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Celebrating diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice within the craft beer community
Celebrating diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice within the craft beer community
Beer Explore

Pumpkin-Spiced Pumpkin Beer, A Fall Tradition

Malu
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November 15, 2020
4 Mins read
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Pumpkin-Spiced Pumpkin Beer, A Fall Tradition

by Emmanuel Bates

 

Sweater weather is upon us! It’s that time of year where cider mills open, leaves start falling, and you see more people drink beers such as Marzens, Ambers, and Ciders. The colder weather brings in another popular craze, pumpkin spice everything, from lattes to cookies and even hummus; Americans can’t get enough pumpkin spice. With that said, the beer industry is no different. According to Neilsen, in 2018, the market for pumpkin spice was valued at $500 million. Besides Starbucks’ pumpkin-spiced lattes, one of the most significant Fall seasonal rollout traditions is the Pumpkin Ale! Hundreds of breweries distribute pumpkin ales every year, and consumers are more than excited when it hits the shelves.

 

 

Seasonal craft beer accounts for 25% of beer sales in the United States. Fall seasonals, specifically Pumpkin Ales, are the only beer to match the IPA’s popularity. I wondered, how did pumpkin-flavored beer go from someone’s imagination to our grocery stores? The answer can be traced back to early colonial times; pumpkins are a native plant and were used in the brewing process due to good malt not being as readily available. The meat of the pumpkin provided a way to have fermentable sugars in the beer. The first commercially distributed pumpkin beer was brewed by Buffalo Bill’s Brewery in Hayward, California. The idea to brew the beer was the brainchild of photographer and brewer, Bill Owens.

 

Photo Courtesy of The Hustle.

 

The rumor was, Owens was inspired to brew a pumpkin beer after learning that the 1st United States President George Washington brewed beer with squash. Owens grew his pumpkin, baked it in the pizza oven at the Buffalo Bill brewpub, and mixed the pumpkin’s meat into the beer’s wort. The first attempt wasn’t bad but had one major flaw; it tasted like an average beer instead of pumpkin. Confronted with the new problem of getting the pumpkin beer to taste like pumpkin, Owens then decided to add pumpkin pie spices into the beer mix. The issue of flavoring was solved, which dawned the beginning of the pumpkin-spiced beer craze we experience today! 

 

 

In American history, pumpkin beer has been a tradition for centuries; one of the first American folk songs written in 1643 was about pumpkin beer.

 

“Instead of pottage and puddings and custards and pies

Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies;

We have pumpkin in morning and pumpkin at noon;

If it was not for pumpkins we should be undone.

Hey down, down, hey down Derry down.

If barley be wanting to make into malt

We must be contented and think it no-fault.

For we can make liquor to sweeten our lips

Of pumpkins and parsnips and walnut-tree chips.”

 

Because of the commercial success of pumpkin spice compared to the time of year that pumpkins are grown, the core elements of pumpkin-spiced flavor are “cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.” The key to pumpkin beer is the spice, not in actual pumpkins; that first sip needs to taste like fall. If the beer doesn’t make you want to put on a flannel and want to see the leaves turn color, you’re not doing it right.

 


However, some brewers still use actual pumpkin in their beer. To get a fresh pumpkin, a brewer would have to start sourcing pumpkins by mid- to late August to have new pumpkin beer by the beginning of October. The dedication to the pumpkin beer’s authenticity is essential; if you’re going to make a pumpkin beer, you should make it with actual pumpkin. 

According to Beer Advocate, the top 5 rated pumpkin beers of 2020 are: 

    1. Pumpkinator by Saint Arnold Brewing Company
    2. Good Gourd by Cigar City Brewing
    3. Pumpkin Ale by The Schalfey Taproom
    4. Picture If You Will by Bottle Logic Brewing
    5. Pumpkin Ale by Whole Hog Beer

 

Photo Courtesy of Untappd.

 

I am new to pumpkin beer; the pumpkin-spiced craze was something I never really wanted to try until working on this article. After researching this topic, I decided to give the Pumpkinhead Ale by Shipyard Brewing a try. The Pumpkinhead Ale is a wheat ale with pumpkin spiced aroma that wasn’t too overpowering. With a 4.5% AVB and 18 IBU, it’s not overly boozy and not too bitter; a great beer to celebrate fall. I’ve never bought into the pumpkin spice craze; however, after trying the Pumpkinhead Ale, it made me want to expand my pallet and sample more pumpkin-spiced beers. I never knew that pumpkins and alcohol could work so well together! So, welcome to the season of flannel and sweaters, head to your local beer store, and celebrate the colder weather with a great pumpkin spiced beer; it’s a tradition! 

 

 

If you are craving all things Pumpkin, check out our Pumpkin Beer Stew recipe!

 

-Cheers

 

 

  

 

ale beer history Bill Owens buffalo bill Emmanuel Bates fall fall flavor Marzen pumpkin pumpkin ale pumpkin beer pumpkin spice
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Women were the first brewers. This is a statue of Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of beer.

