Best and Worst Pumpkin Beers of 2014

Every year, during the months of September and October, I enjoy drinking Pumpkin Beer. Ever since becoming a craft beer enthusiast about 2 years ago, I've made it my mission to try as many different kinds of the pumpkiny beverage as I could get my hands on. Initially I started off small and only tried a handful of pumpkin beers my first year of drinking them. The following year I found even more to try and expanded my pumpkin beer palate. This year I outdid myself once again and sampled 22 different pumpkin beers in the same day with some close friends by my side. Below you will find our impressions of each of these beers. I've divided them into separate classes based on their alcohol content, plus it wouldn't be fair to compare the lighter Post Road Pumpkin with the super sweet and delicious Pumking. Listed in order from best to worst in each class.

Light Beers:

Jacko-O Traveler Shandy: At 4.4% ABV, Jack-O was the lightest pumpkin beer we drank. It reminded us more of a summer beer than anything. True to its shandy nature, there was a sweet lemon taste throughout as well as a hint of pumpkin. Very light and refreshing, although definitely more suitable for drinking in warmer weather.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead: Shipyard's brews have always been a good standby beer for me. Their carbonation and flavor remind me of that of a soft drink, like a flavored soda. In their pumpkin offering we tasted cinnamon and different spices. I enjoy it every time I drink it. 4.7% ABV.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale: A middle-of-the-road (if you will) pumpkin brew. Knowing this was made by Brooklyn Brewery I expected more. A good amount of flavor, but not anything special. Enough to like in this one to enjoy a bottle or two. 5.0% ABV.

Great South Bay Splashing Pumpkin: One of our very own Long Island brews! While I initially enjoyed GSB Splashing Pumpkin, upon further tasting I didn't think it was so great. My friends agreed. You could do worse, but there's not enough spice or flavor to keep this as one of my standbys in my mini-fridge. 5.0% ABV.

Uinta Punk'n: One of my least favorite pumpkin beers of all time. Punk'n has nothing going for it and is unpleasant to the taste. Burnt pumpkin flavor and not in a good way! Soapy too. I drank this one last year too and it was the same thing. Would never drink again willingly. 5.0% ABV.

Medium Beers:

UFO Pumpkin: Harpoon's offering was consistently one of my favorite pumpkin beers the last two years. I've had friends, coworkers and family all try this one and they all agree...it's good. When it comes to alcohol content and flavor UFO is right in the middle and perfect for both craft beer lovers and people who enjoy the occasional light beer. 5.9% ABV.

Wilhelm Scream: Magic Hat brewed a pumpkin beer? Who would've thought. This year was the first time we tried Wilhelm Scream and we were pleased. It had a good amount of sweetness, but also enough bitterness to accompany it. I could easily see myself drinking this one at a bar with little other options. 5.4% ABV.

Captain Lawrence Pumpkin: A little more mellow than Wilhelm, but still with a good amount of flavor. The average of the medium class. 5.5% ABV.

Ithaca Country Pumpkin: This one was my #2 choice, but sadly my friends didn't agree with me. I thought Country Pumpkin had a stronger flavor than both Wilhelm and Capt. Lawrence, while also remaining light and not too overpowering. My friends thought it was too bitter and slightly bland. 6.3% ABV.

Pumple Drumkin: This falls in the same class as Uinta's Punk'n. Pumple Drumkin is a pretty bad pumpkin beer. Average at best and too bitter for its own good. Promises of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg on the bottle are never fufilled. 6.0% ABV.

Medium-Heavy Beers:

Only 3 in this category as it was our resting/food break point

Night Owl Pumpkin: Elysian made a damn good pumpkin beer and this was the first year trying it for us. Reminded us all of a pumpkin pie cooked just a little overdone. Brown sugar and nutmeg are present throughout every sip of this pumpkiny delight. Can be enjoyed on many autumnal occasions. 5.9% ABV.

Horseheads Pumpkin: My girlfriend and I LOVED this one. My friends thought it was a little too sweet. Horseheads Pumpkin tasted just like candy to us. Cinnamon and brown sugar throughout, I could easily get this one down. Reminded me of eating a more intense Auntie Anne's pretzel. 6.6% ABV.

Roadsmary's Baby: Another great one. Roadsmary's Baby was aged in rum barrels and has a sort of vanillaly pumpkin flavor associated with it. Tasty to say the least. 6.8% ABV.

Heavy Beers:

 

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin: So much flavor, Weyerbacher is to die for. Tastes just like a perfectly sweet pumpkin pie flavored candy beverage. You can taste the cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices with each sip. Near perfection. 8.0% ABV.

Schlafly Pumpkin: A close runner up to Weyerbacher. Schlafly is similar to Night Owl in its pumpkin pie like-taste except sweeter. I could drink this one for weeks (and I have!). 8.0% ABV.

