The Pumpkin-Flavored Beer We Ranked Best Is A Cozy Fall Indulgence

Grocery shoppers know autumn is on the way from the avalanche of limited-time pumpkin-flavored products that arrive every fall. This includes unusual items to infuse with pumpkin, like potato chips and canned meats, but also more common products like cereal, coffee, and even beer.

Unless you're a beer and/or pumpkin spice aficionado, it can be easy to miss the wide variety of pumpkin beers out there. Daily Meal ranked 12 different pumpkin-flavored beers on the market, and although there were many creative flavor profiles, the winner stood out for its simplicity. Alewerks Pumpkin Ale was the most satisfying overall and nearly achieved the ideal experience for a pumpkin beer.

Initial notes of malty sweetness are paired with an aroma and flavor of roasted pumpkin. As the creamy liquid washes over the mouth, a gently hoppy finish cuts the sweet notes while potent carbonation freshens the palate for more. And at 7.3% alcohol, it's enough to feel seasonally toasty without becoming too tipsy. From flavor to texture and aroma to alcohol content, it's just a pleasantly well-balanced experience.

Pumpkin beer is arguably the best seasonal beer because the spiced flavor of roasted pumpkin can actually go quite well with beers, and Alewerks' pumpkin ale is the best of the best. However, this definitely doesn't mean that every pumpkin ale is a home run.

The worst pumpkin beer on the market does everything that Alewerks did not. Samuel Adams may be a reliable brand, but its Jack-O Pumpkin Ale suffers from an intense pumpkin spice flavor that somehow manages to overwhelm the naturally distinct taste of hops. Even more strangely, Sam Adams' pumpkin beer smells of neither pumpkin nor beer, but closer to a cream soda. It's a far cry from the fine balance Alewerks achieved.

Alewerks may make the best pumpkin beer on the market right now, but some seasonal gatherings might call for something a little stronger. We haven't tried it, but pumpkin whiskey is one of the most unhinged pumpkin spice alcohols that actually sounds delicious. Pumpkin can arguably go with whiskey just as well as beer, though it remains to be seen if the Pumking brand can be as exacting as Alewerks Pumpkin Ale.