Buffalo Bill's Brewery Pumpkin Ale

October is a great month for beer drinkers--not only because of the release of all the delicious Oktoberfest brews, but also because it is the debut month of the pumpkin ales. Since we don't really have seasons or leaves changing color in either Florida or Southern California, seeing pumpkin ales on the shelves lets me know that autumn is officially here. My friend Melissa is an expert on all things pumpkin and put together a fabulous mini beer tasting showcasing five fall brews. With her love of pumpkin flavor and my beer expertise, we considered ourselves petite authorities on pumpkin ales. We decided we would try all five selections and then we would write a review based on our favorite pick, which was easily Buffalo Bill's Brewery's Pumpkin Ale. The first candidate was Kennebunkport's Pumpkin Ale which had a nice cinnamon flavor but was bit too light in feel for an autumnal brew in my opinion. Next was Samuel Adam's Oktoberfest, which is a great beer with nice notes of caramel and hops but I still prefer Karl Strauss' Oktoberfest. The fourth candidate was Indian Wells Brewing Company's Spicy Pumpkin Ale which had great clove and pumpkin flavor, and probably would have been our favorite had the Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale not been so wonderful. Rounding out the tasting the final brew was Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, which was tasty and had elements of cinnamon and pumpkin, but was not as remarkable as some of the other beers from the same brewery. It seemed as though the third time was a charm and Buffalo Bill's Brewery was the creator of the perfect pumpkin ale.

Buffalo Bill's Brewery Pumpkin Ale

Appearance: Carmelized amber color with an orange-ish glow and moderate amounts of white head

Aroma: Strong pumpkin nose with hints of nutmeg, hops and cinnamon

Taste: As their website states, it truly is "like pumpkin pie in a bottle". It had wonderful pumpkin flavor, great carbonation with a medium bodied mouthfeel and a sweet nutmeg finish.

Alcohol: 5.2%

I would absolutely recommend this beer to anyone who would like to experience a pumpkin ale and enjoys a seasonal twist to traditional ales. This ale is very affordable and available both by the single 12oz bottle and in 6packs at most liquor stores and even at some of the larger Ralph's and Trader Joe's. I think Buffalo Bill's Brewery did an excellent job of capturing the sweetness of pumpkin pie while providing a nice balance with clove spices and hints of hops. This ale is perfect for Halloween parties and a great way to get into the spirit of autumn without all the candy. You could pair this beer with gingerbread cookies or graham crackers or do as I do and skip the pumpkin pie and go for a liquid dessert (;