The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival!

The 5th Annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival

If you didn't make it to the Elysian this weekend, you missed out! They had 30 different pumpkin beers to sample and we were able to taste 22 of them between the two days of the festival. Saturday was insane! So many people! We arrived at 1pm to discover there was a 2 hour wait for a table. While we waited, we headed just down the street to Bimbos Cantina to get some food. (Not generally wise to drink on an empty stomach!)

After eating, we purchased our sampler glasses and got to work tasting beer! Here are the verdicts:

Saturday, Oct. 10th, 2009

On the first day of the Festival, we were joined by our friend Dimitria. You'll find her verdicts joining ours a bit down the way.

Ich Bin Ein Pumpkiner - (Nodding Head Brewery, Philadelphia, PA) "A classic Berliner sour wheat beer served with Elysian-made pumpkin syrup. ABV 3.75%"
S: Cloudy with visible dregs. Lemonade, tastes like a hard lemonade.
E: Vinegar, fruity. Ah, now I taste the lemon. Gotta zip to it.

Jackobite - (Elysian Brewing Co, Seattle) "Barrel-Aged Scottish Pumpkin Ale. Brewed with pale 77° Crystal, Munich and Cara-Hell malts, and bittered lightly with Glacier hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter; aged in Jack Daniel's and wine barrels for 6 weeks. OG 17.1° Plato (1.070), ABV 6.4%. Brewed at Tangletown."
S: Tangy, sweet; more like a traditional beer but with a tang. I like it. (Note added later: This is my favorite beer of the the festival.)
E: Sour, sweet. Medium orange caramel color.

Dark O' the Moon Pumpkin Stout - (Elysian Brewing Co, Seattle) "Spookily smooth and chocolatey with a touch of cinnamon. A perennial favorite, brewed with Great Western pale, Crisp 77° Crystal, Munich, Cara-Vienne, roasted chocolate and Special B malts with roasted pumpkin seeds in the mash. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Bittered with Magnum and finished with Saaz and crushed cinnamon. OG 19.35° Plato (1.080), ABV 6.5%. Brewed at the Elysian on Capitol Hill."
S: Very subtle pumpkin.
E: Chocolatey, sweet; don't taste the pumpkin much but it's a very tasty stout.

Mr. Yuck Sour Pumpkin Ale - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and 150° Crystal malts and both malted and unmalted wheat, as well as wheat flour. Very lightly hopped with UK Fuggles and aged in fermentation for ten months with second-generation sour Belgian yeast blend (a culture we've kept alive for seven years), then in kegs for an additional four months. Pumpkin in the mash and kettle. OG 14.1° Plato (1.057), ABV 5.1%
S: I like the Mr. Yuck. Like the tanginess. (Note added later, this is my second favorite of the festival.)
E: Reminds me of the Jackobite, strong tang, citrus. Not really my thing.

Night Owl - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with over 7lbs. of pumpkin per barrel. Made with Pal, Munich and Crystal malts, green and rosted pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin in the mash, boy, and fermenter. Bittered with Magnum hops. Spiced in conditioning with nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. OG 14.9° Plato (1.060) ABV 5.9%."
S: Not really my thing, too sweet.
E: Sweet, lightly spiced, what I expect a pumpkin ale to be.

8472 Dark Sour Pumpkin Ale - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "An ungulate lifeform so badass the Borg turns and runs, oh, and a dark sour pumpkin ale, brewed with pal, Munich, wheat, oats, rye, corn, and pumpkin in the mash and kettle. Bittered with aged Hallertauser hops. The 'next genereation' of the sour Belgian blend after Mr. Yuck. OG 16.25° Plato (1.066), ABV 6.6%. Brewed at Tangletown."
S: I like this. It's like the Mr. Yuck but not as tangy.
E: Looks like apple cider. More subtle flavor than the Mr. Yuck, quieter.

Hansel & Gretel Ginger Pumpkin Pilsner - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with organic pale, Weyermann Munich and Cara-Hell malts, with pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with peeled and pureed fresh ginger in the boil and bright tank and hopped with lots of Czech Saaz hops (otherwise it wouldn't be traditional). OG 12° Plato (1.048), ABV 4.5%"
S: It is bitter, barely taste the pumpkin.
E: Wow, really taste the ginger. Also, reminds me of citrus with it's bitter jolt.
D: Light, good hint of ginger.

