{"id":298483,"date":"2025-06-17T06:05:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T06:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/pumpkin-beer-season-is-still-upon-us-houston\/"},"modified":"2025-06-17T06:05:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T06:05:00","slug":"pumpkin-beer-season-is-still-upon-us-houston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=298483","title":{"rendered":"Pumpkin Beer Season is Still Upon Us, Houston"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Beers<\/a> <\/p>\n

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Pumpkin Beer Season is Still Upon Us, Houston<\/h4>\n


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Yes, Halloween has come and gone, but in Houston, I think the best time for pumpkin beer is late fall through the end of the year. I\u2019ll drink a pumpkin beer during any season, but it\u2019s not as easy to thoroughly enjoy this style in September and October when the outdoor temperature often still hits 90+ degrees. Many of Houston\u2019s brewers seem to agree, as many of the pumpkin beers I mention in this article were released just within the last few weeks. This is contrary to the typical brew schedule of many breweries in northern states, which release their pumpkin beers in August and September, just as their cooler weather begins.<\/p>\n

Brewing pumpkin beer comes with very little structure or rules that must be followed. You can find pumpkin beers with a base of a standard ale, a heavy stout, a coffee porter, a sour ale, a M\u00e4rzen lager, and so many other styles that can be utilized with pumpkin.<\/p>\n

Most pumpkin beers taste great, but my second reason for being so interested in this style is that pumpkin\/yam beers were a popular style in early American societies. Many scholars believe that, around 1620, colonial brewers used pumpkins and squash\u2014among many other adjuncts containing natural sugars\u2014to help with fermentation. In Joshua M. Bernstein\u2019s The Complete Beer Course<\/em>, he explains:<\/p>\n

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\u201cTo stretch out the costly grain, crafty brewers grabbed anything and everything that contained fermentable sugars and flavor, such as Jerusalem artichokes, persimmons, spruce tips, molasses, corn, and pumpkins.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When enjoying pumpkin beer, we can go out on a limb and say that we\u2019re drinking ales and lagers similar to what colonials consumed over 400 years ago. Thankfully, our society has the resources to craft more palatable pumpkin beers than those brewed by our ancestors. Read on to learn about some of Houston\u2019s own renditions of this broad style!<\/p>\n

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\u201cPumpkin Spice Oktoberfest\u201d \u2013 Saloon Door Brewing<\/h3>\n

While I\u2019m not sure how German brewers feel about it, I\u2019m a big fan of using pumpkin to add a little fun to a classic M\u00e4rzen-style lager.<\/p>\n

This version of Saloon Door\u2019s classic Oktoberfest lager has organic pumpkin puree and spices added. The brewers achieved a perfect balance in what I believe was the intent of this brew. The adjuncts are present and welcome but not too robust, allowing the base beverage to shine. I enjoyed the light scent of cinnamon and subtle taste of pumpkin upfront, with the malty, lightly hoppy finish you\u2019d expect from a quality Oktoberfest\/M\u00e4rzen lager.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Greg S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\u201cNightmare on 1st Street\u201d \u2013 No Label Brewing Company<\/h3>\n

If you enjoy vintage slasher films like I do, you might appreciate this beer just for its name. Of course, it comes with cool artwork and marketing to match.<\/p>\n

As fun as this beer is, drink it slowly\u2014it clocks in at 9.27% ABV, making it the second-strongest beer on this list.<\/p>\n

What makes this pumpkin beer unique is No Label\u2019s use of an imperial amber ale as the base. The beer is bready and malty, with light notes of caramel or toffee. On top of that, cinnamon and ginger take center stage as the dominant flavors. No Label suggests pairing this beer with roast turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, and I think they nailed it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNightmare on 1st Street\u201d is a perfect addition to this list of late fall treats, guaranteed to warm you up on a cool Houston night.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Greg S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\u201cPumpkin Coffee Porter\u201d \u2013 H Town Brewing Co.<\/h3>\n

