DuClaw Brewing Co. | 31 Pumpkin Spiced Lager

If you think you’ve had enough pumpkin beers this fall, hold your headless horsemen. This Halloween-themed Pumpkin Spiced Lager from Maryland-based DuClaw Brewing Co. isn’t just for pumpkin beer aficionados. Although it has the traditional seasonal flavorings (pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg), they don’t overwhelm the Munich Dunkel foundation this beer is built on.

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Homebrewing | Death to Pumpkin Beers Recipe

I know right now you’ve read the title and instantly assumed I am counter to everything that is right in the world. You are all chanting your fall mantras, “the spice expands consciousness, the spice is life and who controls the spice controls fall.” But I for one cannot take any more overly sweet, acrid, or overly spiced pumpkin beers. I think the problem is the gourd itself. Pumpkin, at least to the brewing process, primarily bring nothing but starches and very minor sweetness to the party. This inherently pushes the spices to the front and leaves nothing but the harsh wash of cinnamon on the palette. Enter the contender! Apple brings much more than pumpkin in the way of sweetness aroma, fall character, and a lasting drinkability that fits not just for early fall but all the way through Thanksgiving and into early December. A balanced apple pie presence to amplify an amber caramel and malt forward beer style is a match made in heaven. Read More

Lagunitas Brewing Company | Wilco Tango Foxtrot

ABV: 7.85% | IBU: 64.20

It’s a shock that it’s already October and fall is officially here. The summer was a blur and it seems like Christmas is already right around the corner. Yet, we’re at that awkward point in the year when it often still feels like summer despite the fact that we can officially say it’s fall and crack open those seasonal brews. So, is it still cool to enjoy a hoppy IPA or crisp, citrusy shandy, or are we resigned to force in those maltier, more robust ales and stouts? There isn’t really a satisfying mix of the two to help bridge the gap. That is until now — Lagunitas Brewing Company has introduced to the world its new Wilco Tango Foxtrot.

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