Ontario Pumpkin Beers for 2019
The leaves are just starting to turn colours. It’s almost – almost! – time to take out your sweater. It’s the end of September, or as many of us consider it, it’s pumpkin beer season. Harvest time; a reminder that Halloween – the year’s greatest celebration, fo sho! – is right around the corner. So, what’s in store for Ontario pumpkin beers, 2019 edition?
There’s always the usual favourites, and there’s happily some newer pumpkin-inspired concoctions from breweries from all across Ontario. Certainly, and most importantly, the following list should supply you with enough gems to keep your palette wet with pumpkin through to Halloween and beyond.
So, here we have, your seasonal obsession, 11 Ontario pumpkin beers:
Pumpkin Beers: on the easier side
GLB’s “Pumpkin Ale”
When it comes to pumpkin beers, Great Lakes Brewery‘s “Pumpkin Ale” is a seasonal favourite, and staple here in Ontario. It’s really very much what the best kind of fall is about.
The smooth and crisp ale is a perfect complement to the autumn wind, while a malty, pumpkin-pumped sweetness, allspice, and nutmeg carry the backbone of the taste, and give flavour to fall’s multicoloured leaves.
The best kind of autumn is sitting in a sunny breeze, and the light-bodied, medium-carbonated Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale certainly serves well in such a glass.
Grand River Brewing’s “Highballer”
Grand River Brewing‘s “Highballer” pumpkin ale is at the very least special because the pumpkins used in this beer are grown by the brewery’s owner in his very own garden. That’s some local produce if I’ve ever heard of it.
If that doesn’t perk your interest though, then perhaps the nose on this pumpkin ale will: big pumpkin pie – cinnamon, nutmeg. The flavour is far more subtle though. Natural pumpkin sweetness, caramel, and ginger spice are balanced by an even bitterness to produce a harvest-like character of cozy comfort. A solid offering in the pumpkin beers scene.
Lake of Bays’ “Wild North: Pumpkin Ale”
Lake of Bays Brewing Co.‘s “Wild North: Pumpkin Ale” utilizes hops more than typical pumpkin beers, and you immediately recognize this in the beer’s faint but noticeable aroma: pumpkin, caramel, vanilla, and citrus. Right from the get-go, this beer complements the flavours of autumn with a memory of a citrusy summer.
Brown sugar, nutmeg, and pumpkin lend sweetness to what is also a fairly spicy and mildly bitter beer. Muted flavours of graham cracker, cinnamon, and caramel come through on later sips. This is all brought together in a way that goes down smooth, creamy, and rich – just the way momma would’ve wanted it to.
Oast House Brewers’ “RR #7: Pumpkin & Squash Spiced Ale”
Oast House Brewers’ “RR #7: Pumpkin & Squash Spiced Ale” comes as a clear, dark orange-amber colour, which matches excellently with the autumn landscape. One whiff of the aroma brings you out into fall’s natural environment.
Yams and cinnamon win the day here, but chai and nutmeg contribute to the overall sweet and spicy balanced concoction on offer here. A smooth, creamy mouthfeel carries this light-to-medium-bodied pumpkin beer down your throat to a clean finish.
This one speaks directly to the harvest season… With it’s mouth full.
Big Rig’s “Tales From the Patch”
Big Rig Brewery‘s “Tales From the Patch” pumpkin porter is a beer that was surely made with Thanksgiving Dinner and large meals in mind. The aroma is cinnamon and vanilla. The taste is of muted pumpkin, chocolate, and a touch of vanilla. It’s light-bodied, dark brown, and friendly (despite the can art).
Big Rig’s porter goes down clean and creamy, like a pumpkin pie experience (minus the crust, perhaps). The pumpkins “From the Patch” are milky sweet, and make for an excellent pairing with any fall dessert.
Pumpkin Beers: Interesting Harvests
London Brewing’s “Fire in the Pumpkin Patch”
London Brewing Co-operative‘s “Fire in the Pumpkin Patch” isn’t what you might expect from a beer with that sort of name. This isn’t one of those pumpkin beers you go on about how spicy it is – maybe theres’ a tad bit of bitterness on the finish, but it ain’t spicy.
No, the “Fire” in the name of the beer is referring to the smokiness of this special pumpkin ale. Yes, we’re talking smoke and pumpkin, which should result in you saying, “What?!”
