Name: O’Fallon Pumpkin Beer
Brewer: O’Fallon Brewery, O’Fallon, Mo.
By the numbers: About 170 calories per 12 oz.; 5.6 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: The O’Fallon Brewery is an interesting story, at least for me. It was founded by two former journalism majors, Tony and Fran Caradonna. My Year in Beer partner and I, who also dabble in brewing, were also in journalism. (Well, Ryan still is). So I have to appreciate that even if I just find O’Fallon’s beer to be so-so. I gave a somewhat favorable review to O’Fallons Wheach, a peach-flavored wheat beer. I still have yet to find Cherry Chocolate Beer, which is their winter seasonal. Anyway, back to Pumpkin Beer. It poured a hazy amber gold from the bottle. The aroma was both spicy and tart. The flavor was sort of dry with a hint of mineral. It also had a light fresh pumpkin flavor on the back end and finished with pie spices: cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
Try it with: A taste for pie. O’Fallon bills this as pumpkin pie in a bottle. I didn’t find it to be that exactly, but I like the idea. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, in part for the pie. We usually have pumpkin, of course, but also apple and pecan. Parade Magazine had a great slideshow online of Pies Across America. Mmmm. Pie.
— Posted by Mike Freimann