H Town Brewing Co. may have been first this season to release a pumpkin beer in the greater Houston area.<\/p>\n

\u201cPumpkin Coffee Porter\u201d is a coffee porter first and a pumpkin beer second. It has a rich coffee flavor with a light scent of pumpkin to complement it. The beer\u2019s consistency is on the lighter side for a porter, a welcome trait when enjoyed outdoors on a warm September afternoon.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Greg S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\u201cYeller Weller Pumpkin Spice\u201d \u2013 Elder Son Brewery<\/h3>\n

Elder Son Brewery has a seasonal milk stout called \u201cYeller Weller,\u201d a semi-sweet, well-balanced dark beer with vanilla bean added. This October, they released both the seasonal ale and a pumpkin variant called \u201cYeller Weller Pumpkin Spice.\u201d<\/p>\n

This 5.7% ABV milk stout has light coffee and chocolate notes from its base beer, complemented by fall spices and pumpkin flavor. This beer is a sweet treat and my current favorite dessert beer in town.<\/p>\n

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Photo provided by Robert Frye of Elder Son Brewing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\u201cPumpkinator (2024)\u201d \u2013 Saint Arnold Brewing Company<\/h3>\n

No list of Houston-area pumpkin beers would be complete without our region\u2019s most popular pumpkin beer: \u201cPumpkinator.\u201d<\/p>\n

This heavily layered, complex stout is perfect for sipping slowly. Each sip brings new flavors to the palate. The 2024 version offers robust notes of pumpkin, brown sugar, and molasses up front, balanced by the black coffee flavors typical of this style.<\/p>\n

\u201cPumpkinator\u201d earns high regard not just for its flavor but also for being brewed with real pumpkin\u2014a brewing practice that seems to be fading.<\/p>\n

Finally, one of my favorite things about \u201cPumpkinator\u201d is the bottle. Packaged in a 22oz bomber, \u201cPumpkinator\u201d can be enjoyed by one\u2019s self, but it is quite a commitment. The other purpose of this size bottle is to enjoy it with someone you care about. 22oz of this beer with a friend or family member is the perfect vehicle to enjoy one\u2019s company, share memories and
make new ones.<\/p>\n

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Photo from Saint Arnold Instagram Page<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\u201cOld Gourd\u201d \u2013 Vallensons\u2019 Brewing Company<\/h3>\n

Although the beers in this article aren\u2019t ranked, Vallensons\u2019 \u201cOld Gourd\u201d is my personal favorite of the season.<\/p>\n

This ale contains real pumpkin, a rare but admirable choice among brewers. It\u2019s packed with flavor, making other traditional pumpkin ales seem bland. The beer features squash flavors complemented by cinnamon and other spices. At just 5% ABV, it\u2019s a flavorful yet sessionable option.<\/p>\n

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Photo provided by Vallensons\u2019 Brewing Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Honorable Mentions<\/h3>\n

Here are a few more pumpkin beers from the Houston area that I\u2019ve heard great things about but haven\u2019t tried yet. If you enjoy any beers mentioned\u2014or others I\u2019ve missed\u2014let me know your thoughts!<\/p>\n

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  • \u201cPumpkin Annihilation\u201d \u2013 Spicy Pumpkin Barleywine \u2013 Excalibur Brewing<\/li>\n
  • \u201cGourd in the Stone\u201d \u2013 Pumpkin Imperial Stout \u2013 Excalibur Brewing<\/li>\n
  • \u201cSmashing Pumpkin\u201d \u2013 Pumpkin Ale \u2013 Galveston Island Brewing<\/li>\n
  • \u201cHaunted Toffee Harvest\u201d \u2013 Pumpkin Toffee Cream Ale \u2013 Saloon Door Brewing<\/li>\n
  • \u201cScared of the Dark\u201d \u2013 Pumpkin Pie Spiced Stout \u2013 Holler Brewing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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    Enjoy the rest of pumpkin beer season, Houston! <\/p>\n

    Cheers! \ud83c\udf7b<\/p>\n

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