Most years, I post something about how excellent pumpkin beers are and that anyone who is remotely close to Seattle or can get here for a weekend in October should attend what I consider, the pinnacle beer event of the year: The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival hosted by the kings and queens of pumpkin beer, Elysian Brewing. However, this year, I was graciously invited to talk in depth about pumpkin beers on KIRO radio and I thought, “Well, this is a great opportunity to delve deeply into exactly what local pumpkin beers are available out there on the market this year.” What are they like? How do they differ? Which one is the right pumpkin beer for you?
So here’s my breakdown of each pumpkin beer that was tasted and will be reviewed on the show today. Yes, there are more than merely six pumpkin beers being crafted here in the Pacific Northwest, but I went with the six that are made here in the greater Seattle area by breweries that are close to my home and my heart. These are also beers that are easily available to you, the consumer, at your nearest bottle shop. After the beer descriptions, keep reading if you’d like to know more about baking with pumpkin beers.
Six local (Seattle area) pumpkin beers:
Elysian Brewing Night Owl: 5.9% by volume, sold in both 22 oz and 12 oz bottles and on tap around the Seattle area. Night Owl Pumpkin Ale is the most popular pumpkin beer that Elysian makes and is brewed with over seven pounds of pumpkin per barrel and spiced in conditioning with nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Made with Pale, Munich and Crystal malts green and roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin in the mash, boil and fermenter. Bittered with Horizon hops.
Pours a medium orange/amber, slightly cloudy. Lots of pumpkin flavor and spice, nice light body, very drinkable. This is Elysian’s most popular, widely sold pumpkin ale. Usually on my “recommends” list for someone who’s never had a pumpkin beer before as an introduction to the basic style.
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Two of the best beer events of the year are coming…
And you won’t want to miss out. So what two things should you do today? Well, aside from drink plenty of H20 because it’s ungodly hot out: 1) Buy your tickets for Craft Beer + Food and 2) Buy your tickets for the Elysian Great Pumpkin Beer Festival.
First, let me clarify. The online ticket purchases for GPBF are not going to be available until next week. But, you can purchase your tickets starting today at any of the Elysian Pub locations (Capitol Hill, Elysian Fields or Tangletown). GPBF will be down at the Georgetown Elysian Brewing campus again this year. Biggest change in the event is that there will be one evening session on Friday, October 19 from 4–10 p.m. and then two sessions the following day, Saturday, October 20; one from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. and then one from 5–10 p.m.
Now, as for Craft Beer + Food, tickets will start being sold online at promptly 12 p.m. PST on Brown Paper Tickets. Last year, the tickets sold out online relatively quickly and, along with GBBF, is pretty much the beer event of the fall. I highly encourage you to read my post from last year, as I went through and talked in-depth about the event and posted many mouth-watering photos. The event is Wednesday, September 19 from 5– 8 p.m. at the Yacht Club on Lake Union. This year’s line-up is even more spectacular than last year’s with the same great venue and non-profit project, which the proceeds go to are the same. Again, I cannot emphasis enough, buy your tickets early. As in now.
Restaurants include Brave Horse Tavern, Emmer & Rye, Matt’s in the Market, Quinn’s, Ravish and more. Breweries include Airways, American, Elysian, Fremont and many more. Check out their website for details.