Beer

[Hoophound]

Trader Joe’s had a good pumpkin beer the last couple of years. Not heavy, not light. I liked it and would buy it again.

 

[Deepster]

Have you tried Pumking yet? I find it to be a lot less "fake pumpkin" flavored. And it's 8.6%.

 

[elmcityboy]

i unabashedly love pumpkin beer, but i also drink bud light lime on the beach. it's pretty much the same thing.

that being said, have you had the pumpkin porter from thimble island in branford? sort of a different take on the style! i'll drink any of 'em, though.

 

[Hoophound]

Pumking is pretty good. The first time I had it was at a fall wedding where they were adding a shot of something to it in a tumbler with the rim of the glass dipped in pumpkin pie spice and sugar. Fantastic.

I also like the name. It allows me a lot of jokes with my wife. Like, “Enjoy that beer, then I’ll show you who the real pumking is later”. Good times.

 

[Waquoit]

I always figured pumpkin beer was for casual beer drinkers.

 

[Crank]

And it's 8.6%.

Not a selling point for me.

 

[Deepster]

Not a selling point for me.

Drink smarter, not harder, amigo.

 

[brihman]

I agree with you on the spices - definitely can be overwhelming. Also tough on the stomach the next morning. Is that the Cisco from Nantucket?

Thanks for the rec.

I don't drink much beer anymore, and when I did pumpkin beer was never a favorite style, but I did like a couple I found that tasted like real pumpkin, rather than a bunch of spices. IIRC Cisco's Pumple Drumkin was the best example I found of that--and it was especially good served in a glass that was rimmed with sugar in the raw, which is the way they serve it at Coal's in Port Chester.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Boneyard,

Love everything about fall, except for pumpkin beer. Every year I try to find a gem, but mostly end up with a whole bunch of bottles in the back of the fridge.

Does a good pumpkin beer actually exist?

If so, help me find the diamond in the rough!

Downeast in Boston does hard cider, but their pumpkin is insanely good

I remember Harpoon having a decent pumpkin too

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I don't drink the stuff and I know they have improved. Wanna be a good host. Anyone know a couple of really good ones??

 

[UconnFanNVa]

Best one I've ever had is farmhouse hardywooxmd, Richmond va. They also have an AMAZING gingerbread beer!

 

[rvwsleep]

Try -Bitburger "Drive" (Pilsner) or
Heavenly Body Golden Wheat
I don't know how accessible they are in your area. These recommendations come from someone who works in a large liquor store.
On edit: Don't know how soon you need it but if you have a few days, try Amazon.

 

[DefenseBB]

So my brother-in-law drinks Clausthaler, can’t say if it’s any good but he is Irish so...that said, as you want to be a good host, I like caviar, Filet Mignon and Captain Morgan, I can be there next weekend....

 

[Travelman6]

Shipyard Pumpkinhead ale. I used to love drinking that in October and November during my UNI days, back around 2004 to 2008. Not sure if the recipe is the same as it was over ten years ago, would not be shocked if they tweaked the recipe, one of the only flavored beers I liked. I recall finding it once in China back in 2010, that and dead guy ale and anchor steam. Both super expensive (in China) so I got just one of each.

I generally don't like (fruit) flavored beer. Just a strong locally brewed IPA please. Although it is not pumpkin, one other exception to that rule, for me, is pictured below and that drink has always felt like late summer/early fall in Maine for me.

 

[Conndog]

Post on the Best Beer thread on the men's board to get the info you want

 

[Ex Nutmegger]

I suggest St Pauli Girl or Heineken NA. I’ve been drinking St. Pauli Girl for a couple of years and Heineken is new but also good. Those two companies have traditions to uphold, so they have worked hard on their NA labels. With a little luck one of your regular beer drinkers will grab one out of your beer tub by mistake and start an interesting conversation.

 

[Northbound]

Pumpkin beer is horrible, but I don't drink beer much anymore except for Hill-Farmstead Double Galaxy - which I'm enjoying now at The Scale House in Hardwick.

 

[BlueDolphin]

Clausthaler, St Pauli Girl, and Heineken NA are all pretty good. That would be my order of preference. My favorite German restaurant in Florida (since closed, alas) served Clausthaler. I got the impression it's the most popular non-alcoholic in Germany.

Stay away from the domestic versions (if they even still brew them) - O'Doul's and I forget the name of the other one - they are awful.

 

[Monte]

Heineken

 

[8893]

Is that the Cisco from Nantucket?

Yes.

Downeast in Boston does hard cider, but their pumpkin is insanely good

Yep. It’s tradition for me to get a four pack of that every season, and I just had the first one of the year last night. Definitely a last drink of the night type of thing for me though.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Yes.


Yep. It’s tradition for me to get a four pack of that every season, and I just had the first one of the year last night. Definitely a last drink of the night type of thing for me though.

Do you do the same with their winter cider? It’s arguably better

 

[8893]

Do you do the same with their winter cider? It’s arguably better

Yes and yes.

 

[JavaMan]

I don't drink the stuff and I know they have improved. Wanna be a good host. Anyone know a couple of really good ones??

Just hold on a minute here ...something's not right. In our cave "non alcoholic beer" is definitely an oxymoron. Rocky, if you truly want to be a good host... you know what you have to do. ..

 

[tomtom80]

Pumpkin beer is horrible, but I don't drink beer much anymore except for Hill-Farmstead Double Galaxy - which I'm enjoying now at The Scale House in Hardwick.

Love HF 2x galaxy also. This and Abner are my two favs from HF. But u gotta stock up cuz they don’t have either all that frequently. I personally think Alchemist just 30+ minutes further is a better choice than HF. PRICE and selection far superior.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I drink it out of spite for all the Dunkin and Starbucks concoctions.