Bete N' Owl Dark Belgian Spiced Pumpkin Ale - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with pale, 120° Crystal and a tiny bit of chocolate malt. Bittered with Magnum and finished with German Northern Brewer hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with World Spice Merchants' Poudre Forte, comprised of cinnamon, clove, ginger, black pepper and grains of paradise. OG 15° Plato (1.060), ABV 5.4%"
S: Doesn't taste like anything else.
E: Another beer that looks like apple cider. Cinnamon, a big hoppy, flowered.
D: I like this. More bitter.

Ichabod Imperial Belgian Pumpkin Ale - (Iron Hill Brewery, Wilmington, DE) "This extra strong spicy Belgian pumpkin ale is truly a beer from the farm. It is unfiltered with a beautiful burnt orange color. Ichabod's nose is filled with flavors of the harvest including clove, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The palate is sweet with hints of roated pumpkin and caramel. There is a warming finish that is both fruity and aromatic. Over 6 pounds of pumpkin per barrel were added right to the mash. Drink enough and you'll lose your head too! OG 22.4° Plato (1.094), ABV 9.5%"
S: Very pumpkin-y, not my thing.
E: Oh! Very good! Very sweet, spiced, cloves, nutmeg. Wow. And you don't taste the alcohol so be careful with this one! Note added later: This is my favorite beer of the festival! I am very sad that this beer is not normally distributed in this area. I'm likely going to have to wait a year to enjoy it again! :(
D: Hint of nutmeg flavor. I like this better.

The Great Pumpkin Ale {Imperial Pumpkin Ale} - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Silver medalist at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival in the Fruit and Vegeatable category, the world's first Imperial pumpkin ale. Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell, Cara-Vienne, Cara-Munich and Crisp 45° L Crystal malts. Roasted pumpkin seeds in the mash, and extra pumkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. OG 19° Plato (1.078), ABV 8.1%. Brewed at our original Capitol Hill location in Seattle."
S: Not as sweet as the Ichabod but very pumpkin, not my thing.
E: Nutty, sweet, spiced, inviting. I already knew I really enjoyed this beer from a recent visit to the Elysian in Tangletown.
D: OMG! This is good!

Olde Pumpkin Porter {O.P.P.} -(Cambridge Brewing, Cambridge, MA) "Olde Pumpkin Porter is our attempt at recreating the pumpkin-infused beers of colonial days. Brewed with pale and roasted malts and fresh organic sugar pumpkins, it has whiled away the past year in old bourbon barrels with cinnamon sticks and candied ginger, where it was inoculated by Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally occurring in the CBC dungeon, er, Barrel Cellar. Finished in new oak, its tart and roasty palate may just transport you back to 17th Century Boston. OG 14.7° Plato (1.060), ABV 6.8%."
S: I like it. A lot tangier than most porters. It's like a what a dark hefewiezen would be, if there were dark hefewiezens.
E: Pickle/vinegar, sour, sweeter after taste.
D: Tangy, instant bite.

Kaiser Kurbis Pumpkin Hefeweizen - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with Maris Otter pale, Weyermann wheat, Cara-Munich and Cara-Vienne malts, with pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Bittered with German Northern Brewer and finished with Czech Saaz hops. Unspiced but for the Weihenstephan Bavarian wheat beer yeast. OG 12° Plato (1.048), ABV 5.1%. Brewed in our small (3 bbl) Tangletown brewery."
S: Boring.
E: Light, summery, simple.
D: Mostly dry. If it was gonna make me like it, it had to wow me and it didn't.

Snoqualmie E.S.B. Extra Special Butternut - (Snoqualmie Brewing, Snoqualmie, WA) "A malty beer brewed with 300 pounds of butternut puree added to the mash of pale, aromatic and Crystal malts. Lightly hopped with Glacier and Spalt hops, this unspiced autumn ale has the subtle aroma and flavor of butternut. ABV 5.5%."
S: Strange, doesn't taste like anything I've ever had before.
E: Summery, mellow.
D: Tart but in a good way, not tangy.

Hopgoblin - (Big Time Brewery, Seattle) "A full-boded reddish-orange ale with pumpkin added to the mash, and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. Starting gravity 15.2° Plato (1.061), ABV 5.75%, 25 IBU."
S: Full. Don't like it much, not hoppy.
E: Cloudy like apple cider, malty, good for drinking in a cabin in the woods. Oaky.
D: Feels thick, dense beer texture, syrup and the opposite of bland. Full bodied beer, spiced evenly.

