As the temperatures and leaves begin to fall and parents settle back into their school routine, the thoughts of adults start to turn to pumpkin drinks. September is the start of the pumpkin season—one heralded by everything from pumpkin muffins to pumpkin salsa—but most desirably, pumpkin beer.
Starbucks may be shouting about their pumpkin lattes, but to sturdy Coloradoans, September is the official beginning of pumpkin beer season.
Although beer snobs and hipsters have driven some derision toward pumpkin styles, pumpkin beers are the most popular of the seasonal types, and seasonal brews in general are considered the second most lucrative type of beer, beaten only by IPAs.
In fact, pumpkin beer may be the most American of all beer types. Lagers were generally brought over by German immigrants in the 1900s. Most ale styles are British derived.
Brewing with pumpkin was an innovation created by colonial brewers who used pumpkin for their mashes, due to shortages of “proper” brewing supplies and malt and sugar taxes from the crown.
As Labor Day approaches, one can begin to find nationally recognized pumpkin beers like Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale and Shipyard Pumpkinhead, as well as local orange-hued offerings from Upslope Brewing of Boulder, the Denver Beer Company, and Avery Brewing in Gunbarrel.
But don’t delay in sampling these seasonal treats! You are lucky if pumpkin beer supplies last until Thanksgiving, due to their desirability and demand.
And why limit yourself to only trying one or two when there are so many brands available nationally? Come visit our in-store pumpkin patch and stock up now. You don’t want to run out.
Because do you know what would be really scary? On Halloween night, having to drink…
…milk!
