Merry Chris...Happy New Ye....Ahhh Hell the Pumpkins are Still Here!!!

Yes the New Year is here and so am I.  The blog, though seemingly on life support, rolls on with a pulse. A pulse that demands the third installment of the pumpkin beer saga.  No fear this is the light at the end of a long cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg infused tunnel.  It is officially 2012 and this is DEAD PUMPKIN BEERS WALKING the final onslaught.

All the previous Pie-in-a-glass (P.I.G) rules apply.  A 1 rating means the pie and the pint don't share much in common. On the flip side a 5 means the pie rules with a heavy hand. If you need more details please refer back to the other pumpkin posts. Now lets put a knife to this pumpkin beer madness and end it.

Sixpoint: Autumnation

This is the first and only canned pumpkin beer out of the bunch. Similar to canned pumpkin used for a pie this beer is a bright seasonal orange. Unfortunately that's about where the pumpkin comparison stops.  Not much pumpkin flavor happening here. Maybe some allspice, ginger and essence of pumpkin at the most. What stands out more are the crisp, grassy and bitter notes that make for a good fall IPA. The P.I.G is 1 and done.

Uinta: Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin Ale

The barrel aged trend has found it's way to the pumpkin beer patch.  This is the third barrel aged pumpkin beer to get the P.I.G review.  Jacked is part of Uinta's Crooked Line Series and hits with a big abv of 10.31% (really?). If accurate it's a very good percentage for a Halloween appropriate brew. This beer is a spice train. Loads of allspice, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon and vanilla all swirling together. The pumpkin-vegi-squash flavor is there if you really search it out. The oak treatment comes on at the end and then it all becomes boozy and hot.
Like a kid with only half a bag of candy on Halloween, I expected more. P.I.G points 2.5.

Voodoo Brewing Company: Headless Horseman

If you fear the dark this is not the beer for you. Pumpkin Beers don't get much murkier or charred brown than this nitro pour. The color maybe haunting but that's where the scariness ends. This is smooth pumpkin spice happiness. The pie spice is heavy handed (especially ginger and clove) but it works with the mellow roastiness.  Although somewhat thin it doesn't distract from the creamy smoothness.  Even with a touch of malt sweetness the bite of bitter hops had me thinking Black IPA. The P.I.G is big here. Think, a slice of pie served with a dark roasty Starbuck's blend. This treat gets a 4.

Jolly Pumpkin: La Parcela

What better way to end this pumpkin journey than with the brewery that mistakenly gets thrown in the mix of pumpkin happenings by those not in the know. Despite the name of the brewery La Parcela is the first pumpkin beer from Jolly Pumpkin.  If sour is your thing get to know these guys. They specialize in funky ales and  this is certainly a funky pumpkin. The sour isn't tongue buckling but it is dominate. Real pumpkin flavor is there but it takes effort to pull out the traditional spices. I picked out more citrus, grass and biscuit than pumpkin. It's a solid, tasty sour that breaks away from the traditional pumpkin format. For that reason the P.I.G rides low with a 0. Sorry, no pie for you.

This pumpkin beer ride has gone on  far longer than expected but that's not such a bad thing. I had the opportunity to try some amazing beer. Each year it's seems that more brewers are jumping into the pumpkin patch. One of the reasons for the many creative twists on the typical pumpkin and spice approach. If you still have a taste for the spicy beer offerings there are certainly several still out there. Even though we are on the downside of the season and the autumnal spirits are at rest, it won't be long until another crop of pumpkin inspired treats rises to take over taps once again.