Sixpack Sez

Aug. 29, 2008 | Jack-o'-lager tops other fruity brews

OVER THE LAST couple of weeks, I've been writing about oddball beer flavors - pizza, crème brulee, blueberry - some of it good, some not. The most frequent reaction I've gotten is a shrug of disbelief.

I agree, it's hard to think of these flavors as anything more than a one-time gimmick, here today, in the recycling bin tomorrow.

But be careful. One of them just might be the next Great Pumpkin.

Yes, gourd help us, pumpkin beer - a style that, till 20 years ago, existed only in dusty history books. It's made with a fruit - or is it a vegetable? - whose primary culinary usage is the fine art of carved jack-o'-lanterns. When brewing pioneer Bill Owens cooked up his first version of Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale in 1985, who thought it would spawn a hundred more varieties?

It's not like pumpkin is a magical fruit. While the pulp can add some body (if it's not filtered), the beer's color is a product of its roasted malt, and the character comes mainly from spices - nutmeg, cinnamon and clove.

When it first became popular in the late '90s, Dan Weirback, of Weyerbacher Brewing in Easton, was as skeptical as the next guy.

"One of our best wholesalers had been bugging us, 'You've got to make a pumpkin beer,' " Weirback said. "I was just scratching my head - it won't last. I thought the [wholesaler] was just jumping onto a trend."

After holding out for several years, Weirback gave in and turned out a superb Imperial Pumpkin Ale that's deliciously spiced and contains a warming 8 percent alcohol.

It was an immediate hit, and sales have increased every year. Weyerbacher brewed the equivalent of 6,500 cases of it this year, making the ale one of its most popular seasonals.

"It just boggles my mind," said Weirback. "It's developed a following all its own, and you have to say it's on merit, not just for kicks."

Weyerbacher is hardly the exception. Take a look at the beer shelves this week and you'll find dozens of versions from well-known craft brewers, including Saranac, Dogfish Head, Shipyard and Wolaver's Organic. Even the big boys are harvesting pumpkins; Coors makes Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale and Anheuser-Busch pours Jack's Pumpkin Spice.

These days, Buffalo Bill's, the brewery that started it all, sells more than 100,000 cases each season.

That season is getting longer, too. Pumpkin beer was originally sold in the fall, around Halloween. Now it's on the shelves before Labor Day. This year, for example, Smuttynose began shipping its pumpkins on July 15, barely three weeks into the summer.

Why did the flavor catch on?

Michael Kuderka, who tracks bottled beers and publishes "The Essential Reference of Domestic Brewers and Their Bottled Brands" (MC Basset), offers a few theories.

First, Kuderka said, "Tell me what is more American than pumpkin at Thanksgiving. It is a truly American beer style . . . "

Second, "At this time of year, there are really only two major styles competing for seasonal popularity and, between the Oktoberfest beers and the pumpkin-flavored brands, I think pumpkin beer wins hands down for uniqueness and flavor."

Finally, "Brewers can practice a ton of creativity when it comes to the pumpkin beer style. Some pumpkin ales purely rely on natural pumpkin flavors, while others are highly spiced and take on the pure delight of liquid pumpkin pie."

Which leads me to some necessary advice:

1. Never buy an entire case of any pumpkin beer unless you and your five closest friends are totally in love with it. You tend to lose your affection for pumpkin - any pumpkin - after about a sixpack.

2. Try pumpkins from more than one brewery. Everyone has a different take.

For example, Seattle's Elysian Brewing (whose labels will be arriving in Philly shortly) makes about six or seven different draft pumpkins every season, everything from a light-bodied version made with lavender to hair-on-your-chest pumpkin malt liquor.

"The amount of exuberance that pumpkin beer gets, it's just unbelievable," said Elysian's Dave Buhler. "It's not just a fad - people honestly can't wait for pumpkin beer."

"Honestly," Buhler added, "Pumpkin beer is the new Oktoberfest."

It's the Bomb

Looking for a little more kick from your pumpkin? McGillin's Old Ale House (1310 Drury St., Center City) will pour you the Pumpkin Bomb, a boilermaker for trick-or-treaters. It's a shot of Bols Pumpkin Smash plus Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum, dropped into a glass of Jack's Pumpkin Spice.