Episode Details

Pumpkin beer has a reputation problem, but a good one can taste like dessert without drinking like syrup. We’re back in the studio to chase the real question: which fall seasonal beers actually deliver that pumpkin pie payoff, and which ones just wear an orange label?

We start with a Fair State festbier and dig into what we want from a fest beer style lager and an Oktoberfest style pour: bready malt, clean finish, and enough flavor to justify the season. Then we pivot hard into pumpkin beer tasting notes, scoring, and the weird reality of trying to find pumpkin ales on shelves when releases feel smaller and vanish fast.

The pumpkin lineup is all about low ABV drinkability and clear flavor. Sam Adams Jack-O steals the show with legit cinnamon, nutmeg, and classic autumn spice that lands like liquid pumpkin pie. Third Space’s pumpkin spice cream ale comes off light and easy but missing that pumpkin punch, while Four Hands looks perfect on the can and in the glass yet doesn’t bring the spice it promises. Evil Twin finishes strong as the surprise runner up, giving us a muted but real pumpkin spice profile that we’d happily sip again.

Along the way, we share the American history of pumpkin beer, including colonial origins and the 1771 published recipe, plus the key brewing insight that explains everything: pumpkin flavor can disappear during fermentation, so brewers use spices to rebuild what your brain expects from “pumpkin.” Subscribe for more craft beer reviews, share this with your favorite fall beer hunter, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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