This is my favorite time of year for the seasonal beers that many brewers are producing. I wait all year dreaming of the great taste of well-made pumpkin ale. It seems this year they came sooner than ever—maybe that has to do with the fact that I am not alone in this feeling. 

Pumpkin ale varies in many ways when they are making them, and it shows in the final product. Some beers taste very much like pumpkin pie, while others tend to go the route of spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Usually you can’t taste the normal beer tastes of hops or malt, just good old pumpkin. I haven’t had the opportunity to try them all yet, not for a lack of effort but because there are so many; so here are my cream of the crop this year so far.

The first one of the year comes from one of my favorite brewers, Southern Tier Pumpkin. Every year this beer delivers, and this year was no exception. This beer is still the best beer for that pumpkin pie lover. Southern Tier doesn’t seem to use as much spice, if any; it only delivers that great pie taste. 

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale goes to the other end of the spectrum; this beer has a mild pumpkin taste but a heavy spice aroma and taste. This beer has a high ABV that is completely masked with the spice overtones.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale was different to me this year. I noticed a little unbalancing on the pumpkin taste allowing something sweet to show through. I can’t tell what the sweetness is but it doesn’t ruin the taste, just adds some sweetness to the pumpkin flavor. 

Smuttynose made a pumpkin ale that I tried for the first time this year, and I am very impressed. As I said before, most of the time you won’t get normal beer taste. But Smuttynose managed to get some hops into their blend. This beer delivers a great pumpkin nose and taste but finishes with a mild hop taste. Since I would consider myself a hop head I fell in love with this beer—it is the best of both beer styles. 

Erie Brewing Johnny Rails Pumpkin Ale is much lighter on the pumpkin taste for you beer lovers. There is a great nose and first taste on this beer, with a mild beer taste in the middle, finishing with more nice pumpkin notes. This would be a great starter beer for someone unsure of flavored beers.

I like to enjoy my pumpkin ales after my meal, not during, so I can have one of my favorite desserts every night! This year has been a great year for pumpkin ales so far, and I can’t wait to try the others…including possibly a pumpkin cider. Stop into your Naples ABC, say hi, and let me know what you think your favorite pumpkin ale is this year!

Kevin Vercrouse, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Beer Consultant

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeerkevinv