The daylight hours are dwindling, and nights are getting longer. There’s no better time of year for enjoying the crafts of the season! For this collaborative post, we discuss our favorite seasonally spiced pumpkin beers. Hopefully our thoughts can shed some warm light on the encroaching winter darkness.
Without further ado –
Katy Rose’s Favorite Pumpkin Beer: Southern Tier’s Pumking
I’m not too familiar with Anderson Valley, and I am always keen to try beers I haven’t tried yet. First of all, if you haven’t notived, the artwork is hilarious. Why not feature a bear with (elk?) horns and bats flying around in the background? “Fall Hornin.'” The name alone piqued my interest.
In addition to retaining a creamy head, this beer has a deep copper color, and smells of freshly baked bread and caramel. I got cinnamon and nutmeg right away from the taste, then the allspice crept slowly in, along with pumpkin and ginger. Cloves were the last thing I tasted. All very silky, creamy, finishing round and smooth. The hops were subtle and piney, conjuring thoughts of mystical forests where the bear-elk reside, of course. I feel like this beer could get better with age, so I’m definitely going to put some in the cellar for later.
Rachel’s Favorite Pumpkin Beer: 4 Noses Pump Action
Pumpkin beer and I tend to have a love-hate relationship. Every once in a while I find one I really love; more often than not, I can do without it. This year was quite unusual. Multiple pumpkin brews won me over, and I kept gravitating towards them trying to make it feel like fall here in Denver.
Out of the handful I tried, 4 Noses Pump Action takes the cake for me. I was very hesitant to try it, after seeing comments on social media saying it was extremely spice forward. After some internal debate while staring at all my beer options, and some much needed convincing from the women at the liquor store, I took the plunge. Plus, at the end of the day, isn’t that what’s great about the really good pumpkin beers? You can taste all the spice but have a smooth finish? I actually thoroughly enjoyed how much spice was in the flavor, and found myself going back to the fridge for more. In my opinion, Pump Action is very well balanced.
Brewed locally right outside of Denver in Broomfield, Pump Action is a light amber ale with a robust pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice flavor. You can taste hints of fall like cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie, but it’s not too sweet. The flavor profile is just right for my tastebuds. Pump Action is easy to find in local liquor stores, and it currently brings in a 3.92 on Untappd. Its’ perfect for a fall day, or heck even when it’s 75 degrees outside on a hike. Be sure to check out Pump Action, or the many other amazing beers 4 Noses Brewing Company puts out year round. They’re just a hop, skip, and a jump outside of Denver. In addition, the brewery is dog friendly which is a huge bonus!