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Brewing [it] with honey [and] wine
(You the sweet wort to the vessel)
Ninkasi, (...)(You the sweet wort to the vessel)" -from the Hymn to Ninkasi

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/222/the-hymn-to-ninkasi-goddess-of-beer/
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“46% of trans people reported experiencing verbal harassment because of their gender identity in the last year, with nearly 1 in 10 physically attacked over their gender identity. The reason Trans Women of Color are particularly susceptible to violence involves a complex intersection of their trans identity & race, as well as poverty, over-policing & housing” - @VoxDotCom
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Reminder of our upcoming Webinar on March 21 at 1pm Central Time with Guest Speaker: Ren Navarro, @beer_diversity

We will have a living exposé of people from diverse backgrounds exchanging perspectives –  sharing a true testament of their lifestyle and culture. We will consider Cultural and Lifestyle lexicons that should be considered to be a true reflection of Cultural Appreciation. We will explore the colloquialisms that have been used to gain profit but not empathy for understanding. We will share  practical tips on how to plan and promote an event that celebrates and respects culture in an authentic way. 

“The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of people”
~ Unknown

-- 
**Interested attendees must register at least an hour before the webinar to ensure access.**

Register today and check out upcoming Webinars & Roundtables on our website. LINK IN BIO.
#Repost from @beerbanshee • Women were the first #Repost from @beerbanshee
•
Women were the first brewers. This is a statue of Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of beer.

"You are the one who holds with both hands the great sweet wort,
Brewing [it] with honey [and] wine
(You the sweet wort to the vessel)
Ninkasi, (...)(You the sweet wort to the vessel)" -from the Hymn to Ninkasi

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/222/the-hymn-to-ninkasi-goddess-of-beer/
THIS 💯 from @thehoppiestshop • There will be THIS 💯 from @thehoppiestshop
•
There will be a ton of performative post today 
At this point in 2023 it is the “fun/ good” thing to do 
But remember words don’t equal actions! 
-check to see what they stand for
-check who is on their team
-do they have a history of being performative? 
-dive deep they could be getting started remember we all start somewhere but if you don’t dive deep you could just be tricked by the surface level they are showing
#Repost from @sarah.epperson • “If your femini #Repost from @sarah.epperson
•
“If your feminism doesn’t include #TransWomen, then it’s not #feminism it’s misogyny.” - @MuchachaFanzine a #InternationalWomensDay reminder. 
⠀
“400+ anti-trans bills in 41 states supposedly aim to “protect kids” & “protect women,” but in reality, are clear attempts to eradicate trans people.” - @PinkMantaray
⠀
“As for the assertion that these bills are driven by a concern about #WomensRights - the right-wing lawmakers behind them have shown little concern about funding for #WomensSports, #EqualPay & treatment in the workplace, or #ReproductiveRights (& have sought to take away access to #contraception & #abortion)” - @TheAdvocateMag
⠀
“#TransAthlete s want to participate in #SchoolSports for the same reason as anybody else: to find a sense of belonging & social engagement, be a part of a team & challenge themselves. But states & schools across the country are trying to exclude trans people from enjoying the benefits of #sports on equal terms with their cisgender peers. These proposed laws discriminate against #TransYouth in ways that compromise their health, social & emotional development & safety + raise privacy concerns.
⠀
Just like it was never about restrooms, today’s fight is not about sports. It’s about erasing & excluding #trans people from participation in all aspects of public life. It’s about creating “solutions” to “problems” that don’t exist & in the process, harming some of the most vulnerable young people in the country” - @ACLU_Nationwide
⠀
“46% of trans people reported experiencing verbal harassment because of their gender identity in the last year, with nearly 1 in 10 physically attacked over their gender identity. The reason Trans Women of Color are particularly susceptible to violence involves a complex intersection of their trans identity & race, as well as poverty, over-policing & housing” - @VoxDotCom
⠀
☎️ EMERGENCY LIFELINES:
@TransLifeLine 877-565-8860⁣⁣
@TrevorProject 866-488-7386
⠀
💥Fight #AntiTrans Legislation: @PinkMantaray .com/TransBills
⠀
💞@PinkMantaray hosts support groups for queer & trans folks + workshops for allies who want to take action: Get more info & sign up: PinkMantaray.com
⠀
ID: 📌
#Repost from @amethyst_heels • Definitely ready #Repost from @amethyst_heels
•
Definitely ready for some post- #craftbeerhour & #topbrewstues action! We both fell for the beautiful astringent tang, deep dry cherry & oakey funk of @americansolera ‘s Foeder Cerise so had to bring a pack back from Tulsa-cheers y’all! ☺️🍻👌🏽#beergal #tuesdaybeer #funkybeer #foederbeer #americansolera #beerisforeveryone #southasianbeerlady
#Repost from @_hoppenstance • Everyday should be #Repost from @_hoppenstance
•
Everyday should be women’s day! We are quite literally the past, present, and the future. 

Women are the backbone of society, households, communities, the beer industry, and so much more!! Take the time to appreciate and thank the amazing women that you know but not just today, always. 

The future is [still] female!  Go over to @womenofthebevolution and support their merch fundraiser with @beerisforeveryone - you won’t be disappointed ✌🏽

Cheers!

🍻: Pole Shift Black IPA 7.5% @odellbrewing 

#internationalwomensday #women #thefutureisfemale #womenruletheworld #womenempowerment #beerwomen #womenincraftbeer #womeninbeer #craftbeerwomen #beertography #bekindtoyourself #hoppenstancea
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Beer is for Everyone is a grass roots project that was born from the need for more diverse bodies, spaces, and voices within the craft beer community. We look to encourage the inclusion of all people who love craft beer.

Most Popular

Lone Star Riddles

Yellow plastic crates with beer bottles in a brewery.,Bairds Brewery,Japan

The Beer Boom

Sharing beer

Colonialism and the Legacy of Lager in Mexico

Mexican alcohol cocktail chelada with light beer and lime juice
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