The end has come for my Pumpkin Beer Challenge, I think I drank, tasted, and enjoyed at least 18 Pumpkin Beers. I tried some non-Virginia ones that I did not mention because they didn't really compare. I had some favorites that went well beyond the typical Pumpkin Spice Beer though.
I will have to say my favorite this year was Hardywood's Rum Pumpkin. I have never had anything like it, the spiced rum, the pumpkin, the pure enjoyment of drinking it. I will be sure to keep getting bottles of this every season. Running a close second though was Champions Pumpkin IPA with the awesome flavor of the Vietnamese Cinnamon and the bitterness of the hops, I am still talking about this with my friends. There are a couple other ones that stood out as not just your typical pumpkin spice beer, not that I don't like those of course. Blue Mountain's Spooky which is a bourbon barrel un-spiced pumpkin beer is a good staple to have around and I do love a good bourbon barrel beer. Then there was the surprise of C'Ville-ian Brewing's Pumpkin Sour. This one amazed me by the great flavor. Who thought a pumpkin sour could work, C'Ville-ian thought so and they did it right.
There was not one that I tasted from Virginia that I did not like. I know there are so many more. This season I went with the ones that were mainly available at local beer stores. Next season I am going to try and visit the different breweries and see what everyone has to offer on tap. I still suggest that even if you are not a pumpkin beer fan at least try some of the one's above or go to a brewery and try the one they have there. I guarantee it will be better than most mass produced pumpkin spice beers on the market.
Next post will be on my mildly adventureous Thanksgiving Holiday. So keep an eye out for that one. Unitl then Drink Up and Eat Well!
