It’s that time of year. Ok, to be completely honest, I think it’s Been that time of year since about mid-August, but there’s a time and a place for everything – including Pumpkin Beer – so I’ve been staying away until the proper time.
Now that the weather has started to lean more toward the cooler temperatures (he says, while looking at a high near 90 this coming week) I think it’s time to throw open the arena doors and see what happens. To that end, I present to you Round 1 of the 2024 Epic Pumpkin Beer battle where I pit every offering from every brewery I can find…
Sidebar: “That I can Find” means what’s available in the stores in my area. Depending on where you are, you might have something that doesn’t appear here, and it’s really hard to get beer shipped into the state from outside, let alone over a national border.
…against each other until – If I’ve planned this right – we reach the quarter finals, semi finals, and Ultimately the Final round on October 27th (Which is a Sunday. Time wasn’t working with me on this one).
Another sidebar: I’m going to be rating these entries on a scale of 1 to 10 based on very exacting criteria, like, how well I enjoy it, and how close it approaches the pinnacle of achievement: Pumpkin Pie in a bottle or can.
Are you ready to Rumble???
Here – in no particular order – are the Round 1 Competitors!
Rogue Pumpkin Patch Ale (6.1% APV, 25 IBU – International Bitterness units)
This was more of a beer brewed with pumpkins rather than a pumpkin-themed beer. I got very little in the way anything that would make me think of Pumpkin pie in a glass. The pumpkin was there, and that they were roasted added a bit of smoky flavor, but that was it.
Overall, I thought this was tasty, but it fell short of what I consider a good Pumpkin Beer to taste like.
Score: 6/10
Next up we have:
Sam Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale (4.4% APV, 8 IBU)
This was a very cinnamon-forward beer. Once you got past that, you could find a bit of pumpkin and nutmeg in there, but Sam really comes at you with the cinnamon. It’s also a bit on the sweet side, as you’d expect from that 8 rating in bitterness.
Overall, I thought this was a tasty beer. It could have used a bit more bitterness and you’ve really got to be ok with cinnamon, otherwise it’ll grow old quick. A good effort from Sam, but I think it could use some refining.
Score: 6/10
And now, the final entry in Round 1!
Griffin Claw Screamin’ Pumpkin (5% APV, 15 IBU)
This beer was not as cinnamon forward and it finished with notes of nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Much more balanced than the other entries in Round 1. It was a little bit heavier on the palate which lends it some staying power on my shelves as the weather grows colder and we really start moving into pumpkin pie season.
Overall, this was a solid offering, and the clear winner of the Round with a score of 8/10.
And there you have it! Round 1 done and dusted, with the local (local to me) entry coming out on top.
Yet another Sidebar: Being local to me, doesn’t carry as much weight as one might think – However, if I’ve got to choose between two very similar beers and one of them is local, that little bit will be enough to tip the scales.
Stay Tuned for Round 2 coming up next week!
Thanks for reading. Be safe out there. Be Excellent to Each other – and yourself.
I’ll see you on Thursday.
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