is mild and has a clean finish, but there are lingering coffee notes that are not apparent at first sip. In fact, the aftertaste reminds me of pre-sweetened cappuccinos from gas stations or Dunkin’ Donuts machines. Watered-down coffee and mechanical cappuccinos do not appeal to me, but to so many Americans, they do. I give the Harpoon Dunkin’ Pumpkin props for originality.
# 14 – Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin
New Belgium Brewing Company
Originality is rewarded, and New Belgium’s Atomic Pumpkin’s flavor ranks high for its unique, high degree of spicy take. This delightfully punishing pumpkin ale’s name, “Atomic Pumpkin,” says a lot about it. READ OUR FULL REVIEW
# 13 – Pumpkin Ale
Saranac / Matt Brewing Company
On the palate, the Saranac Pumpkin Ale did not disappoint. The pumpkin flavor was front and center, balanced by the warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. READ OUR FULL REVIEW
# 12 – 31 Pumpkin Spiced Lager
DuClaw Brewing Company
The DuClaw 31 pumpkin spiced lager is dark and tasty. It finishes a little bitter, but it’s nicely spicy and flavorful, with a hint of sweetness. READ OUR FULL REVIEW
# 11 – Pumpkin Imperial Ale
Southern Tier Brewing Company
Not without flaws, Southern Tier Brewing Company’s Pumking Imperial Ale delivers a punch with a pleasant pumpkin flavor. The pumpkin flavor is evident, but the finish has a secondary boozy taste. READ OUR FULL REVIEW
# 10 – Pumpkin
UFO
The Pumpkin brewed by UFO is a pumpkin beer that is easy to drink, especially if you enjoy unfiltered or hefeweizen beers. It’s medium-bodied with a mellow sweetness, and there’s nothing I find overpowering about it. READ OUR FULL REVIEW
# 9 – Post Road Pumpkin Ale
Brooklyn Brewery
Post Road Pumpkin Ale from Brooklyn Brewery is above average. It has a nice, sharp finish without a lot of cinnamon and spices. It’s just a smooth pumpkin-flavored beer that’s very refreshing without overbearing traits.
# 8 – Tattooed Pumpkin
The Bronx Brewery
Tattooed Pumpkin by Bronx Brewery is a sweet and hazy pumpkin IPA with a slightly bitter finish. It’s better balanced in terms of pumpkin flavor and spices than many of the other pumpkin beers that I’ve tried. It’s sold in limited-edition artwork 4-packs with four different labels, in collaboration with Tuff City Tattoos.
# 7 – Pumpkin Ale
Schlafly – The Saint Louis Brewery
First thoughts: molasses, dark, heavy, thick, and full of flavor. Schlafly’s Pumpkin Ale is a pure delight of a beer. It’s hazy and sweet, from the first sip to the last, and could easily move closer to the top of this fluid list.
# 6 – Autumn Blaze Pumpkin Ale
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Blazing clean and refreshing. The Captain Lawrence Brewing Company didn’t go full pumpkin with its Autumn Blaze Pumpkin Ale; instead, it has a very mild pumpkin flavor that grew on me. I later bought a second 6-pack as a change of pace as a dinner beer.
# 5 – Pumpkin Ale
Montauk Brewing Company
Montauk Pumpkin Ale reigns supreme among pumpkin beers on the lighter side. The pumpkin and spices aren’t overpowering, but rather delightfully light. This beer is unquestionably the best in the “light pumpkin beer” category of all the beers I’ve tried.
# 4 – Roadsmary’s Baby Pumpkin Ale
Two Roads Brewing Company
Two Roads Brewing Company’s Roadsmary’s Baby is a traditional pumpkin ale that is scary good and wins the “best in overall taste” category. It’s simply a damn good beer. It’s dark and feels a little heavy in the mouth. Aged in rum barrels, this beer has a smooth, complex, fruity, citrusy finish. READ OUR FULL REVIEW
# 3 – Night Owl Pumpkin Ale
Elysian Brewing Company
Before ever trying a pumpkin beer, this is what I imagined a good pumpkin beer would taste like: The Night Owl Pumpkin Ale from the Elysian Brewing Company is medium-bodied, lightly sweet, and great from the first sip to the last. READ OUR FULL REVIEW
# 2 – Smashed Pumpkin
Shipyard Brewing Company
It tastes like it was poured from a freshly carved pumpkin. Crack open a can of Shipyard Brewing Company’s Smashed Pumpkin, and you can smell the pumpkin. The mouthfeel is thick and heavy. It’s aged in oak-stave bourbon barrels for three months and has a boozy finish. However, my quick-forming buzz told me it was acceptable: “You’re drinking a bourbon-spiked pumpkin beer; let it ride.” READ OUR FULL REVIEW
# 1 – Jack-O Pumpkin Ale
Samuel Adams – Boston Beer Company
There is not even a close second. Samuel Adams easily holds the title of “the best pumpkin beer.” READ OUR FULL REVIEW
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