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Nicole Simeone
On the Pumpkin Beer Trail
Leaves are in the process of turning gold, burnt orange, and red. Quintessential apple picking is in full swing. Pumpkins and gourds are popping up on porches and steps everywhere. Yes, the witching month is upon us, and what else would the cauldron be brewing but pumpkin beer? You should be able to feel Adam’s cringing from the comfort of your reading location. Just about pumpkin anything is not his friend. He’ll be sticking to the Marzens and festbiers as long as he can. Me, on the other hand, will be diversifying my drinking selections. I have turned my taste buds to sampling this season’s pumpkin selections for the month.
The memes about pumpkin beers have not escaped me. To those who think pumpkin beers are a “bitch beer,” I feel for you, I really do. You are divorcing yourself from a style of beer because of a flimsy veneer of perceived masculinity. You go order that manly IPA that tastes like a fruit salad. Really shows off those meaty biceps and flannel. Can you feel my eyes rolling? Anyway, I will not sit here and argue for a change in that behavior since it leaves more pumpkin beers for those of us who enjoy them.
Before we get into the beers for the week, one housekeeping item- pumpkin beers will be reviewed without a sugar rim. I’m sorry. If you need that to serve your pumpkin, you missed the mark.
Wachusett Boo Yeah
Let’s start with Wachusett’s Boo Yeah. Since I had sampled their Octoberfest, it didn’t seem right to not try their pumpkin at the same time. The beer’s name and the label didn’t hurt either. I’m a sucker for both as we all know.
For a COVID note, their outdoor distanced seating has few rivals for those looking for spacious accommodations.
Now to the beer.
When I bring the glass up to my nose, I get cinnamon with a hint of charcoaled beef. Damn it. The wind switched to blow from the direction of Wachusett’s kitchen. I’ll admit. I was not turned off by the combo. Joking aside, Boo yeah is big on the nose. It’s like walking into your Mom’s kitchen when she’s baking an apple pie.
And that nose turns into a big pay off when you start sipping on this bevy. Cinnamon, clove, ginger, and a touch of nutmeg come at you. There is a bit of bitterness to cut the inherent sweetness. As you drink on, there is a lingering stickiness but not cloying. If I had gotten the rim, that wouldn’t be the case. It would hang on long after the beer had been finished. And, I don’t think I would have enjoyed this fall sipper as much.
Wormtown Fresh Patch
Heading south on our first pumpkin journey of the month, we’re going back to Wormtown in Worcester, MA. This brewery doubles down on the pumpkin each year. First, they release Fresh Patch, and then within a week or two, they usually release their Table Talk Pumpkin Pie brew. Adam and I stopped in to catch Fresh Patch but not Table Talk. Which means a return trip is in our future.
Fresh Patch is a very clear, sunset gold color. Cinnamon and clove reach up out of the glass from the get-go. The beer itself is very light on the tongue, but the beer’s fragrance doesn’t lie. Fresh Patch is full of flavor. This pumpkin does have a sweetness to it, but it’s balanced out by a hop finish that compliments the pumpkin spices very nicely. You get a bit of the malt too. Insinuating pumpkin pie crust into the drink.
Wormtown never lets us down, and this is no exception. Fresh Patch is one of the better pumpkins I can get my hands on. Wormtown’s patio and food options pair well with this beverage too. CJ and I have pilgrimaged here many a time to take in the brewery’s fall flavors. OK, all of their flavors.
Pumking Nitro
Now we’re headed over to New York- figuratively, of course, for Southern Tier’s pumpkin brew. Naming a beer, Pumking might suggest a healthy dollop of pride and arrogance, but in this case, I don’t think they are off base in the least. For this post, I’m reviewing not their standard-issue Pumking, but rather their nitro offering.
The brew is a gorgeous ambery orange color. The picture above doesn’t do Pumking justice thanks to the evening light or lack thereof. I love looking at this beer. I feel it is the quintessential color of autumn. Pumking starts out with vanilla and cinnamon mixing with a fragrant booziness.
The addition of the nitro amps up all of the wonderful flavors in this beer. The extra smooth mouthfeel compliments this beer well. The drinker is immediately reminded of a creamy pumpkin baked good. Nom. Nom. Nom.
Pumking is sweet at the beginning of each sip. Vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves swirl around, making you think you’re drinking pumpkin pie or a chai latte. These flavors taper off into a mild bitterness. Unlike other pumpkins, this beer doesn’t leave a sticky sweet feeling in your mouth. Honestly, if I could, I’d drink this all year round. I don’t think this needs to be shoehorned into a single season.
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