Tag: craft beer

10 of the Best Pumpkin Brews in the U.S. of A.

Posted on by Editor

With Halloween around the corner and election day shortly after, it's as good a time as any to stock up on the one beverage that can singlehandedly get you through both your awkward company Halloween party and all of your Trump-related ails (get it?): pumpkin beer! Since you can now buy just about anything in "pumpkin spice" flavor — Pumpkin spice kale chips? America, you have officially jumped the shark! — it's no easy task to wade through all of the pumpkin brews out there. Below are 10 of our favorite pumpkin ales (in no particular order) from 10 of our favorite states. 

Blackstone Pumpkin Ale

Nashville's Blackstone Brewing Company has the seasonal flavor game on lock (Their Summer brew, Strawberry Picnic, is not to be missed!), and their Pumpkin Ale is one of the best around. At 5.1 percent ABV, it's a drinkable beer that, unlike some pumpkin brews, actually tastes like pumpkin. 

Ballast Point Pumpkin Down

This pumpkin-flavored Scottish Ale from San Diego's Ballast Point Brewing Company has notes of toffee and caramel in addition to roasted pumpkin. It has a tiny bit of spice, too, so it pairs well with your spicier fall fare.

New Belgium Pumpkick

In addition to your usual pumpkin juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, this ale from Fort Collins, Colorado's New Belgium Brewing has both cranberries and lemongrass in the mix, making for a tart but balanced taste.

Southern Tier Brewing Company Pumking

Southern Tier's take on pumpkin ale takes cues from the venerable pumpkin pie, incorporating flavors of roasted pecans and buttery crust alongside traditional ingredients like allspice and nutmeg. And the Lakewood, New York, brewery doesn't skimp on the ABV, either — this one's a respectable 8.6 percent. 

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

St. Louis's Schlafly is one of the country's most-respected craft breweries, and the same can be said for its Pumpkin Ale. Currently, thanks to its strong pumpkin flavor and (let's be honest) generous 8 percent ABV, it sits at #4 on Beer Advocate's "Top Rated Beers: Pumpkin Ale" list. 

Wicked Weed Xibalba

The word "xibalba" might not conjure images of pumpkins, but that's because it's a Mayan word that translates to "place of fear" and also refers to the entrance to a mythological underworld. Duh! It's also the name of Asheville, North Carolina's Wicked Weed Brewing's Imperial Pumpkin Ale, which mixes traditional Fall flavors with ancho chiles, habanero peppers, and cacao nibs.

Saint Arnold Pumpkinator

Taking the top spot on Beer Advocate's "Top Rated Beers: Pumpkin Ale" list, this imperial stout is chock full of flavors — molasses, brown sugar, and caramel to name a few — and is sure to get you through even the worst storm of pre-election Trump tweets with its 10 percent ABV.

Terrapin Pumpkinfest

A German-style ale made with real pumpkin, this brew from Athens, Georgia's Terrapin Beer Co. is a staple for any Autumn fun.

Kentucky Pumpkin Barrel Ale

If you love Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, you'll dig its pumpkin-spiced cousin. The Lexington-born brew is aged in bourbon barrels and has a 10 percent ABV to prove it.

Elysian Brewing Company Great Pumpkin Ale

It's the Great Pumpkin Ale, Charlie Brown! It's also a delicious, spiced brew that incorporates roasted pumpkin seeds and extra pumpkin into its mash. Good grief, indeed!

For some spirited tunes to go with your spirits and brews …

Lede photo credit: abbyladybug via Foter.com / CC BY-NC

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6 California Craft Beers to Try Now

Posted on by Editor

WinterWonderGrass Tahoe is right around the corner (April 1-3), and we couldn't be more excited to be part of it! To get ready for the festival, we've spent a lot of time researching some of the best craft beers California has to offer. Here's a handful of our favorite California breweries, all of which you'll find at the Beer Hall during the festival.

Golden Road Brewing

A presenting sponsor of the festival, you may recognize Golden Road Brewing from our monthly Brewgrass Jams. The Los Angeles-based brewery, founded in 2011, has an IPA-heavy batch of core brews, as well as a rotating cast of seasonal beers that includes Back Home Gingerbread Stout and two different saisons. 

Sierra Nevada

If you're a beer lover, there's a good chance you've already had a brew or two from the festival's other presenting sponsor, Sierra Nevada. Their extensive selection of varieties is, for the most part, available in all 50 states, with taprooms in both Chico, California, and Asheville, North Carolina. Look for year-round favorites like the Nooner Pilsner and seasonal offerings like Oktoberfest and Celebration.

Bay City Brewing Co. 

San Diego's Bay City Brewing Co. just opened last year, but it's already made a splash in the brewing scene thanks to staples like a stout, Vienna lager, session India pale ale, and an experimental pale ale. Look for more offerings from this new brewery in the future.

Lagunitas Brewing

Lagunitas Sucks! Just kidding, but that is the name of one of the Petaluma breweries best beers, a delicious brown sugar ale. Look for year-round releases like DayTime IPA and Dogtown Pale, as well as seasonal offerings including Cappucino Stout and Equinox Pale Oat Ale. 

Magnolia Brewing

This Haight Street San Francsico brewery has an extensive taproom menu (the food looks pretty darn good, too), with some of the better brew names we've seen: Old Thunderpussy — a barleywine — and Smokestack Lightning — an imperial stout — standing out among them. With several cask beers on tap, too, there's a little something for everyone.

21st Amendment Brewery

San Francisco and San Leandro brewery 21st Amendment gets its name from, you guessed it, the wonderful amendment that repealed prohibition back in back in 1933. So enjoy your freedom to imbibe with year-round beers like Down to Earth Session IPA, as well as seasonal favorites like Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale. Those unfortunate enough to have lived through prohibition would thank you.

Lede photo credit: sashafatcat via Foter.com / CC BY