A listing of the top 10 pumpkin beers brewed in the United States(2013).  Great for the Holiday season.
1. Punkin  Ale – Dogfish Head Craft Brewery A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. Perfect to warm-up with, as the season cools. Food Pairing recommendations: Turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, dessert dumplings. 7% abv. 24 ibu.    

    2. Pumking             - Southern Tier Brewing Company Pumking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from which they return forever changed! Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape. 8.6% abv  

3. Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale - Stevens Point Brewery Handcrafted using real pumpkin and savory pumpkin pie spices with hints of all natural cinnamon and nutmeg. Perle hops balance with rich Munich, Roasted, and Caramel malts for the full-bodied taste and exceptional flavor. 7.5% ABV. 2012 Gold Medal Winner at the Great American Beer Festival.  

4.  Terrapin Pumpkinfest  - Terrapin Beer Company ‘Pumpkinfest’ is a traditional Octoberfest brewed with over 1 pound of pumpkin per barrel along with pumpkin spices. All of the malt of a German Fest beer and all the spice of Grandma’s pumpkin pie!”

5. La Parcela- #1 Pumpkin Ale – Jolly Pumpkin Packed with real pumpkins, hints of spice and a gentle kiss of cacao to lighten the soul. An everyday easy way to fill your squashy quotient. Only available for a few short months. Not to be missed.   6. Alaskan Pumpkin Porter – Alaskan Brewing Company With over 11 pounds of pumpkin added to every barrel of this imperial porter, this beer has a smooth, velvety rich texture. Brown sugar, holiday spices and a scoche of Alaskan’s famous alder-smoked malt are added to create an aroma and flavor reminiscent of grandma’s Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
7. Ichabod Ale – New Holland Brewing Company Ichabod combines malted barley and real pumpkin with cinnamon and nutmeg in a delicious and inviting brew.

Big Fun at Oktoberfest

Cleveland Oktoberfest

DATES FOR OKTOBERFEST 2013

When: Aug. 30th – Sept. 2nd, 2013

Where:     Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds

164 Eastland Road     Berea, Ohio 44017

(just outside Cleveland)

Admission : $10 for adults   12 and under free

Costs : Beer is a dollar a ticket – Prices vary pending on beer size and souvenir mug

Count on spending at least $6 per beer or refill.

Beer selection :  HB, Sam Adams, Yuengling,  Warstiener

Food :  Tons of ethnic food stands

Entertainment : ethnic bands, Rock n Roll and more

Kids : Games, blow-ups, crafts, kids entertainment

Review:

I always look forward to labor day specifically because of the Oktoberfest.  This year is no different.  The warm weather brought out big crowds on Saturday 8/31/13.  The Glokenspiel was mobbed at every hour with happy beer drinkers looking to grab flying trinkets and t-shirts.  This year the new attraction was a t-shirt gun that propelled the sought after clothing far into the back of the crowd.  Sadly, our entourage walked away with only a few necklaces, but it was entertaining none the less.    Rumor has it that the Glokenspiel trucks in over 1 ton of plastic gimmicks to give away through out the weekend.

The beer always goes down way to quickly in the hot sun so the lines tended to be long at the beer stands,but if you weren’t picky about your beverage we could find open stands to quench our thirsts.

The kids had a blast jumping in all the inflatables. However after several Sam Adam’s Oktoberfests I found it best to not watch them too closely so as not to get a bit seasick.

I highly recommend this experience. Here’s looking forward to 2014!

8:00pm at the Glokenspiel

American Pale Ale

Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

MOODS

Bill F. – “Laid Back” (and eventually shocked as hell)

Bill S. – “Outstanding”

Tracy S. = “Silly”

Jeff D.- ” Glad it’s Friday and I’m at home”

Emily D. – “Smooth”

Kurt O. – “Weekendy”

Melanie O. – “Groovy”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

INITIAL THOUGHTS

Bill F. – “Creamy and hoppy”

Bill S. – “Hoppy, Peachy, good and smooth”

Tracy S. –“Smooth” (Seems there’s a trend here)

Jeff D. – “Hoppy. It tastes very good”

Emily D. – “It’s not bad”  (Possibly a new tag line for the Brewpub)

Kurt O. – “Orangey and Hoppy” ( another trend brewing here)

Melanie O. – “ I don’t think it’s bad” (SHOCKING per Bill F.)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

OVERALL RATING

Bill F. – I like it alot! “At $14 a bottle I would buy it, but not share it

Bill S. – “Very good. I would drink it again, but not buy it”

Tracy S. – “Best IPA I’ve had”  (Bill F. almost faints)

Jeff D. – “I Love it. Taste almost like a an Alchemy”

Emily D. – “ Very good” ( Bill almost had to be rushed to the hospital)

Kurt O. – “Great label. Great taste. I like the American IPA”

Melanie O. – “I would taste it again ” ( Bill, Bill? Hello, McFly?)

