Fall is the time for all things pumpkin — the lattes and the scented candles and all that, sure, but the only pumpkin I want in my patch is pumpkin beer.
Every year I seek out (in the name of journalism, of course; I take my job very seriously) the pumpkin-iest pumpkin beers to ever grace a brewer's kettle, and this year is no different.
Here are 11 pumpkin ales you absolutely can't miss this year.
Country Pumpkin (Ithaca)
Alc. by volume: 6.3%
Is Ithaca's Country Pumpkin pumpkin ale the most unique pumpkin beer in the fridge? No, but it's a solid, seasonal brew with a solid amount of spice that doesn't punch you in the face with pumpkin.
Dark O' The Moon (Elysian)
Alc. by volume: 6.5%
Elysian Brewing Co. is known for its pumpkin beers (it releases a few every fall), and Dark O' The Moon is its pumpkin stout: dark, delicious, and seriously spooky.
Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale (Cigar City)
Alc. by volume: 8.5%
Cigar City Brewing brings in the big guns — Ceylon cinnamon, Zanzibar cloves, allspice, and nutmeg — making for an exotic and spicy pumpkin beer worthy of its Floridian roots.
Imperial Pumpkin Ale (Weyerbacher)
Alc. by volume: 8%
So warm. So bold. So pumpkin-y. Weyerbacher did its Imperial Pumpkin Ale right — I guess that's why they call this beer "a bold monument for The King of the Pumpkins"!
La Parcela No. 1 Pumpkin Ale (Jolly Pumpkin)
Alc. by volume: 6%
La Parcela is as jolly as the good name of the brewery that makes it. Like many of its other funky ales, Jolly Pumpkin's "No. 1" pumpkin beer has a tartness that makes this beer lighter than its other pumpkin brethren.
Pumpkin Ale (Selins Grove)
Alc. by volume: 5.6%
Ever been to Selinsgrove? No? Well, that's the home of Selin's Grove Brewing Co., which in turn is home to its world-renowned pumpkin ale. It's not even 6% ABV, but the beer, with its full body and balanced spice content, is easily one of my favorites, hands down.
Pumking 2016 (Southern Tier)
Alc. by volume: 8.6%
Pumking is one of the most famous pumpkin beers around. Like the label on the bottle, the beer inside is a bit different each year. In years past I felt Pumking was beginning to miss the mark, but this year the 'king is definitely in the building.
Punkin Ale (Dogfish Head)
Alc. by volume: 7%
DFH's Punkin Ale was named for the annual Punkin' Chunkin Festival in Lewes, Delaware. Cool as that is, what really makes this beer so great is the light sweetness of brown sugar, and an alcohol percentage that doesn't disappoint.
Punkuccino (Elysian)
Alc. by volume: 6%
Ah, another one of Elysian's infamous pumpkin beers. Punkuccino is brewed with — what else? — coffee… But not just any coffee; only the best Stumptown roast goes into this creamy, caffeinated pumpkin ale!
Roadsmary's Baby (Two Roads)
Alc. by volume: 6.8%
It's not as scary as the movie this beer riffs its name off of — but it is scarily delicious (lol), probably because it's aged in rum barrels for an extra, liquor-y kick and a hint of oak and vanilla.
Warlock (Southern Tier)
Alc. by volume: 10%
Call me crazy, but I like Southern Tier's Warlock even more than its arguably more-famous Pumking (blasphemy!!). Warlock is a chocolate pumpkin stout and, at 10% ABV, this magical beer will definitely have you under its spell.
