Autumn in a Bottle

I love Fall. It is my favorite season. The crunchy leaves, the smell of fireplaces burning the first fire in months, the briskness in the air - and the pumpkin. Oh, the pumpkin. Pumpkin, for me at least, is the measure by which the proximity to autumn can be gauged.

You start seeing ornamental pumpkins and gourds at the grocery store in early to mid-September and then, bam! Everything is pumpkin or pumpkin spice. The lattes at Starbucks (which I am moderately obsessed with at present), the coffee creamer in the dairy section at the grocery store (which I was disappointed with), and most importantly, the beer.

There are two beers of autumn: pumpkin and Oktoberfest. In much the same way that there are two true beers of autumn, there are two categories of people that drink autumnal beer: those that love the pumpkin beer (and will usually also drink the Oktoberfest beers); and folks that can't stand the thought of pumpkin beer, much less the taste (and will only drink the Oktoberfest offerings this time of year).  I fall into the former category.

I love pumpkin beer, and typically can not consume enough pumpkin beer in the short time it is available to suit me. Unfortunately, I have been duped this year in my search for pumpkin beer.

The Blue Moon Seasonal pumpkin beer was a complete let down. It should be ashamed to call itself a pumpkin beer. In my opinion, if you put yourself out there to be a pumpkin beer, I should taste pumpkin. This beer is actually closer to an Oktoberfest than a pumpkin beer, unfortunately.

The Samuel Adams Oktoberfest is a decent Oktoberfest beer. I don't love it, but it is not the worst beer I have ever had (that distinction is reserved for the EKU 28 Kulminator).

I understand that Cottonwood and Big Boss breweries (both NC breweries!) have great pumpkin beer. It is my goal to try them both this weekend, if the forces of nature align and allow me such good fortune.

I will update my quest for the best pumpkin beer available this fall and it progresses.