Like my fresh hop season reviews, I’ve got a bunch of pumpkin beers I’m drinking this fall that I’m going to write up. The season kicked off early with Elysian’s virtual tasting last month, and 2 Towns Ciderhouse’s Hollow Jack is drinking nicely this year, so let’s jump in for more!

Also a reminder: Pumpkin beer season extends well past Halloween and into Thanksgiving!

Sunriver Brewing – Harvest Cruiser Pumpkin Brown Ale

It’s not the first time that Sunriver has brewed a pumpkin beer, but it’s the first in recent memory. The brewery mixed up its own pumpkin spice blend for this beer, and the description (via Untappd) says:

Fresh hop run? No, no its fresh pumpkin run season! We used freshly harvested and house-roasted sugar pie pumpkins from Johnson Vegetable Farms in Eugene to make this pumpkin-bread-inspired big brown ale. The velvety, sweet pumpkin along with complementary notes of pumpkin spice fulfills everyone’s seasonal craving.

I like the idea of “pumpkin-bread-inspired” brown ale, it’s a nice nod to the season while looking beyond pumpkin pie (though pie beer has its place too). It’s 7.2% ABV with 30 IBUs.

Appearance: Deep brown color, with some clarity and amber-red glow when held to the light. Creamy light tan head.

Smell: Roasted grains and a touch of chocolate with subtle spicing; some raisin and cinnamon with toasted wheat. More of a “brown” aroma than spicy, leaning on malt.

Taste: Nutty with some roastiness, caramelization that gets fairly dark but not all the way burnt; this is driven in part by the spices themselves, which are ultimately overused I think, and tip into “woodsy” territory to be almost mistaken as heavy roasted malt. Picking them out, I’d guess mace, some nutmeg, cinnamon stick. Roasted and slightly sweet pumpkin flavor comes out at the back.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with that big roastiness/spicing, dry finish.

Overall: Not bad, despite the overuse of spices; I find my self looking for a bit more pumpkin though.

Whole Hog Brewery – Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale

Whole Hog is based out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and is in fact a subsidiary of Stevens Point Brewery; I’m not sure why the subsidiary exists, though I suppose it’s a specialty line to differentiate from the standard Point lineup. Pumpkin Ale is one that’s brewed right in the “classic” pie style, a malty amber ale with spices. I first had this way back in 2014, but I don’t believe I’ve had it since.

The Untappd description reads:

Handcrafted using real pumpkin and savory pumpkin pie spices with hints of all natural cinnamon and nutmeg. Perle hops balance with rich Munich, Roasted, and Caramel malts for the full-bodied taste and exceptional flavor.

It’s 7% ABV with 38 IBUs.

Appearance: Amber colored with a bit of orange; some clarity to it. Light tan head fell to a slick and a ring fairly quickly.

Smell: Straight pumpkin pie with brown sugar and comforting spices—nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon. A bit of creamy pie filling there too.

Taste: Big pie notes in the flavor as well, with some malt sweetness and raw pumpkin character. The squash note gives a slight tang at the back, but not like a sour beer—like raw squash which has a bright vegetal note. The spices are in the flavor, with creamy nutmeg a prominent note, but they are not overdone.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with some spice-squash, thinnish aftertaste.

Overall: It’s better than I remember, tasty for a “classic” version of the style.

Crux Fermentation Project – YAAMCO Spiced Yam Ale

Crux made a pumpkin (adjacent) beer! Okay so it’s a yam beer but it’s close enough—both yams and pumpkins have beta-carotene (which among other things give them their orange color) and they are quite similar when it comes to culinary uses, so I’ll allow it. (Untappd does this too, with its “Pumpkin / Yam Beer” category.)

I don’t believe Crux has ever made a pumpkin (or yam) beer before, so this one is momentous. The name is super clever too, as the building Crux inhabits was formerly an AAMCO Transmission shop. The description says:

YAAMCO is a deep mahogany-hued winter ale that’s brewed with roasted yams and accented by the comforting blend of cinnamon, ginger, clove, and sweet orange peel. A warm slice of the holidays in a pint glass, straight from our AAMCO-shop-turned-taproom to you.

I like the idea of sweet orange peel accompanying the other spices. YAAMCO is 6.7% ABV with 40 IBUs.

Appearance: Dark amber color, nearly brown, with garnet highlights when held to the light. Creamy off-white or light-tan head with some fish eye bubbles.

Smell: Spices that smell like fall with a classic pie blend nose, a nice kiss of orange, and there’s definitely a sugary, roasted yam aroma, with some caramelization.

Taste: It’s spice-forward with a noticeable clove note that plays off a big roasty character to be a bit earthy, with subtle caramelized sweetness that tempers it all as it warms. Reminds me of a brown ale too, with some light molasses and toasted bread. It’s as described!

Mouthfeel: Medium body and a thin (well attenuated) character, with a spicy finish.

Overall: Pretty good with terrific aroma and interesting flavors.