You may believe that Thanksgiving is only about getting indigestion with your in-laws while fighting over the remote with your niece due to an all-day “iCarly” marathon. What could be more American? We here at the Brewstorian can think of only one thing, and that thing, of course, is glorious American beer.
And what beer could be more symbolic of our melting-pot heritage than pumpkin ale? A style that has recently undergone a seasonal resurgence, pumpkin ale in modern times has become a uniquely spiced version of America’s beverage of choice. Big brewers throw in artificial flavorings to emulate craft brewers’ raw and roasted gourd beverages to get in on the autumn hype.
Many attribute the recent cornucopia of pumpkin ales to the “Original” Pumpkin Ale from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery in California, first available in the ’80s. But pumpkin ale goes far beyond the popularization of glam-metal. To find the story of pumpkin ale we must travel back to the 1600s to meet with the original rockers of Thanksgiving: The pilgrims.
Though pumpkins had been traded by earlier explorers and traders, they had not been as heavily relied on as food until the pilgrims began learning growing techniques from the native American tribes they encountered. The natives would plant corn, beans and pumpkins together, allowing the corn to act as a vine trellis, the beans to aerate the soil, and the pumpkin leaves to shade the shallow roots of the other two.
So the settlers’ diet subsisted largely on the plethora of seed and root vegetables they could easily harvest in the New World. It was much more difficult early on, however, to grow barley and other grains. These were primarily used for breads (not unlike our Bavarian friends and Reinheitsgebot), so the pilgrims had to improvise. Many would boil and press their harvest for alcoholic beverages, creating drinks from parsnips, apples, and of course pumpkins.
The first pumpkin ale was more akin to cider than beer, the pumpkin juice pressed and fermented along with hops, maple syrup, persimmons and various spices. It is said that these cloying beverages lasted well into the creation of the States, with political revolutionaries such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Ben “Beer Is Proof” Franklin brewing them as well. Yes, pumpkin ale is truly a revolutionary American idea.
And brewers of modern times have not missed a beat in furthering our founding fathers’ glorious ideas on alcohol. Today’s pumpkin ales include puréed pumpkin, roasted pumpkin, raw pumpkin — even pumpkins as fermenting tanks. Not all brewers make pumpkin ale specifically; there are also pumpkin stouts, lagers, and porters. Pumpkin isn’t just for pie anymore.
To toast our heritage in pumpkin-based libations, this month we’re reviewing Weyerbacher’s Imperial Pumpkin Ale. This Pennsylvanian brewery is situated an hour and a half north of Philadelphia, so you can taste the freedom in every sip.
A rather big beer, the Imperial Pumpkin weighs in at 8% ABV and pours a deeply caramel hue with a lingering head. The brew has a medium body and very creamy texture despite being well carbonated. Scents of cinnamon and baked-gourd dishes immediately come to the nose on first quaff.
Many liken pumpkin ales to the flavor of pumpkin pie, and this reviewer is not going to shy away from the similarities. The beer is sweet and slightly malted, the taste intensely spicy, bringing forth notes of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. While the spice adds a unique bite to the experience there is a distinct lack of hops. The beer is very sweet but has a weight behind it that makes it a warm and pleasant experience to imbibe.
So when the cranberries are on the table and you’re looking to wash down your mother-in-law’s overly dry turkey, reach for a pumpkin ale. Not only will you be patriotically correct in your choice of beverage, but you’ll also be priming your taste buds for that third slice of pie.
Drink along with your founding fathers and salute a true American pastime: The creation and consumption of great beer.