Dogfish Head Punkin: Dogfish Head succeeds in making a really good pumpkin ale. Erica described it as nutty and more of a brown ale. Nutmeg is present in the flavor. I liked it, but didn't think it was anything too special. 7.0% ABV.

Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout: The only pumpkin stout we tried in our tasting. Fisherman's tastes more like chocolate than pumpkin to me. Chocolately as most stouts and with a hint of pumpkin for good measure. Good, but not if you're in the mood for a straight up pumpkin flavor. 7.0% ABV.

Gruntled Pumpkin: A unique take on pumpkin beer. Had a distinct flavor, but no where near as good as the rest. Tasted a bit off honestly. 7.0% ABV.

Super Heavy Beers:

Pumking: The best of the best when it comes to heavier pumpkin beers. Southern Tier has made a real winner here. One of the sweetest pumpkin beers I've ever drank. Tastes like candy, cinnamon, and vanilla. Forget candy, give me this beer! 8.6% ABV.

Harpoon Imperial Pumpkin: In addition to UFO, Harpoon also brewed their heavier take on a pumpkin beer. Delicious and full of flavor. Nothing can touch the greatness that is Pumking though. 10.5% ABV.

Punkuccino: If the words Pumpkin Coffee Beer don't excite you then skip out on this one. Tasted more like coffee than pumpkin to me, but was still a very good brew. I finished every last drop! 5.0% ABV.

The Fear Imperial Pumpkin Stout: Flying Dog what have you done to us? With The Fear they made the darkest pumpkin beer I have ever seen. The color is near black and the taste, leaves more to be desired. I think they tried too hard with this one. Tasted like burnt pumpkin with too much alcohol in it to mask the flavor. 9.0% ABV.

So there you have it! Our results of drinking 22 different pumpkin beers. Have you tried any on our list and have anything to say that we left out? Let us know in the comments section below. Happy Halloween Everyone!!!

Founders Mosaic Promise

Founders Brewing has always stood for creativity, especially among themselves and all of the beers they have brewed over the past 17 years. They are never afraid of stepping too far outside of the box and giving us beer lovers something new, inventive and pleasing to our palate. 

Mosaic Promise is the 2014 Founders creation for the annual ArtPrize competition that takes place every year in Grand Rapids Falls, Michigan. Through an exclusive 5 year contract, Founders became the official brewery for the competition and will brew a brand new beer to benefit ArtPrize each year. Every six-pack sold will be used to help fund every future competition and encourage creativity among all the artists that enter.

Founders to me is like an old friend. One of the first true craft beers I have tried was made by Founders (if you're curious it was the Breakfast Stout!) and every time they have something new to share with me, I eagerly get out my pint glass and wait for them to pour.

Whether I have had a rough day, or I'm just enjoying a fun night with some friends, I never hesitate to grab one of my many favorite Founders standbys out of my mini fridge and indulge. There are so many good Founders brews, all of them full of flavor and comforting for me to drink.

Mosaic Promise: Refreshing and Tasty

 
Mosaic Promise is no exception to that rule and to me tastes like a more refreshing All Day IPA, brewed with a single malt and a single hop. Founders beers always has that pleasant flavor associated with them and they always serve as a reminder of my induction into the world of craft beers.

The art on the label of Mosaic Promise is titled "Ninkasi" and was created by Grand Rapids artists Matt and Elizabeth Kolenda, Adrianne Hollemans and Maria Orr of Kolenda Art Glass originally as a stained glass piece. It was submitted in the 2013 ArtPrize competition and depicts the ancient Sumerian goddess of beer.

Founders Dissenter Imperial IPL

Labor Day was yesterday and what better way to celebrate than with a good beer? Last night I cracked open my 750ml bottle of one of the most recent beers released by Founders Brewing Co in their Backstage Series: Dissenter Imperial IPL. Dissenter is an Imperial India Pale Lager.

Founders is not really known for brewing lagers...ever, but they decided to give this one a shot and try something new with the style. Founders always creates complex beers. If they can brew a lager worth drinking then I'm on board.

Right from opening the bottle a hoppiness is present in the aroma. I poured myself and my friend Rob a glass.

Dissenter had a generous amount of head and a hoppy taste/flavor throughout. It almost felt like I was drinking All Day IPA or Double Trouble with each sip.

Overall I thought that Dissenter was just okay. There's a lot of people on the Dissenter review page on Beer Advocate that loved it and thought its flavor was complex with pineapple, mango and other tropical fruits. I just didn't taste it this time around.

Both Rob and I throught it was a pretty standard tasting beer with a good deal of hoppiness and bitterness. I fear that I've grown tired of IPAs since I've had so many of them over the summer months. I think it's time I take a break from the style and gracefully come back to it in a year or so.

That being said, if you can find Dissenter in stores feel free to give it a try. At 8.7% ABV it's sure to knock you on your butt right onto your couch.

