Fall isn’t just for pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin beers are especially delicious in the fall. Imagine sipping a rich, full-bodied pumpkin beer while cozying up by the fireplace or enjoying the fall colors on an outdoor picnic or Oktoberfest celebration.
Pumpkin beers may not be the drink you choose for a warm day at the beach, but these seasonal brews are available by August or September so they’re ready for fall. The best beers from the pumpkin patch include these rich brews:
Elysian Punkuccino
Drinking a hard cider from Samuel Smith is like sipping history. Brewed at Yorkshire’s oldest brewery, established in 1758, Samuel Smith Cider Reserve is made with two varieties of apples for the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. It’s a perfect choice for warming up at your favorite pub.
Manufacturer: Samuel Smith
Country of Origin: United Kingdom Year: 1758 ABV: 5.25%Pumking Imperial Ale | Imperial Pumpkin Ale | Southern Tier Brewing Company
It’s good to be the king when it's Pumking, Southern Tier Brewing’s pumpkin imperial pale ale. This bittersweet medium-bodied beer will have you thinking of Thanksgiving dessert, with its notes of pumpkin pie spices, vanilla, pecan, and butter. Pumking is available August through October from Southern Tier, a Lakewood, New York-based brewer.
Manufacturer: Southern Tier Brewing Company State of Origin: New York Year: 2007 ABV: 8.6%Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company Punkless Dunkel
This Croydon, Pennsylvania-based brewer started its signature pumpkin beer with an imperial version of their Dunks Ferry Dunkelweizen and then added pumpkin puree to the mash along with plenty of pumpkin pie spice. Sip this brew and you’ll get hints of dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
Manufacturer: Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company State of Origin: Pennsylvania Year: 2022 ABV: 8.8%Punkin Ale
Brewed with pumpkin meat, brown sugar, and the warm, sweet spices associated with grandma’s pumpkin pie, Dogfish Head Punkin comes out from August through November to herald autumn. Dogfish Head gives Punkin a slight cinnamon tingle that’s perfect for warming up. Since it pairs perfectly with roast turkey, include this Milton, Delaware, brew at your Thanksgiving feast.
Manufacturer: Dogfish Head Distilling Company State of Origin: Delaware Year: 1994 ABV: 7%Age Gate
Think a summertime shandy-style beer only darker, richer, and pumpkin-infused, and you’re wishing for Samuel Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale. The iconic Massachusetts brewery brings out this beer from August through October, just in time for fall. Pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice make this amber pumpkin ale perfect for fall days and nights.
Manufacturer: Samuel Adams State of Origin: Massachusetts Year: 2020 ABV: 4.4 %Smashed Pumpkin - Shipyard Brewing Company
The biggest, boldest pumpkin beer of this batch is Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin. With its 9% ABV, this pumpkin has a kick. Pale ale, wheat, and light Munich malts give this powerful pumpkin beer smoothness, but not without a little nutmeg and spiciness from Saphir and Hallertau hops.
Manufacturer: Shipyard Brewing Company State of Origin: Portland, ME Year: 2012 ABV: 9%O'Fallon Brewery | Salted Caramel Pumpkin
Salty, sweet, and caramel-forward, Salted Caramel Pumpkin Beer from Missouri-based O’Fallon Brewing Company has a creamy sweetness from caramel malts and lactose. Pumpkin puree, pink Himalayan sea salt, and a proprietary spice blend make this a balanced beer that touches all the tastebuds. Salted Caramel Pumpkin Beer is available from August through November.
Manufacturer: O’Fallon Brewing Company State of Origin: Missouri Year: 2000 ABV: 5.4%Good Gourd
A deep orange beer, Good Gourd has the color of pumpkins and the flavor of a pumpkin pie with notes of caramel and roasted pumpkin. A Tampa, Florida beer, Good Gourd has a touch of floral hoppy bitterness that balances the sweetness of the pumpkin and cinnamon.
Manufacturer: Cigar City Brewing Company State of Origin: Maryland Year: 2014 ABV: 8.8%Our Beer
Baltimore, Maryland brewer Heavy Seas gives Great’er Pumpkin a little something extra: bourbon-barrel aging. Available August through October, Great’er Pumpkin mixes the sweetness of pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin with notes of bourbon, oak, and vanilla. With the high ABV, Great’er Pumpkin is a pumpkin beer to sip slowly and savor.
Manufacturer: Heavy Seas Brewing Company State of Origin: United States Year: 2017 ABV: 10%Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin | New Belgium Brewing
You could warm up with any old pumpkin beer, but this New Belgium pumpkin beer brings the heat. Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin is brewed with the usual cinnamon and pumpkin that most pumpkin beers have, plus something most don’t: habanero peppers. The result is a smooth pumpkin beer with an afterburner reminiscent of Atomic Fireball candies.
Manufacturer: New Belgium Brewing State of Origin: Colorado Year: 1985 ABV: 6.4%Pumpkin Ale
Like a slice of pumpkin pie in a bottle, this pumpkin beer from St. Louis, Missouri-based brewer Schlafly gives its pumpkin ale a little snap from ginger. Schlafly Pumpkin Ale pairs beautifully with fall’s flavors and is as smooth as pumpkin cheesecake with a gingersnap crust.
Manufacturer: Schlafly, The St. Louis Brewery State of Origin: Missouri Year: 2017 ABV: 8%Master of Pumpkins Ale - Tr�egs Independent Brewing
Pennsylvania-based Tröegs Independent Brewing pours a caramel-forward pumpkin beer that’s perfectly balanced with notes of vanilla bean, cinnamon, nutmeg, and, of course, pumpkin! About 3,000 pounds of locally grown pumpkins are picked and roasted each fall to make this pumpkin beer that’s available from September through October.
Manufacturer: Tröegs Independent Brewing State of Origin: Pennsylvania Year: 2021 ABV: 7.5%Roadsmary's Baby
Here’s a pumpkin beer that’s so good it’s scary. Roadsmary’s Baby by Two Roads Brewing Company is a traditional pumpkin ale with a unique twist: aging in rum barrels for greater complexity. Notes of rum, oak, vanilla, cinnamon, and smooth pumpkin make this dark beer a must around Halloween.
Manufacturer: Two Roads Brewing Company State Origin: Connecticut Year: 2013 ABV: 6.8%Cheers!
Who needs a pumpkin spice latte when you can savor fall’s flavors in this flight of the best pumpkin beers? Each a luscious pumpkin ale, and each with its unique twist, these fall beers are perfect for tailgate parties, picnics, or evenings by the fire.
Which one of these beers is a great pumpkin? Leave a comment to tell us which of these pumpkin beers is best or tell us if your favorite pumpkin beer should be added to the harvest.
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