Bartender, Some Pumpkin in my Pint, Please

Fall brings us crisp air, fantastic football, apple cider, mulled wine, and of course harvest ales.  The latter of which are becoming increasingly popular and unique.  Can you imagine a beer being made with actual pumpkin pie, for example?  Yep, it's on the menu this season, along with many other options that predominantly feature pumpkin.  

Pumpkin ales are actually quite varied.  Some brewmasters opt to add hand-cut pumpkins and drop them in the mash, while others use puree or pumpkin flavoring.  Brewers also frequently spice their harvest concoctions with common pie spices, like: ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Typically mild, with little to no bitterness, the spices often lead the flavor in these autumnal brews.

Not surprisingly, Michigan’s booming brewing industry offers several unique products during the fall season. We thought we’d let the breweries tantalize you with a few of them in their own words:

All Hallows Ale - Kuhnhenn Brewery

All Hallows Ale is made with 100lbs. of hand roasted Michigan pumpkins per 8-barrel batch, which intensifies the squash character of this beer. That is over 6 pounds of pumpkin in each 1/2 barrel. It has hot cinnamon and pumpkin aromas. This Ale is medium-bodied and only slightly sweet. Its many spices hit the palate first and finishes with roasty pumpkin goodness. www.kbrewery.com

Funkin Punkin - Short’s Brewing

Funkin Punkin is a seasonal blend of pumpkin, spices, and carefully formulated ale. Notably aromatic of pumpkin pie, and the color of a light pastel brown, this brew is especially true of ale and comfortably consumable.   Brewed with real pumpkin and real spice, it’s still very much a beer, but beautifully engineered with spice, pumpkin and beer balance. www.shortsbrewing.com

Harvest Ale - Founders Brewing

This liquid dream pours a hazy golden orange straw color with a white, two-finger head. Your first sip of this beer rewards you with a super juicy hop presence bursting with citrus, then finishes to introduce toasted malt undertones.  www.foundersbrewing.com

Ichabod - New Holland Brewing

Ichabod combines malted barley and real pumpkin with cinnamon and nutmeg in a delicious and inviting brew. It befits any autumnal adventure, including mysterious rides through the hollow, and pairs well with autumnal foods such as poultry and root vegetables. After dinner, try it with your favorite dessert. www.newhollandbrew.com

Jaw-Jacker Ale - Arcadia Ales

Jaw-Jacker Ale is a celebration of harvest-time and the changing of the seasons. Using only the finest malted barley and a touch of wheat for mouth-feel, Jaw-Jacker pours a brilliant orange-amber color with truly unique flavors. Although no pumpkins are used, a blend of nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon work with malty flavors to create a bold flavor reminiscent of pumpkin pie. A light hop note balances out the beer nicely.  www.arcadiaales.com

La Parcela - Jolly Pumpkin

OK, so the joke was Jolly Pumpkin doesn’t brew a pumpkin beer! Well, now we do – just this one – No. 1 pumpkin beer. With hints of spice, and a gentle kiss of cacao to liven the soul, this oak-aged sour beer has real pumpkin added to the barrels during the aging process. An everyday easy way to fill your squashy quotient. Guess now folks will have to find something else to joke about! www.jollypumpkin.com

Octoberfest Beer - Bell’s Brewery

Crafted as a flavorful session beer, Bell's Octoberfest Beer is perfect for a week-long wedding celebration in Germany or the start of the Michigan autumn. As with Bell's Lager Beer, Octoberfest spends a full six weeks maturing in the fermentation vessels. Unlike its cousin, Octoberfest trades in the assertive hop presence for a focus on a light caramel malt note, lending body without too much sweetness.  www.bellsbeer.com

Punkin’ Pie Whole - Right Brain Brewery