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    Fall's Best Pumpkin Beers

    By | Shine Food – Mon, Oct 15, 2012 3:32 PM EDT

    Graphic by Erik S. PetersonGraphic by Erik S. PetersonBy Danielle Walsh, Bon Appétit

    Alongside bifocals, baseball, the airplane, and the Internet, pumpkin ale is an all-American invention. According to Garrett Oliver's The Oxford Companion to Beer, the seasonal brew that features fall's most iconic fruit was conceived by colonists in the 18th century, more out of necessity than anything else. Now, pumpkin beers are a seasonal bellwether brewed in all sorts of ways--using raw, roasted, macerated, or juiced pumpkins, and sometimes with pumpkin extract or flavoring added post-production. But how do they taste?

    With a short season and lots of breweries to choose from, we sampled 11 pumpkin beers from stores around our offices in New York City. Some went way too heavy on the pumpkin pie spice (rather than the subtle squash-y flavors), others had an artificial taste that put us off. But some tasted just like autumn. Here are our top three picks:

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    1.Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale     Cost: $10.99 for a six-pack at Whole Foods and D'Agostinos in NYC Blind tasting notes: "Hoppiness and floral notes with slight pumpkin warmth" and a "light spice."




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    2. Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale     Cost: $10.99 for a six-pack at Whole Foods and D'Agostinos in NYC Blind tasting notes: "Very straightforward, balanced flavor" with a "hint of bitterness."





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    3. Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale     Cost: $11.99 for a six-pack at Whole Foods and D'Agostinos in NYC Blind tasting notes: "Light-bodied" with a "heady almond flavor" and "good spice." Had a great overall pumpkin flavor and "tastes like the holidays."





    More from Bon Appétit:

    10 Snacks You Thought Were Healthy But Really Aren't
    15 Ways to Use Apples This Fall
    Bon Appétit's Guide to Fast and Easy Meals
    Fall's Most Delicious Salads

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