One of the best parts of fall for me, as I know many others would agree, is the seasonal beers that come with the changing of the seasons. Pumpkin ales, winter ales, Oktoberfest, dark and heavy beers are all in the works and ready to warm you up during the cold and changing months to transpire. Sugar, spice, and everything nice is here to welcome you into the bars so you can imbibe enough in order to get you safe and cozy into your Uber and back to the fireplace of your home or the next bar.
In lieu of the cold and stay-at-home months that are right around the corner, here are the best beers to keep you feelin’ the holiday cheer and the warmth of the malts, booze, and spice of the season.
Clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom can usually be tasted and/or smelled as the main spices, oftentimes accompanied by malts and a caramel or amber color, pumpkin beers seem to hit the spot for your fall pumpkin pie, PSL, and pumpkin everything cravings.
Although there is actually usually no real pumpkin in the beer itself and it is all about the spice, you could hardly tell with some of these beers. Bonus fun fact: pumpkin beers are actually typically brewed in the summer so they are ready by fall to feed our population’s craze with pumpkins.
1. Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale
This beer is packed with all the pumpkin spice and fall cheer anyone could ask for. Cinnamon, cardamom, pumpkin spice and malts inhabit this beer like your favorite pumpkin spice Starbucks latte. And as it should, as this beer is packed with 150 pounds of pumpkin and roasted seeds in every batch.
2. New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin
This one is a close tie for first for me, as all the spices really shine through this one. Ok but seriously, I have been loving New Belgium’s beers all around and this includes their spectacular and delicious pumpkin beers. They perfected the right amount of pumpkin spice and with a habanero kick at the end to make this beer a little more unique. An IPA with a habanero and cinnamon kick, what more could you want?
3. Schlafly Beer’s Pumpkin Ale
Many claim this beer is more pumpkin pie than actual pumpkin pie. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.
4. Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale
Are you a couple that goes to the pumpkin patch on dates? I’m not… so I chose this beer instead. Same feel, but I got to stay home, be warm, and watch Stranger Things 2 instead. Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and a touch of cloves, this beer is likely to spice up your night of Netflix and chill. This beer is actually one of the oldest seasonal pumpkin beers, beginning in 1995.
5. Uinta Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin
Well, we all know I had to put an imperial somewhere in here for when you’re feeling a little rowdy or when your racist family member starts telling jokes…
BONUS for all your holiday cheer and beer: try Sierra Nevada’s Oktoberfest. Although this is not a pumpkin beer necessarily, it sure is a holiday treat and deserves to be enjoyed by all holiday drinkers.
Double BONUS round: Punkocinno from Elysian, a good dessert beer as your second, or third, dessert after all that pie.
