Brace Yourself for Pumpkin Ales That Are Aut-yum
Fall is one of my favorite times of year, now that I’m not in grade school. The foliage puts a new perspective on my favorite parks, fall vegetables are some of the best to cook with, and I no longer projectile vomit when I see how high my electricity bill is after leaving the A/C on all the time. It’s magical.
As a beer lovin’ kind of gal, an added bonus is the resurgence of pumpkin ales! Seriously, it’s pretty much all I’ll drink for the next few months. I’m just one of those people that can’t get enough of pumpkin flavored everything. I will fight you on this point as well. I’m small but I’m scrappy.
So, to benefit pumpkin lovers around the five boros I have a list of my three favorite pumpkin ales and where in the city to get them. All of said bars have happy hours, so you’ll feel a little less guilty when you go up for that second round.
Southern Tier Pumking
I’ll never forget, right before I tried Pumking for the first time, I was chatting with the bartender before I was going to make a selection. She suggested that I try the Southern Tier Pumking because it tastes exactly like pumpkin pie. Intrigued, I had her serve one up for me. What do you know? It tastes exactly like a post-Thanksgiving dinner, pre-food coma dessert. I have a HUGE sweet tooth as well, so this one was a treat. It’s been my favorite pumpkin beer ever since. Because, I mean pumpkin pie man…PUMPKIN PIE!
Place to get it:
Valhalla
815 Ninth Ave
(Hell’s Kitchen)
Happy Hour 1am-4am Daily $5 American Craft Beers
I’ve been to Valhalla a couple times. It’s a cool spot. It can get a wee bit packed on occasion, but some people like sweaty rock concert crowds. I’m not going to judge you.
Dogfish Head, Punkin Ale
Talk to most fans of pumpkin ale, and they’ll usually confirm that this is one of the best, if not the premier brew. I like it because it’s cinnamon-y, but not overpowering. It’s not too sweet, and it’s rather bubbly, if you like that. It’s dry as opposed to creamy, and the taste lingers afterward but not so much so that it’ll stick with you forever.
Place to get it:
Tribeca Tavern
247 W. Broadway
(Tribeca)
Happy Hour 4-7pm, $4 Drafts
If you haven’t been to Tribeca Tavern, go. It’s spacious, chill, and has a huge selection of fantastic beers on tap. So for all your non-pumpkin beer swillers, it’ll appease everyone.
Blue Point Pumpkin Ale
I tried this for the first time last week. I figured, “Okay Blue Point is known for its blueberry beer, so they should be able to do something great with pumpkin too.” Well, eat your heart out Sherlock Holmes, my powers of deduction were spot on. I liked it. It’s very mild, but not so that you could totally forget that you’re drinking a pumpkin ale. It’s somewhat dry, and the flavor disappears very quickly from your tongue. Admittedly it is not as power packed as the previous two ales. However, it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t enjoyable.
Place to get it:
Amity Hall
80 West 3rd Street
(West Village)
Happy Hour until 7pm daily $4 Drafts
Amity Hall is a favorite spot of mine for happy hour. It has an incredible selection of craft beers, all for four bucks each. They also have great food specials throughout the week.
Photo Credit: Memegenerator
