The Flavor of The Month
By Jessica Moss at October 13, 2009 | 9:05 am | Print
Beer enthusiasts stumbling back from the tents of Oktoberfest or relaxing with the first dark beer of the season are very aware that it is finally fall. One of the most famous seasons for drinking beer pairs cooling weather with world renowned festivals, like the Great American Beer Fest in Denver, Colorado.
Some are recovering from the season’s first cold just in time to enjoy all of the flavors of the season, bags of Halloween candy, and the all-important pumpkin pie. This classic American combination of flavors, including the spices cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom, has inspired a popular genre of seasonal beers, loosely based on some of the first ales of American history. The style is even rumored to have been once brewed by George Washington.
Conceptually, Pumpkin Beer is a fascinating idea; rich, hearty brews, flavorful and brewed from vegetables. The modern version of the popular holiday favorite is a far cry from its historical roots. During the early days of America, with very little excess barley for brewing, intrepid colonists used other sources of sugar for the earliest American beers. Molasses, sugar cane, honey, turnips, and squash were often used as replacements for the sugar in more common, inexpensive beers.
With a low alcohol yield and odd flavors, these beers were mainly used as a safe alternative to drinking the town’s often contaminated water. Pumpkins, abundant and native to the North America, are surprisingly diverse, and used by colonists in many ways.
They can be boiled, baked, steamed, or roasted, mashed or fried. Their application to beer was a natural one before malt became commonly available. It is debated by beer aficionados if spices were used in early, historical versions of the pumpkin beer. Though ingredients such as sassafras root, allspice, juniper berries, vanilla beans, coriander seeds, licorice, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon were used in beers at the time to fill a void in flavor left by the lack of hops, there is no evidence that these were used to richen the flavor of pumpkin beers. Modern versions of this style often contain no pumpkins at all, just the spices commonly associated with pumpkin pie.
Some of the brews available this year around Atlanta are worth enjoying. While some taste like pumpkin pie pureed and fermented, not all are the expected sweet dessert brews.
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin 8%abv
Rich, warming, and smooth, this pumpkin ale embodies the essence of decedent pumpkin pie. A combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves is used in addition to pumpkin for a sweet, caramelly beer, full in body and suitable for dessert on a cool autumn night. It’s almost impossible to resist topping this one off with a dollop of whip cream, and with 8%abv this makes for a great nightcap.
Shipyard Pumpkin
The Portland, Maine brewery’s addition to the Pumpkin genre offers a brew rich in aroma, full of nutty spices with a touch of zesty ginger. The flavor is lighter, almost crisp at first, but rounds into a sweet honey and cinnamon finish. A lighter version of the style at 4.5%abv, this brew is very drinkable, though a touch on the sweet side. The flavor of the pumpkin is understated and subtle.
Dogfish Head Punkin’
This beer gets more popularity and recognition every year. A rich, full bodied dark amber brew, the Dogfish Head Punkin’ boasts a bitter hop backbone that satisfies the taste buds of the hopheads while giving an extra kick to the roasted pumpkin flavor in the beer. A strong taste of cinnamon and nutmeg, with the roasty sweet flavor of molasses, dominates the finish. With a well concealed 7%abv, this brew is dangerously delicious.
Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin
The lightest in flavor of the group reviewed is Brooklyn’s Post Road Pumpkin. Very subtle in flavor and aroma, featuring mainly fresh baked biscuits, cinnamon and nutmeg with a mild hint of pumpkin. Very light in body, this 5%abv session ale is closer to a richer amber ale than what is commonly associated with the intensity and body of a pumpkin ale. The finish is crisp, with lively effervescence.
Terrapin Side Project Pumpkinfest
The eighth edition of the ever popular Side Project series from Georgia’s own Terrapin Brewing Company combines the light-bodied smoothness of the Oktoberfest style with the flavors of several pounds of pumpkins and traditional spices of cinnamon, ginger, all spice, and cloves. At 6.1%abv, stronger than the traditional Oktoberfest beer, this limited edition is a light bodied, smooth interpretation of the style.
Prost!
Jessica Moss
Beertender at Muss & Turner’s
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