There’s a debate raging in the wonderful beer group I enjoy on Facebook, Honest Craft Beer Reviews. Specifically, is it too darned early for pumpkin beers to be hitting the shelves? Does anyone really drink them this early? I know that, for myself, I prefer them in the fall, starting in September really. The kickoff of football season really says fall to me even if the calendar and the weather don’t yet, and so I like to start with pumpkin beers then.

And yet, there I was on August 1^st, sitting at the Taco Mac location near my office in Alpharetta, drinking a New Belgium Pumpkick. New Belgium describes this beer on the label as “ale brewed with pumpkin juice, cranberry juice, and spices”. And to be fair, I was drinking it for two reasons. One, the keg would be gone in a day or two for sure, and two I can now describe its merits for you, oh dear reader.

I can see the point of those that have an issue with pumpkin beers being released this early. Although I enjoyed the Pumpkick, it seemed a bit incongruous with the 90 degree weather outside. Truth be told, the next day I passed on a bottle of Southern Tier Pumking despite the really impressive display for same at Total Wine. It was just too early.

From the label:

What’s that bite of tartness doing in a pumpkin beer? Adding the unexpected kick of cranberry juice to brighten this traditionally spiced seasonal ale. PUMPKICK is brewed with plenty of pumpkin juice cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but its the cranberries and touch of lemongrass that send your tastebuds sailing.

New Belgium Pumpkick has an alcohol content of 6% by volume, and I paid a symmetric seeming $6.00 for a 20 ounce mug.

My mug of New Belgium Pumpkick arrived a bright orange in color with a thick creamy head and a soft malty nose laced with spice. Taking a sip, the beer is very tasty indeed, lighter than I expected in the spice department but with a touch of caramel and meaty pumpkin up front followed by subtle cinnamon and nutmeg, then a note of drying tart cranberry in the finish. The spices reemerge in the finish and help to dry the beer.

I have to say I very much enjoyed Pumpkick, even if it did arrive a bit early in the year. The pumpkin and cranberry go very nicely together, and the cranberry, though subtle, adds a delightful tartness to the whole affair. Perhaps no two harvest fruits and vegetables say fall like pumpkins and cranberries, so bringing them together only seems natural.

I’ll definitely be buying a six-pack or two of New Belgium Pumpkick. I’ll just be waiting a month or so to do it.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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