Leaves crunching beneath your feet. Digging out your knitwear. Dodging fun-sized-chocolate-special-buy mountains in supermarket aisles.
All reminders, that autumn is here and with it pumpkin spice season.
Yes, the coffee-based syrup phenomenon that has etched its place in our rotation of annual traditions, is once again upon us.
But no longer do you have to make a pilgrimage to Starbucks, Costa or any other reputable coffee house to get your pumpkin spice latte (PSL) fix.
Oooh, no.
Intent not to miss out on the opportunity to tip a bunch of pumpkin pie spices into a beer and discover the consequences, the number of craft breweries embracing the spirit of the season seems to be gradually rising year on year.
Although not unusual to find across the pond, where US breweries have been tinkering with pumpkin spice beers for a good while now, this is still relatively new territory for UK breweries.
So, we’ve made it our duty to hunt out the best Pumpkin Spice Beers available this year and to come up with a shortlist.
Whether you’re looking for something a little spooky or something a little warming, here are the five beers you need to try this autumn.
Read on to see the full list and how to purchase them with a discount.
Aberdeen-based Fierce Beer started brewing in 2016, and have quickly established themselves as an award-winning brewery with a national output and global export.
As coincidence might have it, Fierce’s Aberdeenshire neighbour - BrewDog - brewed the first mass market Pumpkin Beer - Pumpkin King. Although no longer in production, Pumpkin King was an Amber Ale paired with distinct pumpkin spice notes.
Fierce’s take on a PSL beer uses an Amber Ale malt base, with the addition of adjuncts including ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, coffee and vanilla.
Sweet, warming, and flavourful. This is the taste of autumn - and it’s vegan friendly!
Wokingham-based Elusive Brewing have pushed firmly into the pumpkin/coffee vibe.
Using a single origin coffee from our good pals at Hasbean, they’ve created a Pumpkin Coffee Porter that’s been layered with actual pumpkin and pumpkin spices.
Recent pumpkin beers on the market have opted for a dark beer base - Porter or Stout - perhaps because it allows for pairing with coffee to really spark on the PSL theme.
But this Pumpkin Spice Porter feels a little different without the addition of lactose sugar or vanilla. We’re enjoying the way it pays homage to the humble pumpkin pie rather than the liquid PSL.
Sweet, comforting and seasonal. This could just be the perfect pie in a can!
The sour beer masters at Vault City have spun a spell on this Blueberry Pumpkin Spice Latte sour beer.
And if the beer name feels like a mouthful, just you wait until you drink it!
Sweet, tart blueberries, cut through the warming spice combo of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, which when paired with the addition of lactose creates a smooth mouth feel with a sweet vanilla flavour to round off each sip.
If this sounds too good to miss out on, it’s probably because it is!
The teams at S43 and Brew York are no strangers to the PSL beer scene.
They’ve been dabbling with the style for several years now and, with it, a nod to the coffee brands that have helped bring about the rise of the Pumpkin Spice Latte.
S43’s can designs often invoke the visuals of other famous brands - and have in the past caused a brush with the odd cease and desist letter - and this year’s can design for their Pumpkin Spice Latte beer is no different, with the look and feel of a Costa coffee cup.
And the coffee link doesn’t end there. The inclusion of single origin coffee beans, cold brew and lactose, ensures that this tastes very much like a PSL in a glass, rather than a mug.
Ready to compare for yourself? Here’s where to find it.
- I-Scream Pale - Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Pale Ale - Top Rope - 4.6% ABV
The final beer on our list for 2022 is a Candid taproom exclusive…
Only available on draught, Top Rope’s Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Pale Ale will be pouring from Friday 21 October.
Top Rope have created an entire range of Ice Cream Pale Ales, which have included a host of different fruity flavours.
So for a halloween-inspired take on this core beer, we’re intrigued to see how the combination of pumpkin spices with a pale ale malt base works.
But, like you, we’ll only be able to find out once we start to pour it from our taps on Friday.
If Top Rope’s pedigree is anything to go by though, we know it’ll be a belter and the perfect way to enjoy the seasonal atmosphere at this time of year.
Head to Candid’s taproom this weekend to snaffle a taste.
No Trick. All Treat.