Punkin - (Dogfishhead Brewing, Milton, DE) "A full-boddied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. ABV 7%."
S: Tasts similar to the ESB but I taste more of the pumpkin, more of a pumpkin mouth feel.
E: Sweet, smooth with a tang, spiced.

Great Pumpkin Ale - (Cambridge Brewing, Cambridge, MA) "Brewed with over 150 pounds of fresh, locally grown, organic sugar pumpkins, hand-carved and added to each batch. Our Great Pumpkin Ale has an appropriately orange hue, and the subtle pumpkin flavor is enhanced by a touch of traditional autumn spices. Come raise a glass in honor of the Great Pumpkin! OG 11° Plato (1.044) ABV 4.2%."
S: I like this better than the other Great Pumpkin Ale, not very pumpkin-y.
E: Vinegar, hoppy flowers, little bitter. I like the Elysian's Great Pumpkin Ale much better.
D: Sweet under tones are subtle, don't notice right away, subtle pumpkin as well.

Sunday, Oct. 11th, 2009

Pumpking - (Southern Tier, Lakewood, NY) "Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it's alluring spirits to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. ABV 9%."
S: Very pumpkin-y, not full bodied, not dense.
E: I like this. Tart, sweet, my king of tangy. And there's a flavor I can't quite place. What Rainbow Brite would drink if she wanted a pumpkin beer. A little bit of bitterness in the after taste. (Note added later, this is my third favorite beer of the festival!)

Punktoberfest - (Iron Hill Brewery, Willington, DE) "Uber Oktoberfest. Strong version of the famous fall lager brewed with pumpkin. Punktoverfest is amber in color and malty on the palate with strong notes of vanilla and cinnamon. The subtle use of seasonal spices accentuates the spicy noble hop aroma. Ein Pumpkin Prosit! OG 16.6° Plato (1.068), ABV 7%, 24 IBU."
S: Like it, not over powered with sweet.
E: Mellow, not sweet, gently spiced. This is a good every day beer.

Sasquash - (Big Time Brewery, Seattle) "Sasquash - a special blend of the Hopgoblin and an 'only brewed once a year beer' with some wood-aged stout added for complexity, and respiced with additional cloves and allspice. ABV 8%."
S: I like the stout part of it but not the pumpkin part.
E: Very tasty; sweet chocolate, subtle pumpkin. Whoa, and I feel the alcohol. Very nice.

Biere de Gourde - (Cambridge Brewing, Cambridge, MA) "This 'farmhouse-style' ale utilizes French pale and caramel malts plus fresh organic sugar pumpkins in the mash, aided and abetted by Styrian Goldings hops and a touch of some earthy spice-star anise, mace, allspice, clove, and cinnamon. OG 13.8° Plato (1.056) ABV 5.5%"
S: I like it, extremely mild pumpkin. Could almost be a pale ale, can barely taste the pumpkin. I could see myself buying a six pack of this.
E: I second that, summery, though orange. Tastes refreshing.

La Parcela No. 1 (2008) - (Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, MI) "A smooth and malty ale, orangish in color, with hints of pumpkin and spice. Brewed with Pilsner, Munich, Vienna, Wheat and Crystal malts. Hopped with Aurora and Mt. Rainier and gently spiced with cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Keg-conditioned and aged in oak. Starting gravity 12.5° (1.050) ABV 6.1%. 22 IBU"
S: I like the tang to it, almost lemony or lime.
E: Light, fresh, gentle pumpkin, citrus, acidic.

Cerveza Calabaza - (Rock Bottom Brewery, Seattle) "Brwed with 2-Row, Munich and C-20 malts. Hopped with Bravo and Mt. Hood and fermented with Chimay Belgian yeast strains. Six lbs. per bbl canned pumpkin added in the mash, boil, and fermenter. Spiced with cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and fresh-grated ginger root - all steeped in the whirlpool post-boil. Starting gravity 16.7° Plato (1.069) AVB 7.1%, 25 IBU."
S: First thing I taste is the bitter and then the pumpkin behind it but not too much pumpkin. Mostly bitter. More like a lager with very slight pumpkin.
E: Cloudy, bitter, with a tang a moment later.

The Food:
Pumpkin Ravioli (Ericka) - WOW! So good! I ate this slowly to savor all of the tastes within it. The chicken was perfectly charbroiled, the sauce was creamy, sweet, spicy hot and spicy with nutmeg and cinnamon. Everything I'd ever hope a pumpkin ravioli would be plus more!

Elysian Burger with bacon (Si) - Good half pound with fries. Very filling, very good.