Hey there Pumpkin! Our Fall Seasonal’s are in!

Ahhh… Fall, what a spectacular Season!

My favorite season, not only because I am obsessed with football and wacky Halloween outfits, but mostly because I love the “flavors” of Fall. Everything you drink and eat is filled with cinnamon, sweet and spicy aromas that warm you from the inside out making you want to give Fall a gigantic bear hug! It is also the time of the year to enjoy exclusive beverages that are not offered year round. No, we are not talking about pumpkin spiced lattes; I am talking about the good stuff- The Seasonal debut of Pumpkin Beers!

Pumpkin beers are an old trend that have had new life breathed into them by the recent boom  of American craft beer. From an appearance and flavor, what consumers can expect is a deep orange hue, and generally a clear liquid with a soft white foam head. Aromatically, pumpkin beers can range from an earthy, ruddy pumpkin to a powerful blast of cinnamon or clove. The taste has the same range of possibilities, and a well-made pumpkin has a balance of flavor between the fruit and the spice. That’s something of interest; Pumpkin beers (traditionally ales) are actually part of the “fruit beer” category, which are beers made with the addition of real fruit or artificial fruit flavors.

It seems like nearly every brewer is making a pumpkin ale these days; from the Shock Top Unfiltered Wheat Pumpkin Ale to the Imperial Pumking by Southern Tier, pumpkin ales are certainly not lacking in variety. Some brewers like Maine’s Shipyard Brewery have begun brewing and releasing their pumpkin as early as July. Others are waiting until late September to even begin brewing.

In Tampa, you’d be hard pressed to find a bar or package store without at least one pumpkin beer available. As a caution, I actually see this rapid growth and increasing interest in Pumpkin Ales as an early warning sign of an impending implosion of the segment. Craft brewers and drinkers are constantly striving to separate themselves from the pack, and all too often I see a trend die off as quickly as it rises.

Break away from the pack and try a Seasonal Pumpkin Beer. New brands to the Tampa Market include:ShockTop Pumpkin, Blue Point Pumpkin and Wood Chuck Cider Pumpkin, but don’t forget the number one rated Imperial pumpkin beer in the country, Southern Tier Pumking at 10.2 ABV (a MUST try). The season doesn’t last forever, so get out there and start trying the flavors that Fall has to offer you! I guarantee the first sip will trigger that forgotten happy memory of the warmth and comfort of Fall.

Cheers Pumpkin!

For more information on our Seasonal Beers please visit: www.pepindistributing.com and click on products to find out where to get them.