Founders Dissenter Imperial IPL is the first beer to be released in its 2014 Backstage Series. I'm more excited for the next one to come out; Smoked Porter in February.

Still good, just tired of IPAs

Chip Blog: The Great Lays Showdown of 2014

Last year marked the first ever Lays 'Do Us A Flavor' contest, which allowed potato chip fans from around the U.S. to pick a new flavor that was to be made into a permanent option in the Lays lineup. Last year's entries included the sweet and delicious Chicken and Waffles, the spicy yet great Sriracha and the winner of it all Cheesy Garlic Bread. I tried all of these flavors and thought Sriracha should have won it, but I guess not everyone shared my love for the Thai hot sauce infused chips.

This year the polls for the 'Do Us A Flavor' contest opened on July 28th and they will be closing on October 18th. There are four options this year to choose from: Wavy Mango Salsa, Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger, Cappuccino, and Cheddar Bacon Mac and Cheese.

 

I sat down with a couple close friends and decided to try them all and write down all of our impressions of each flavor. We started with Cappuccino as that one made us the most curious.

"That's a weird flavor, very interesting." - Brett S

"What is that? It's a little spicy under my tongue." - Erica W

"Good and sweet, like a dessert chip." - Phil

"I think it should be sweeter." - Brett S

"Tastes just like the foam of a real cappuccino!" - Erica W

Next we moved on to Wavy Mango Salsa:

"It smells kind of like Fruity Pebbles." - Phil

"Tastes like a dried mango." - Brett S

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." - Erica W

"Needs a better balance of mango and salsa, I don't taste any salsa." - Brett S

"Tastes like they couldn't decide on making fruit snacks or potato chips." - Phil

"I was absolutely disgusted by that one." - Brett S

Cappuccino and Wavy Mango Salsa on the top,

Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese and Wasabi on the bottom

Thirdly we tried the Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger:

"In your face, just like real wasabi." - Phil

"Ooo I like this, it's soo good." - Erica W

"That is so Wasabeeeee, I taste the ginger too." - Brett S

"Not too spicy either." - Brett S

Last but not least we threw the Cheddar Bacon Mac and Cheese down our gullets:

"It smells like dog food." - Brett S

"That's dog food." - Erica W

"Tastes like mac and cheese, nothing special." - Phil S

After the initial tasting we all sat down for a couple of minutes and continued to taste test the chips seeing if our opinions changed as we did so. Eventually we each voted on each chip placing them with a number 1 through 4 depending on which we liked the most and the least. Here are our results:

Brett: 1) Wasabi 2) Mac and Cheese 3) Cappuccino 4) Mango Salsa

Erica: 1) Wasabi 2) Mac and Cheese 3) Cappuccino 4) Mango Salsa 

Phil: 1) Wasabi 2) Cappuccino 3) Mac and Cheese 4) Mango Salsa

Despite Erica and Brett initially both thinking the Cheddar Bacon Mac and Cheese smelled like dog food they ended up digging the flavor a lot more after eating a few chips. We all agreed that the Wasabi Ginger was our favorite and had a good balance of spice and flavor and was the best fit with its kettle cooked style. I really enjoyed the Cappuccino and it was almost my number 1, but it was a bit too sweet for a chip that I would eat on a daily basis. The Mango Salsa chip, while it sounds good in principle, was disgusting for all of us and they should never make it ever again at least not with that overpowering nasty Mango flavoring.

So there you have it; Our great Lays off! Have you tried all of these flavors? Which one will you be voting for and hope will be made into a permanent flavor?
Let me know in the comments section below.

Hoptimum (Sierra Nevada)

Good Ol' Hoptimum. Literally this bottle was both good and old. This batch was brewed in 2012 and while normally it's customary to drink an IPA (India Pale Ale) while it's still fresh, this one was left in my basement to sit for awhile (and not on purpose!).

Hoptimum, brewed by Sierra Nevada is a Whole-Cone Imperial IPA that is a whopping 10.4% ABV. What makes this IPA different from the rest is the brewing process in which whole-cone hops are used aka the entire hop. The majority of other IPAs are brewed using hops that have been cut up into smaller pieces. By using whole-cone hops produces a stronger, more robust flavor that is present in the beer.

So how does Hoptimum stack up with the other countless IPAs I drank over the years? Let's find out.

Not only is my shirt Kick-Ass, the beer is too!

Like other IPAs Hoptimum has a very pine-inspired scent associated with it. Its color is that of an amber orangey red. The taste is both strong and memorable.

Bitterness is expected with an IPA and Hoptimum has its fair share of it. Hidden behind the initial explosion of bitterness on your tastebuds is citrus notes, almost like that of a grapefruit. The pine flavor is evident in every sip although I would say it's not as overwhelming as a beer like Heady Topper.

