It’s been all fresh hop posts around here lately, so here’s an interlude to round up the latest pumpkin beer news and  announcements that have crossed my inbox since I last posted on the subject.

Beachcrest Brewing currently has two pumpkin ales on tap.

Beachcrest, located in Gleneden Beach on the Oregon coast, released its Imperial Pumpkin Pie Ale a couple of week ago, with this blurb in the email newsletter:

The air is a little cooler, the leaves are starting to change, and there is a crispness in the air that makes us crave something nostalgic and comforting. Something like Mom’s famous Pumpkin Pie. In honor of Mom and all of us who just want to cozy up with a good book, a warm blanket, and something strong to keep warm, we created the Imperial Pumpkin Pie Ale. The Ale is bursting with fall spices, an orange-colored hue, and a slightly sweet finish with an ABV of 8.5%.

I notice on the website there is also listed a Pumpkin Porter that is 7.2% ABV and described simply as, “Pumpkin, spices, everything autumnal!”

Trader Joe’s pumpkin beer, cider, and seltzer.

Trader Joe’s goes full pumpkin this time of year, offering everything from pumpkin bisque to ice cream to yogurt dip, pumpkin cereal to hummus and even pumpkin dog treats. And there’s always beer; two years ago I reviewed the company’s Howling Gourds Pumpkin Ale (which has also been a popular search result here lately), which is of course back this year. It’s joined by The Gourd Tree Pumpkin Cider and Shell House Pumpkin Spiked Seltzer.

Hopworks Urban Brewery Great Gourds of Fire is out now.

HUB’s pumpkin ale falls into its “Fruited” category this year, the one non-sour beer of the lineup. Great Gourds of Fire takes the usual pumpkin spices and bump up the heat:

All organic roasted pumpkins from Bella Organic Farm send good vibes along with cinnamon, ancho chilis, clove, and cardamom.

It’s available in cans, and is 6.5% ABV with 21 IBUs.

Master of Pumpkins from Tröegs Independent Brewing uses longneck pumpkins.

Pennsylvania’s Tröegs uses local longneck pumpkins (which look a bit like butternut squash) in its annual Master of Pumpkins ale. The brewery announced the release of the seasonal this week:

The once-a-year fall seasonal begins with Pennsylvania longneck pumpkins grown especially for Tröegs at nearby Strites Orchard.

Longnecks are a hearty heirloom variety that taste similar to butternut squash and can weigh up to 20 pounds each. Each year, Tröegs uses 3,000 pounds of these local longnecks to brew Master of Pumpkins.

“To us, a pumpkin beer should have pumpkin,” says brewmaster John Trogner. “We’re a Pennsylvania brewery, and pumpkins grow really well here, so using Pennsylvania pumpkins just makes sense. Tröegs lovers definitely appreciate the connection to local agriculture.”

The brewery’s kitchen staff roasts the pumpkins in-house and passes them off to the brewing team, who purées the entire lot and adds it right into the mash tun. The result is a subtly spiced pumpkin ale with notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla as well as a backbone of caramel malt.

It’s 7.5% ABV and looks quite good from over here on the west coast…

Carton Brewing’s Rav Gourd Ale is savory cuisine-inspired.

New Jersey-based Carton Brewing turned to Italian cuisine for inspiration in brewing its Rav Gourd Ale, using butternut squash:

Continuing our path of fall gourd ales that aren’t just “pumpkin pie spiced mix” darker beers, we turn again to cuisine for spur. Here we deconstruct a “Zucca Ravioli” served in brown butter and sage topped with grated biscotti. Roasted butternut squash meat with butter added to the mash of a rich ale, fermented on anise cookies and dry hopped with sage. An autumn plate from the hills of Northern Italy interpreted as a Jersey harvest time ale.

Look, I love the pumpkin pie-inspired flavors that most pumpkin beers bring to the party, but let’s face it, it’s old hate, so I’m always super interested when a brewery goes in a different direction like with this one. And yes, I classify any squash-brewed beer into the same category with pumpkin. Rav is 8% ABV and 24 IBUs.

McMenamins Lord Gourd returns!

Yeah, it doesn’t have actual pumpkin in it, but I’m getting into the spirit of the season anyway. This week’s email newsletter from the company highlighted it:

Lord Gourd, the merry prankster, will lure you into the wood with his mischievous ways and toasty aromas of vanilla and pumpkin pie. This blend of our oak barrel-aged Black Widow Porter and Longest Night Barleywine Ale conjures the crunching of leaves, autumn bonfires and warm gatherings.

It’s a hefty 10.19% ABV with 35 IBUs. And don’t assume other individual McMenamins locations won’t brew up pumpkin beers of their own…

Spider City Brewing has its pumpkin ale a-comin’

It’s always good news in my book when one of my local breweries releases a pumpkin ale, and Spider City Brewing posted on Facebook yesterday that its All Hail Pumpkin Ale is coming soon! I’ve enjoyed this one in the past, and if the Untappd stats hold, it’s 6% ABV and 20 IBUs.