I’ve been thinking about writing this article since last year.
But I’ve been busy since last Fall! 😉
But here it is a year later. And it is pumpkin season.
Pumpkin spice latte. Pumpkin cookies, scones, and other treats.
And Pumpkin Spice Air Freshener.
No. Really. It exists! From Amazon.
And if you drink craft beer, it means that the breweries come out with Pumpkin Brews.
Pumpkin Nitro Stout. Pumpkin Chai Porter. Pumpkin Spice IPA. Pumpkin Pie Brown Etc Etc. Etc.
from Travel and Leisure
And you know what? In my completely biased opinion, the beer is flat tasting, boring, not engaging on the palate, a gimmick at best for the Fall.
Something that does not have strong proponents or passionate enemies. A beer that is sipped, forgotten about until next season, and never ordered again from that brewery.
In other words? Meh.
From Giphy
My conclusion? Pumpkin Beer is the Delaware of Beer.
What do I mean by this statement?
Think about it.
I mention California, mental images, if stereotypical, comes to mind: Bay Area Software Moguls, surfing, earthquakes, what-have-you.
Maine? Lobsters, rugged coast, people with distinctive accents, etc.
Colorado? Skiing, mountains, and a Rocky Mountain high.
Which has different meanings in 2018. Ahem.
Hell, even my home state of Rhode Island conjures up an image of the smallest state that is best known for a unit of measure to most and corrupt politics, mobsters, and kleptocracy to many.
Hey…it is *something* !!! From MapFight
Delaware? Nothing. Nada. A blank slate to most. Oh, sure, you can Google and get some facts. Perhaps a half-remembered 10th-grade trivia item may be recalled about Delaware being the first state to ratify the Constitution. And you may vaguely notice that credit card offers come in from Delaware. But the second-smallest state is a blank idea to many. Something most people don’t have too much passion about one way or another.
Look! Delaware is blank. From TeePublic.
And that is why I think Pumpkin Beer is the Delaware of Beer.
Mainly forgettable.
And causes most to blank on when attempting to discuss the subject in-depth.
So grab a Pumpkin Beer if you must. Try a flight of the different brews if a plethora of pumpkin choices are on tap. And the local store will, no doubt, have many pumpkin ales in the cooler.
Without the artful pumpkins and wood tables that seem to be in Every. Single. Fall. Photo. From E C Kraus.
But at the end, you’ll drink it, forget about it, and grab your favorite lager, Kolsch, stout, or ale for the next round.
I know I will!
With apologies to any readers from Delaware. I am sure the seafood is delightful and a day at the beach would be fine. And, you do indeed make some of the most famous and award-winning craft beer! 🙂
Pumpkins belong in foods only… not any sort of drink. Get a grip people
I love my Mom’s pumpkin bread. A recipe I treasure. I sure as hell don’t want that taste it in my beer!
Having lived in Delaware for a few years but recently moved back to the SNP area, I am not the least bit offended. I could have said much worse. Delaware might be a fine place to visit for a few days once or twice a year. It’s nowhere to live!
–Skyline
Does the beer actually have Pumpkin in it? I was under the impression that it was Pumpkin Spice beer. I see that in the stores, but I never looked to see if there was pumpkin listed in the ingredients. Another one to avoid is the Peach beer.