Of course, if he had any in his refrigerator, it was well-hidden behind the milk, eggs and lettuce, so I had to fund my own research.
I sampled Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale, Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale and Saranac's pumpkin offering, which was billed as "as enjoyable as a pumpkin pie."
I shouldn't have waited so long. They were a nice change from the regular lagers I'd been drinking, each a little different from the other, maybe like the difference between your mother's pumpkin pie and your aunt's.
Shipyard was dry and spicy, while Blue Moon was fruity, a bright amber color. Saranac was fuller, darker and heavier than the other two.
(By the way, the packaging was fun, too. Saranac has a jack-o-lantern on its six-pack, and Shipyard, boasting a horseman with a jack-o-lantern head, even offers a Pumpkinhead Ale T-shirt and pint glass in its online store.)
I have to admit that I've been surprised in recent years to see pumpkin ale on the package store shelves, but a review at BeerWineOnline claims that pumpkin ale dates back to the early colonists in New England and suggests that using pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg in the brewing process makes perfect sense.
That and my own sampling have me convinced, but I'm willing to do more research this Halloween season to see if I can find even greater pumpkin ales. Any suggestions on where to look, what else to sample?
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Jack, I'm willing to give it a try -- tho I'm betting I'll still like pumpkin cheesecake better.
But this reminds me another flavored ale from a bit earlier this year -- Otter Creek's blueberry -- just hit the spot after a hot day of haying on the family farm. Or after a hot day, period.
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By far my favorite is Dogfish Head's Punkin' Ale -- at least out of the selection of over-the-counter beers.
http://www.dogfish.com/beer/seasonales.cfm
But for homebrew, my old roommates make both a pumpkin ale and a pumpkin seed ale that blow everything else away. That reminds me... It's probably about time I invite them over for a bbq...
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I'd definitely try the Post Road Pumpkin Ale. I think it's made by the Brooklyn Brewery chain - the only place I've found it on draft is a bar in Ithaca, NY. But if you can find it, it's definitely a pleasant surprise.
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Take a trip to Cambridge Brewing Company and try the Great Pumpkin Ale - its the BEST.
http://www.cambridgebrew.com/
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My questions are - How is the pumpkin ale brewed? Is it gluten-free? Can it be purchased in Rhode Island? I've been looking for a gluten-free beer for quite awhile but have not been able to find one available in RI.
Please respond asap, if it is gluten free and available nearby I will be out the door in minutes after reading your message.
Thank you,
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