The usual nutmeg and cinnamon make a very mild appearance here, but the nut brown base of the beer provides a nice grounding for the smoke, and also a nice foundation for a bit of pumpkin sweetness. Light-bodied, and a lower ABV of 4.7%.
Orange Snail Brewers’ “Hockey Mask Pumpkin Ale”
Orange Snail Brewers’ “Hockey Mask Pumpkin Ale” (likely not out until just before Halloween – it’s they’re “Halloween Beer” after all!) is a bit different, and almost has a bit of a Christmas cake-like taste to it. That doesn’t mean it won’t be excellent when you have a mask of your own on for your Halloween party though.
Molasses, malt, and allspice on the nose, which hints at what might come next. Dates, raisin, maybe even a touch of cherry makes an appearance here, while more earthy and subtle pumpkin flavours float around that solid base.
Smooth with a spark of cinnamon, you won’t even notice the 6.5% ABV as it goes down.
Exchange Brewery’s “Belgian Pumpkin Ale”
The Exchange Brewery‘s “Belgian Pumpkin Ale” is a friendly, well-balanced, and comfortable ale for the autumn weather.
It tastes best while wearing a scarf in the fall sunshine, in other words.
A sweet whiff of nutmeg and cinnamon is followed by a subtle pumpkin spice balanced with a hint of clove, a touch of vanilla and brown sugar, and a bit of yeast.
Sweet and spicy, with a slightly creamy mouthfeel, the 6.1% ABV Belgian Pumpkin Ale goes down smoothly, and leaves a mostly dry finish. A medium-bodied and moderately-carbonated delight.
Pumpkin beers: heavier hitters for October
Half Hours On Earth’s “Autumn Rebellion”
Half Hours On Earth‘s “Autumn Rebellion” is what the brewery is calling a “pumpkin pie super gose.” Talk about a Halloween party: this beer’s got one heck of a costume going on…
Ok, so a gose is basically a salted, light-bodied sour, usually around 4% ABV, but the team at Half Hours On Earth decided their “super gose” would be 8% ABV (I guess that makes it “super” in my book too…), and they cleverly use the salted-side of things to bring in a bit of pie crust flavour into the mix.
This ain’t no kids game, obviously – but kids might actually really like this beer (don’t let them try it though, please)! We’re going to start with the tart, because that’s what one should get in a sour, and that’s what you might first taste with this. That’s not what you’ll likely talk about though, as a big, sweet taste of marshmallow buttressed by a solid note of vanilla and a whisper of cinnamon all come together with that, uh, tartness… What??!
Add some nutmeg on the finish to all of that deliciousness, and let it linger for a bit… Your lips will be back REAL soon, and your mouth will think it just ate a whipped cream-topped pumpkin pie.
5 Paddles’s “Frankenbrew: Pumpkin Dubbel”
5 Paddles Brewing Company‘s “Frankenbrew: Pumpkin Dubbel” is a another unique offering to the category of ‘pumpkin beers.’ Dubbels are typically deep in flavour, and this one follows along, but with pumpkin of course.
Aromas of brown sugar and cinnamon spice rise from the glass. Traditional dubbel characteristics of plum and caramel mix with pumpkin and clove to produce a smooth, balanced experience. A mild-bitter, pumpkin spice linger remains on the finish.
You can chill this one a bit, but it’s best not too cold, and you’ll enjoy it more if you take a bit of extra time with it anyways. At 8.6% ABV, the Frankenbrew works well on cooler fall evenings.
Flying Monkeys’ “Paranormal Imperial Pumpkin Ale”
Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery’s “Paranormal Imperial Pumpkin Ale” is likely where you should finish your night… Or use it to really turn up your Halloween party.
A deep flavour profile comes with this ghoulish 10% ABV Halloween monster. Aromas of pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and cinnamon lead the drinker into this creamy, full-bodied drinking experience. We have entered into a paranormal dimension here, with dates and raisins marrying ginger, caramel, cloves, and cinnamon…
It’s almost like a sweet pumpkin-gingerbread cookie. And then it finishes as one should expect from pumpkin beers called “Imperial”: spicily.
Let me know what I’ve missed in the comments below – or let me know what you plan to be drinking at your Halloween party!
In the meantime though, cheers to autumn and October, Thanksgiving and Halloween – but most of all (you know it!) – Cheers to Pumpkin Beers!!
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