4 Award Winning Pumpkin Beers That Might Change Your Mind

 

, 4 Award Winning Pumpkin Beers That Might Change Your Mind

Pumpkin beers can be polarizing…people tend to either love them or hate them. And we think that “industry creep,” a practice that’s led to some of these beers shipping to retail as early as July, has only helped to devalue the style. But a well-crafted pumpkin ale, in late October, can make all the sense in the world – and here are some award-winners that might change, what you think about the style.

We’d be wrong to begin talking pumpkin beers without referencing this year’s winners at the Great American Beer Festival Competition, where judges much smarter than us, awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medal to deserving brewers in the Pumpkin Spice Beer category.

So here are four of 2016’s award-winners…And any one of them might make you rethink how you feel about pumpkin beers.

Pump Action Imperial Pumpkin Ale4 Noses Brewing (Broomfield, CO)

A double Gold medal winner (at both the recent GABF and 2016’s World beer Cup) comes from a relatively small Colorado-based brewery that’s not been around all that long. And we’d have given it a gold, for its name alone! Pump Action Imperial Pumpkin Ale is a BIG 8% ABV American Brown Ale that’s brewed with fresh pumpkin puree and a deft medley of seasonal spices.

Twisted GourdSouth Street Brewery (Charlottesville, VA)

A small college-town legend took a silver at this year’s GABF with as an exotic a take on the pumpkin style that we’ve ever to run into. The aptly named Twisted Gourd is described an 8.37% ABV Imperial Chocolate Chai Pumpkin Ale brewed with fresh pumpkin, specially chosen Chai and cocoa nibs.

 5 Phantoms Pumpkin Spice BarleywinePhilipsburg Brewing (Phillipsburg, Mo)

Montana distinguished itself at this year’s GABF, with Überbrew being named Small Brewing Company of the Year, and Phillipsburg Brewing taking a bronze medal for their brilliant pumpkin offering. As its name indicates, 5 Phantoms Pumpkin Spice Barleywine is an 8.5% ABV English-style Barleywine brewed with locally-sourced pumpkins and two different types of seasonal squash.

Tributary JacquesTributary Brewing (Kittery ME)

Tributary Brewing’s founders, Tod and Galen Mott, bring years of experience to brewing. Tod’s the creator of the original recipe of the acclaimed Harpoon IPA, and responsible the Portsmouth Brewery’s cult favorite, Kate the Great Russian Imperial Stout. And it’s that kind of background that led to their 2016 World Cup award-winning pumpkin beer. Refreshingly drinkable and mildly spiced Tributary Jacques is a 5.7% ABV symphony of delicate flavors that was brewed using New Hampshire-sourced Dickenson Organic Heirloom Pumpkins.

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