I used to hate coffee, but when I tried my first pumpkin spice latte in 2014, I sent myself into an endless spiral of debt and over-caffeination everything changed.

My love for coffee began to flourish, and I now look forward to pumpkin spice each fall. 

Well, fall is officially here now, baby. October has started and I am ready to let my white girl flag fly. So, in order to have an excuse to buy coffee for work help the greater good of humanity, I have decided to review pumpkin spice products all October long.


This next selection is not coffee-related, but how could I live in Northern Colorado and not review beer?

I originally planned to go hyper-local and review the pumpkin-flavored beers currently being offered by Odell's and New Belgium.

But, finding time to make it to two breweries in one week turned out to be harder than you would think, so I decided to take a trip to my local liquor store.

There, I was able to find three pumpkin-flavored beers to try. Here were the contenders:

1. Blue Moon's Harvest Pumpkin Wheat

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This beer offers a pumpkin-twist on the traditionally citrus brew, featuring notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice. At 5.7% alcohol, the company recommends pairing this seasonal drink with beef dishes and soups.

Maybe I made the mistake of not drinking it with a soup, but I was not a huge fan of this beer. I could definitely taste the spices involved, and it was a little too overwhelming for my taste buds. It's a fun drink for getting into the Halloween spirit, but next time I want a Blue Moon, I'll be going with their traditional option.

2. Wasatch Black O' Lantern Pumpkin Stout

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Please ignore my horrible pour and keep reading. I was pleasantly surprised by this beer. I usually hate stouts, and I was unfamiliar with the brand, but this brew perfectly combines the traditional stout with a pumpkin essence.

It's sweet, but not too heavy, so you won't feel like you just ate an entire loaf of bread by the time you finish it. At 6.5% alcohol, this beer is the perfect drink for a cozy fall evening. If you're a stout fan, or even if you aren't, I would definitely recommend it.

3. Breckenridge Brewery's Autumn Ale

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So this beer isn't technically pumpkin-flavored, but it's fall themed, so close enough, right? Right. Brewed with Munich malts and Bavarian hops, this beer is a good solution for fans of dark beer who don't like stouts.

At 7% alcohol, the brew provides nutty fall flavors with just a hint of sweetness. I don't know if I would buy a whole six pack, but if you happen to come across this drink, I'd say it's definitely worth a try.


Hopefully this gave you some inspiration for how to pumpkin-ize your next trip to the liquor store. Don't forget to check out last week's review, and be sure to stop by next week for the final Pumpkin Spice PSA.

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