On A Mission From Puca

Word has it among the family belonging to my father's girlfriend is that her son is heading to Lakewood, New York this weekend to visit a relative. If you're one of the many craft beer enthusiasts out there only one thing comes to mind when you hear that town: Southern Tier Brewing.

Of course my father and I are going to take advantage of this opportunity to bag some loot for ourselves. The best part is we don't physically have to make the trip.

Who knows. Maybe a bottle or two of Pumking (brewed in honor of the Celtic god, Puca) is stuck in a nook or cranny somewhere up there. Maybe even a bottle of Choklat, Eurotrash Pils (which might not be out yet) or Krampus?

One thing is for certain. I should come out of this with that elusive Pumking goblet I've been planning on buying for myself. It's a good thing that we have some of our case of Pumking remaining. Now to actually find a spot for this damn thing.

Pumpkin Ale Week Concludes: And Then There Were Two

The time has come. The time to crown the top two pumpkin ales that I've come across this year. I assure you that the last two beers in these rankings are nothing short of heavenly nectar. You won't be disappointed with either of these brews.

No. 2: Pumking by Southern Tier Brewing Company

If you're a fan of buttery Thanksgiving desserts than this is the beer for you.

Appearance: Of any pumpkin ale that I've had in my life, this is the brightest. No other form of orange has ever pierced my retinas like Pumking did. The head is somewhat thick. It's white as is every head on a pumpkin ale. It's not overly thick, nor is it not noticeable.

ABV: 8.6 percent

Smell: One word. Butter. This beer smells like a buttery dessert on Thanksgiving. Add that with the usual spices and some cinnamon and you want to pour this beer down your pants. I got goosebumps when I put this beer up to my nostrils.

Taste: Pumking tastes just like pumpkin pie, but with a buttery crust. The high ABV means that you have to fight off a bit of strong-tasting alcohol, but the butter taste does more than just make up for it.

Overall Rating:     

Champagne should be outlawed at weddings this time of year. This should be the drink of choice.

No. 1: Imperial Pumpkin Ale by Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

This beer is the pumpkin ale Mecca. Every seasonal beer drinker should have this before their days are done here on Earth.

Appearance: When the word "imperial" comes to mind, the first thing I think of is a type of porter or stout. Well the color of Imperial Pumpkin Ale lives up to it's name. It's as dark as a black chai cup of tea with no noticeable head at all. The carbonation makes up for it though.

ABV: 8.0 percent

Smell: This beer gives off the perfect scent of cinnamon, and other spices, such as nutmeg and cloves. It's sweet enough to invite you in for the taste of pumpkin.

Taste: When you take a drink, the spices combine perfectly with the pumpkin flavor. With this beer, you get something that isn't noticeable in any other beer I've mentioned this week: a hint of caramel. Caramel is exactly what this beer needed to balance out the potent spices.

Overall Rating:     

This was such a pleasant drink. So flavorful, yet so warm. When I die, I want a $73 case of this buried with me.