Gourd to the last drop: A look at some of our favorite New England pumpkin beers

Fall has become synonymous with all things pumpkin spice, whether it be lattes or doughnuts, cookies or bagels, muffins or ice cream.

For those of age, pumpkin beers have become another common fall favorite to consume. And there are plenty to be had, whether at a local craft brewery or from the packie around the corner. 

While numerous New England craft breweries and cider houses have pumpkin beers or ciders that hit the taps and shelves this time of year, we want to feature just some of the ones we enjoy, or that have exceptional ratings on Untappd or BeerAdvocate.

Massachusetts

Fresh Patch

Brewery: Wormtown Brewery, Worcester, Mass.

Hundreds of pounds of local pumpkins are blended with a secret spice recipe to create this 4.5% ABV seasonal ale. The result is a medium-bodied ale with a fresh pumpkin pie aroma, complemented with the perfect amount of spice. 

Pumpkin Pie Scraper

Brewery: Night Shift Brewing, Everett

A 6.5% ABV pumpkin ale brewed with vanilla, spices, maple syrup and lactose, Pumpkin Pie Scraper tastes like you’re drinking a pumpkin pie with notes of cinnamon, candied yams and brown sugar.

The Great Pumpkin Ale

Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company, Cambridge

The Great Pumpkin Ale, which clocks in at 5.4% ABV, is brewed with 180 pounds of fresh, locally grown, organic sugar pumpkins in each 10-barrel batch. The subtle, fresh pumpkin flavor is enhanced by the addition of traditional autumn spices.

Jack-O Pumpkin Ale

Brewery: Boston Beer Company, Boston

Cinnamon and nutmeg aromas are balanced with seasonal spices, resulting in a flavorful brew with a crisp, refreshing finish.

Pumpkinstein

Brewery: Tin Bridge Brewing, Westfield

Brewed with pie crust, cinnamon and brown sugar, this tasty pumpkin ale clocks in at 7% ABV. Reminiscent of pumpkin pie, this brew is rich, but well-balanced with just the right amount of sweetness.

Seasonal beers:Brew for the season: Plymouth area breweries celebrate fall with seasonal selections

Cake! Pumpkin Coffee Cake Beer

Brewery: Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company, Framingham

A pastry beer brewed with coffee and pumpkin spice coffee cake, this autumn ale clocks in at 6% ABV. Keeping things local, the coffee cake comes from My Grandma’s of New England and the coffee is sourced from Share Coffee Roasters based in Hadley.

UFO Pumpkin

Brewery: UFO Beer Company, Boston

Medium-bodied and easy-drinking, this 5.9% ABV pumpkin ale contains a blend of seasonal spices with a subtle sweetness of real pumpkin puree. This seasonal favorite finishes smooth with lingering notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.

New Hampshire

Homecoming

Brewery: Able Ebenezer Brewing Company, Merrimack

Each batch of this 6% ABV ale contains over 250 pounds of sugar pumpkins harvested from Sunnycrest Farm, along with just a hint of spices to allow the pumpkin to be the predominant flavor.

Pumpkin French Toast

Pipe Dream Brewing Co., Londonderry

With Pipe Dream’s seasonal pumpkin ale as the base, this 6% ABV ale is infused with loads of cinnamon toasted cereal. The result is a slightly sweet, bready, pumpkin ale with a cinnamon maple twist.

Pumpkin Ale

Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company, Hampton

About: Brewed with real pumpkin and traditional spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, Smuttynose’s pumpkin ale is a hearty, deeply balanced ale with a cornucopia of fall aromas to match a flavor profile that’s robust and complex without being overwhelming.

Toasted Pumpkin Ale

Brewery: 603 Brewery, Londonderry

Brewed with real organic pumpkins and aged on cinnamon sticks and Madagascar vanilla beans, this 8.2% ABV beer brings in the fall with style. The spices are well-balanced so as to not overshadow the delightful pumpkin flavor.

More:Pumpkin spice is back, here are new ways to try the flavor this year in Massachusetts

Connecticut

Lock-O-Lantern

Brewery: Lock City Brewing, Stamford

This imperial pumpkin ale, which clocks in at 10% ABV, is brewed with ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, graham cracker, vanilla and honey, along with plenty of roasted pumpkins resulting in a full-bodied flavor one would expect from a pumpkin pie.

Lil’ NarWitch

Brewery: These Guys Brewing Company, Norwich

A gentler version of the NarWitch, the 5.5% ABV ale offers caramel notes and mild pumpkin flavor with a hint of spices.

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

Brewery: Firefly Hollow Brewing Co., Bristol

A 5.8% ABV ale brewed with pumpkin pie spices, vanilla and lactose, this aromatic and flavorful brew tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass.

Roadsmary’s Baby

Brewery: Two Roads Brewing Company, Stratford

Coming in at 6.8% ABV, Roadsmary’s Baby is a traditional pumpkin ale aged in rum barrels for added complexity and depth of flavor. The result is a smooth drinking ale with notes of pumpkin, spices, vanilla, oak and a touch of rum.

More:Looking for a new Massachusetts craft brewery? Here are 9 taprooms to try this summer

Silence of the Pumpkin

Brewery: Paddle Creek Beer Company, East Hartford

A lightly spiced ale with caramel notes and a smooth, creamy body, this 7% ABV ale boasts a great pumpkin flavor with a just a hint of cinnamon.

Maine

Pumpkinhead & Smashed Pumpkin

Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland

Pumpkinhead is a 4.5% ABV wheat ale brewed with a proprietary blend of spices including cinnamon and nutmeg. Meanwhile Smashed Pumpkin is a bigger-bodied 9% ABV version of Pumpkinhead, which features pleasing aromas of pumpkin and nutmeg.

Ghoulschip

Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company, Portland

Brewed with fresh, local pumpkins, molasses and raw pumpkin seeds, Ghoulschip is dry and tart with caramelized malt and a mild acidity that balance this 8.2% ABV brew’s subtle earthiness.

Gourd Lord

Banded Brewing Co., Biddeford

Brewed with local pumpkins and squashes, along with a blend of spices, this 6.7% ABV lager offers a strong pumpkin spice flavor with a sweet finish.

Pumpkin Party

Brewery: Lone Pine Brewing Company, Portland

Brewed with real pumpkin and a carefully curated blend of seasonal spices, Pumpkin Party is a light 4.2% ABV ode to the fall season.

Rhode Island

Gourds Gone Wild

Brewery: Smug Brewing, Pawtucket

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice are complemented with vanilla to give this 6% ABV ale a hint of sweetness, making it anything but basic.

Jack.

Brewery: Tilted Barn Brewery, Exeter

Brewed with pumpkins grown right at the Tilted Barn farm, Jack. is malt forward with no spices, which lets the pumpkin flavor of this 6% ABV amber-colored ale shine through.

Plunderdome Pumpkin Maple Ale

Brewery: Crooked Current Brewery, Pawtucket

With a strong maple flavor with a delicious pumpkin finish, this 6.6% ABV ale has been likened to pumpkin maple syrup, and tastes like fall in a glass.

Pumpkin Ciders

For those who may prefer ciders, there are several New England cideries and breweries that offer pumpkin flavored varieties that are worth a try. They include:

Downeast Cider House, Boston

Harpoon Brewery, Boston

New England Cider Company, Wallingford, Connecticut

Woodchuck Cidery, Middlebury, Vermont