Hark! The season of pumpkin is upon us. Pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin bread. It really is the best time of the year.
Most importantly, though, it's time for pumpkin beer. The mix of that round orange squash and almost any combination of ingredients really screams autumn.
I won't say that I'm a beer connoisseur - my taste buds probably aren't as developed as the most respected beer reviewers - but I will say that I'm an enthusiast. I'm not satisfied with Keystone or Natty Ice, and I only drink PBR when I don't feel like spending money.
I want the same for you. I want you to put down your Bud Light or Coors. Step into the world of beer with taste. And right now, that taste is pumpkin.
HARPOON UNFILTERED PUMPKIN ALE
This beer's description is spot on. A great mix of pumpkin and cinnamon come together in this brew. It is full-bodied, at least in terms of pumpkin ales, and gives a little kick once it hits your stomach.
It has one of those flavors that sticks around on your palette for a while. It doesn't just fade away after you're done drinking. It proves that it's worth the extra few dollars by staying around.
BROOKLYN POST ROAD PUMPKIN ALE
What a disappointment. I'm a fan of Brooklyn Brewing, so I was expecting more from this beer. While I appreciate beers that have a subtle taste of their featured flavor (the best example of this is Abita Strawberry Harvest), I was just underwhelmed by the Post Road Pumpkin.
Some pumpkin beer can be too sweet, and I think maybe this was an attempt to swim upstream, but to me, Brooklyn took that too far.
SAMUEL ADAMS HARVEST PUMPKIN ALE
As a reviewer, I know I'm supposed to be unbiased. But in terms of craft brewing, Sam Adams is the sellout of the group, so I find it hard to give the beer a fair shake.
However, this is a specialty brew for them, so I approached it with an open mind. Thank goodness for that.
This beer is easily one of the better pumpkin beers I've ever tasted. It blows away Harpoon in terms of body, and the spices added are just perfect. I did not expect a beer this good to come out of Sam Adams. I could drink this beer all day. Come Halloween, I just might.
WOODCHUCK PUMPKIN HARD CIDER
Imagine biting into a pumpkin. It's not sweet; it doesn't taste like cinnamon. It tastes like squash, because that's what it is. Congratulations, you've just had Woodchuck Pumpkin Hard Cider.
Where most pumpkin-flavored brews go for the cinnamon-infused "pumpkin pie" taste, this cider breaks the mold. And it's not good.
I guess I expected this to be sweet, as most Woodchuck ciders are. Its amber cider is a great drink no matter what time of year, and its "Fall" cider tastes exactly like the season - crunchy leaves and all.
But this is just gross. I'm going to assume that most people don't eat pumpkin unless it's in a pie or in syrup. This cider tastes just like, well, pumpkin.
Why this is part of the company's "private reserve," I'll never understand. Other than the 6.9 percent alcohol content, there is nothing worth reserving.
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