 

That being said Hoptimum is a great beer, but not as good as my favorite IPA of all time Hopslam. It just doesn't have the smoothness that Hopslam had and the subtle sweetness that made it great. For those who are more of IPA purists though Hoptimum is a dream come true and one of the best IPAs you can buy on the market.

 

Look for it in stores, it's sold in 4 packs!

 

Hoptimum was created by the masterminds at Sierra Nevada Brewing and if I made a list of my top five favorite IPAs it would be on there.

Southampton Double Ice Bock

Easter is a very special day. One which we share with our families and eat delicious candy and other foods we probably shouldn't be eating. It's also a time to catch up and create new memories. Easter 2014 was a very special day for me and not just because of my wonderful family and foods that probably caused me to gain a couple of pounds, but also because of a small beer by the name of Double Ice Bock...created by Southampton Publick House.

I picked up my one 7 oz bottle from the Russian Imperial Stout Release Party I went to back in February. I decided Easter night was just as good of a night as any to appreciate this fine beer. I love bocks so I was greatly anticipating this one...enough to even pose with my bottle before opening it.

Just from the gold aluminium foil on the top of the bottle, you knew it was going to be a good one.

I opened the Double Ice Bock bottle and was met with this sight, slowly bubbling and waiting to be drank.

The smell of Double Ice Bock was that of a good ol' fashioned German beer complete with maltiness and all.

Without waiting any longer I took a sip of one of the best beers I have drank in 2014.

I can't really describe the flavor of Double Ice Bock all too well. Maltiness was evident with each sip I took and it was an all around perfect beer. I'm a big fan of bocks, especially double bocks. This is the first time I have ever tried an ice bock and boy was I pleased.

I wish Southampton sold me more than one bottle of this fine beer. Great in every way imaginable and a beer drinker's dream.

Double Ice Bock was created by the Southampton Publick House and has an ABV of 18.00% ABV.

The New Taco Bell Breakfast...Reviewed!

This is definitely not a Beer Blog, but something I have to write about. Today I got to try Taco Bell's new breakfast menu, Waffle Taco and all. This is my post telling you about my experience and what I thought of Taco Bell's entry into the world of breakfast.

I arrived at my local Taco Bell to find this glorious sign out front displayed in one of the windows. If my anticipation wasn't already high enough, this sign showing the delicious Waffle Taco brought it to a critical level.

As I walked into the Taco Bell I was all smiles as I thought about the experience I was about to have with menu items I've been waiting to try for months.

I walked up to the counter and was greeted by one of the happiest Taco Bell employees I've ever encountered (especially at the early hour of 10:20 AM) and ordered my food. 

I chose the Waffle Taco combo (Combo 15), which included a side of a hash brown and a drink (I got coffee). I also ordered an A.M. Crunchwrap with bacon.

Within minutes my food was ready.

After opening the bag I was greeted with these new containers specifically made for the Breakfast items.

I thought they were cleverly designed and the message it brings is that Taco Bell believes that they can compete with the other breakfast experts...McDonalds.

I opened my containers and was amazed by this spectacle:

And this...

I tried the A.M. Crunchwrap first. It contained scrambled eggs, hash browns, cheese and bacon. It also had the creamy jalapeno sauce that you would normally find in a chicken or steak quesidilla. I loved it.

It had a bit of a spice to it and was flavorful enough to keep me coming back for more. Every bite was better than the last and it was gone within minutes.

Next onto the Waffle Taco with sausage.

 
It wasn't quite as good as the A.M. Crunchwrap I had, but still worth trying. The sausage on it looked and tasted fake. The waffle it was on was a little better, but nothing to write home about. I later found out that I was supposed to get syrup with mine, but I didn't. If I had the syrup to dunk it in it would've made it a lot better. Overall I was disappointed with it.

The hash brown I got on the side was just as good as I expected it to be. It was almost identical to the ones at McDonalds in taste and consistency. A little greasy, but that's expected.

The coffee was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary.

For my first Taco Bell breakfast experience I was pleased, but not floored. I really think they're onto something with the A.M. Crunchwraps, but there's room for improvement with the Waffle Tacos. The price of my meal was cheap too (I spent a little over $7 for everything).

In addition to the items I tried, there is a Steak & Egg Burrito, Breakfast Burrito with Sausage or Bacon, an A.M. Grilled Taco, a Sausage Flatbread Melt and Cinnabon Delights available during breakfast hours, which go begin at 6:30 A.M. and end at 11:00 A.M. at my local Taco Bell.

I look forward to trying out these other menu items on my next visit, especially the Steak A.M. Crunchwrap.

This was a good taste test for me and I only expect for Taco Bell to improve upon these scrumptious breakfast creations.

Taco Bells nationwide started opening earlier and selling their breakfast items on Thursday, March 27th. If you love Taco Bell's regular menu it is hands down worth a try.