Great Pumpkins
Praise be to gourd!
Posted by: John Chandler on Oct 14, 2011 at 12:00PM
4 Comments
Since my friend Margaret Seiler shamelessly took the opportunity to wax rhapsodic about her addiction passion for the pumpkin milkshakes at Burgerville, I will happily follow suit. Anyone in the mood for an autumnal pick-me-up should venture over to the Green Dragon on Monday for the Killer Pumpkin Festival, a gathering for gourd geeks in need of liquid refreshment. Some 15 pumpkin beers will be on tap, including two from a pair of hollowed-out pumpkin kegs. Oooh! Pumpkiny! Other distractions include a pumpkin-smashing contest (Hopefully Gallagher won’t show up) and a pumpkin-seed spitting competition. It’s happening from 5 pm to close.
Until last week, I had never really considered the possible pros and cons of pumpkin beer. I happened to be browsing the aisles at Trader Joe’s in NW, when my bleary eyes fell upon six-packs of Kennebunkport Pumpkin Ale for $5.99. Stifling my disgust at the Kennebunkport brand, which will forever be associated with the Bush brood in my mind, I sprang for a sixer and savored every subsequent sip. It’s really a beer in two parts: the first-taste wave is lightly hopped and goes down like a smooth-drinking wheat ale. But it’s the spicy follow-up that really melts the brain. It’s exactly like a liquid slice of pumpkin pie that settles on the tongue for a second or two, before the taste magically levitates through the roof of your mouth and into your soul. It’s a flavor parade, and at a measly 4.7 percent alcohol it’s totally sessionable—though it’s a bit like pigging out on pie. If you find yourself at Trader Joe’s be sure to scoop some up.
So now I welcome the Killer Pumpkin Festival with open arms, and am hopeful that the featured brews from Laurelwood, Rogue, Hopworks, Natian, and Breakside, among other, measure up to the sale suds at Trader Joe’s. Since I’m in shopping mode, please enlighten me on other brands of pumpkin ale that are worthy of exploration.
Tags: Beer Festivals Rogue Ales Hopworks Urban Brewery Green Dragon Breakside Brewing
Now if only we could get Burgerville to serve pumpkin beer.
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale is a solid pumpkin beer. Some REALLY tasty imperial pumpkin ales are Southern Tier’s Pumking (my personal favorite) and Elysian’s The Great Pumpkin.
If you love Pumpkin brews, you won’t want to miss Elysian’s event next Saturday:
ELYSIAN BREWING’S Great Pumpkin Roadshow!!
Saturday, October 22nd from 5pm-Midnight
Join Saraveza and Elysian, the nations most pumpkin obsessed Brewery!!
Featuring:
~8 ELYSIAN DRAFT PUMPKIN BREWS (Some EXTREMELY RARE) +Special Guest Brews
~Elysian Brewers on hand to join in the Pumpkin bliss
~Pumpkin tapping ceremony
~Jack O’ Lantern Contest w/Prizes (submissions accepted until 2PM on 10/22)
~Live Music in Saraveza’s Bad Habit room & outside tents for street-side sipping’!
Admission is $20 and includes an awesome Elysian glass with 8 tasting tickets. You can get advance tickets here:
http://www.beerboutique.com/product/event-tickets
Costumes and Orange Attire Encouraged!!
Saraveza Bottleshop and Pasty Tavern
1004 N. Killingsworth Street
Portland, OR. 97217
www.saraveza.com
This year, the West Coasts biggest pumpkin heads at Elysian Brewing, brewed up 14 different pumpkin beers!! 2 of which were collaborations with New Belgium (Kick) and Stone Brewery/ The Bruery (La Citrueille Cèleste De Citracado). The 5 that made it into bottles are the above mentioned collaboration brews, plus Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, Dark O’ The Moon Pumpkon Stout and Great Pumpkin Imperial.