Temperatures are dropping, leaves are changing, and fall is in full effect! As I continue my October of exclusively writing beer reviews on Oktoberfest märzens and pumpkin craft beers, I have found one that provides a bit of sweetness while maintaining a solid beer flavor. This weekend Anderson Valley Brewing Company Fall Hornin’ Pumpkin Ale is What’s on Tap!
Because many pumpkin beers are very similar in taste and style it can be hard to differentiate. Pumpkin beers usually can be classified as, too sweet, little to no pumpkin flavor, or just right! The beers in the latter category give off the right amount of sweetness, from the spices, the malts, and the pumpkin while still tasting like a beer; Anderson Valley’s Fall Hornin’ Pumpkin Ale is a perfect example of a just right pumpkin brew!
As the glass fills with a beer that is amberish and deep copper in color, Fall Hornin’ gives off an aroma that combines bready malt and spices, mainly cinnamon and all spice; interesting that the pumpkin is somewhat understated. However upon tasting Fall Hornin’ the pumpkin is up front in its flavor profile. The pumpkin taste is followed by the toasted caramel-y malts and the typical autumn spices: cinnamon and all spice / nutmeg combination. Finishing each sip I get just a touch of hops, not much bitterness, to nicely balance the brew.
This weekend I am making some chili which I will be pairing with Fall Hornin’. But I am not just using ground beef I am using bison! The heartiness and the slight gamey quality of the meat should pair well with the hot peppers and species within the chili itself. I am also hoping the beer’s sweetness and spiciness of the chili work well together. But regardless of what you are having for dinner this weekend, who isn’t Hornin’ for some Fall?
Cheers!
Beer Stats
Style: Pumpkin / Yam Beer
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 6%
Bitterness (IBUs): 20
Color (SRM): 12
Color: Amberish / Deep Copper
Malts: Pale Two-Row, Maris Otter, Munich, Crystal 120L, Dark Chocolate, Pumpkin Puree
Hops: Bravo
