Pumpkin Beer Is A Fall Classic, But Does It Actually Contain Real Pumpkin?
When the harvest season comes around, store shelves fill up with pumpkin beers. This fall classic features hints of warm autumnal flavors like nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice — but does it actually contain real pumpkin? The short answer is that it depends on the beer. Although not all do today, pumpkin beer traditionally used real pumpkin during the brewing process to replace some of the malts and grains.
Long before Starbucks made flavored lattes — like the PSL — popular, American colonists were brewing pumpkin ales in the New World. Originally, they used pumpkin flesh, and sometimes corn or apples, during fermentation as a substitute for scarce grains. These ales were more practical than flavorful, with early versions lacking the spice-heavy flavors popular today. Early Americans viewed adding pumpkin as a last resort.
Fast-forward to 1985, when Bill Owens, owner of California's Buffalo Bill's Brewery, decided to revive the fall classic. He tried using real pumpkin, but found it too bland. So, he added his own twist by brewing with pumpkin pie spices, creating the modern, robust flavors we know pumpkin beers for today.
Some pumpkin beers still get brewed with real pumpkin
Today's pumpkin beers blend the best of both worlds: old-school brewing methods and modern twists. Some brewers combine real pumpkin with pumpkin pie spices, creating flavors that evoke the cozy feeling of an autumn afternoon as the leaves start to change.
New Holland Brewing Company's Ichabod Pumpkin Ale uses real pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg combined with malt during fermentation. Some say its amber-ale profile tastes like a fresh apple pie, with a surprisingly refreshing finish, especially for a beer in a category that's notorious for its richness.
Upslope Brewing Company's Pumpkin Ale takes a unique approach by brewing with organic baby bear pumpkins. The Boulder, Colorado brewery uses a custom blend of six spices, giving it an aroma of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, clove, pepper, and ginger.
Looking for something with a bit more hops? Captain Lawrence Brewing Company's Pumpkin Ale tastes like an IPA and pumpkin beer hybrid. Made with pureed pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices, it has notes of pumpkin and nutmeg that come through without overpowering, finishing with a bitter, hoppy beer taste.