By    Jesse Tigges

For whatever reason, I associate drinking beer in the summer with cans. Does beer taste better in cans when it’s hot outside? Possibly. Do cans get colder than bottles? Some believe so, but I generally don’t want ice-cold beer anyway.

Whatever the case, cans do offer distinct advantages to bottles. Cans don’t allow light or oxygen in so, in theory, the beer tastes better. (I’ve heard some complain about a metallic taste, but that’s hogwash — most cans have a spray-coated lining inside to eliminate this.) Cans are also much easier to transport — to and from a cookout, hike, swimming hole, etc.

With more craft breweries offering their delicious wares in cans, it’s worth finding some that please your palette. Here are five I enjoyed and that cover a variety of styles.

Dog Days Lager, Two Brothers Brewing Co. (5.1 ABV)

Two Brother’s Dog Days is the most crowd-pleasing of the cans I tried. There aren’t a lot of big flavors here, but a simple enough hop presence is countered by an equal amount of citrus — most similar to a lemon zest. The Dog Days is ideal for after sweat-inducing outdoor activities — yard work or sand volleyball come to mind — because it’s refreshing and endlessly drinkable.

Firefly Amber Ale, Jackie O’s Brewing Co. (4.5 ABV)

Oh Jackie O’s, can you ever do me wrong? The Athens brewery has been producing great beer and recently made its beer available in cans in the Columbus market — currently only at Weiland’s Gourmet Market. The Firefly Amber Ale has a slight malty sweetness that’s followed by a more-potent-than-expected earthy (Cascade) hop profile. Not my favorite of Jackie O’s beers, but worthwhile nonetheless. The Chomo-lung-ma Brown Ale is also available in cans.

Hell or High Water Watermelon Wheat, 21st Amendment Brewery (4.9 ABV)

21st Amendment has a wealth of great beers in cans — hello, Brew Free or Die IPA. But it’s the brewery’s fruit beer that intrigued me. When it’s done right these beers can be quite refreshing, even if that’s generally not your thing. The Hell or High Water isn’t overpowered by the watermelon — watermelon isn’t a very powerful flavor — giving it an initial sweetness that quickly fades as a crisp wheat beer takes over.

Resin, Six Point Brewery (9.1 ABV)

This is the canned beer for the hardcore hop lovers. Six Point’s Resin is a double IPA with huge, bold hops — best described as just straight dank. The piney, slightly floral hops are somewhat countered by some citrus notes, but it’s minimal. It may not be ideal for summer drinking, but this is a great DIPA. And if that’s your thing — I feel you, brother — this is the beer in a can for you.

White Rascal, Avery Brewing Co. (5.6 ABV)

My favorite of the beers I sampled for this article. The White Rascal is an unfiltered — giving the beer its cloudy coloring — Belgian wheat with a nice mixture of flavors throughout. While the flavors (coriander and orange peel spice, with a subdued hop profile) are quite welcome, the beer’s refreshment factor was most surprising, offering the best combination of both.

Photo by Meghan Ralston

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Best Christmas Beers available in the USA

- The Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Christmas Ale is a repeat World Beer Championship Gold Medal winner. The full-bodied, spirited beer is copper in color and has a combination of cinnamon, fresh ginger, and sweet honey tones. Christmas Ale is crafted from American two-row wheat, roasted barley, and English crystal hops, among other ingredients and is designed to complement most holiday meals.

Anderson Valley Winter Solstice – From the first sip of Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale , your senses will be aroused with the vision of a glowing fire, warming the hearth and home, as gently drifting snow flakes silently blanket the trees outside. Each lingering sip will gently warm your soul with thoughts of family and friends, gathering around the table for the feast. Luscious, creamy, smooth, and warming, this medium bodied ale is brewed with Caramel and crystal malts to give it just a hint of sweetness, then paired with our private blend of holiday spice. Winter Solstice Ale is great alone or as an accompaniment to any meal, and it has been known to liven and spice up nearly any social event.   Pyramid Snow Cap – A rich, full-bodied winter warmer crafted in the British tradition of holiday beers. This deep mahogany colored brew balances complex fruit flavors with a refreshingly smooth texture, making Snow Cap a highly drinkable and desirable cold weather companion. Sweetwater Festive Ale – A full-bodied, high-octane brew capped off with our use of cinnamon and mace. This beer will warm you all the way to your bones. Brewed only one day a year for the holiday season.                                         

Sierra Nevada Celebration – The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.
Great Divide Hibernation Ale – Great Divide  cellars Hibernation until late October, when it reaches the peak of perfection. This lengthy aging process gives Hibernation its revered malty richness, complex hop profile and hearty warming character, which is perfect right out of the bottle or cellared for longer periods of time. Hibernation is a lively treat that really beats the winter chill. This scrumptious, collectible, and imminently cellarable ale is only available for six weeks each year, from November 1 to December 15.  Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome – This holiday brew is an amber-colored winter warmer that relies heavily on the rich quality of English pale malt. While its strength, at about 6 percent ABV, fits the bill for an old ale, its light color is a bit unusual for the style. It lacks the dark malt character of some of the others, but makes up for it with a clean, rich, malty backbone and the signature complexity found in all of Samuel Smith’s brews. Young’s Winter Warmer is a reddish-brown seasonal that measures just 5 percent ABV. It has some dark fruit esters and a malty chocolate aroma. It is exceptionally smooth.

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout – This brew is Brooklyn Brewery’s  rendition of the Imperial Stout style.  What is Imperial Stout?  In the 18^th century, Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, asked for stout to be sent to her from England. Fearful of spoilage on the long voyage to the Baltic ports, the English brewers made the beer strong, and added more hops as a natural preservative. It arrived in perfect condition, and became known as Russian Imperial Stout, the toast of the Russian aristocracy. We use three mashes to brew each batch of this beer, achieving a luscious deep dark chocolate flavor through a blend of specially roasted malts.
Santa’s Private Reserve – Rogue’s annual holiday offering, Santa’s Private Reserve, is a variation of the classic Saint Rogue Red, but with double the hops–including Chinook, and Centennial, and a mystery hop called Rudolph by head brewer John “more hops” Maier!This holiday elixir is brewed with two-row Harrington, Klages and Munich malts, along with Hugh Baird 30-37, Carastan 13-17, and Crystal 70-80 malts, plus free range coastal water and John’s proprietary top-fermenting Pacman yeast.
Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws - Doggie Claws is a Barley Wine made in the West Coast style. Big malt and hops make this copper colored ale one of our most popular products. Produced in September and October and released in November, this Beer will improve for years to come. Alcohol: 11.5% by volume. IBU’s 70

Below is a list of worst beers in the world as rated by the thousands of beer enthusiasts at RateBeer.com. Dare to try them? We don’t advise it. We provide this list in the name of beer education. We aren’t picking on the fat kid as much as we’re making a few big brewers accountable for their products that are more about beer hype and marketing than substance. Often the pitch of mass marketing campaigns work against them among craft beer enthusiasts.
If you’re interested in how good real beer can be, we can certainly help you out! Try a link or two in the right hand column.

			score	count	style
1	Olde English 800 3.2		0.93	65	Malt Liquor
2	Natural Light		1.03	1129	Pale Lager
3	Natural Ice		1.04	794	Malt Liquor
4	Milwaukee’s Best Premium		1.07	815	Pale Lager
5	Sleeman Clear		1.08	131	Pale Lager
6	Michelob Ultra		1.08	1147	Pale Lager
7	Busch Ice		1.11	144	Pale Lager
8	Budweiser Select 55		1.13	179	Pale Lager
9	Bud Light Chelada		1.15	272	Spice/Herb/Vegetable
10	Milwaukee’s Best Light		1.17	478	Pale Lager
11	Busch Light		1.17	818	Pale Lager
12	Bud Light		1.18	2596	Pale Lager
13	Miller Genuine Draft Light 64 (MGD Light 64)		1.18	312	Pale Lager
14	Keystone Light		1.19	897	Pale Lager
15	Camo Genuine Ale		1.19	47	Malt Liquor
16	Camo Silver Ice High Gravity Lager		1.23	107	Malt Liquor
17	Keystone Premium		1.23	216	Pale Lager
18	Busch Beer		1.24	958	Pale Lager
19	General Generic Beer		1.25	26	Pale Lager
20	Budweiser Chelada		1.25	278	Spice/Herb/Vegetable
21	Labatt Sterling		1.26	64	Pale Lager
22	Milwaukee’s Best Ice		1.26	437	Pale Lager
23	Hurricane High Gravity Lager		1.26	229	Malt Liquor
24	Old Milwaukee Ice		1.27	112	Pale Lager
25	Molson Kick		1.28	54	Spice/Herb/Vegetable

1. Porkslap Style: Pale Ale Brewery: Butternuts Beer & Ale, Garrattsville, NY

Don’t let the cartoon piggies tummy-thumping on the can fool you—Porkslap provides some serious suds action. Pour this classic American pale ale into a glass and you’ll notice its striking orange color. Take a sip and you’ll be struck by its malty, hoppy goodness. Pour some on your jeans and you’ll be all wet. Pork power!
2. Drifter Style: Pale Ale Brewery: Widmer Brothers, Portland, OR

A light and airy pale, Drifter is like an awesome roommate who pays the rent on time and can persuade any group of hot girls to head back to your place for an ¿after-party. Move this guy into your fridge fast. Your sex life just may depend on it.
3. Hoss Style: Rye Lager Brewery: Great Divide Brewing, Denver

An old-world Bavarian brew style in which rye replaces some of the barley, this plaid-frocked fun ¿punch epitomizes the genre: Sweet and crisp, with woody undertones.

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