From the Beer Writer: For something that sounds so fun, pumpkin beers are awfully polarizing. Without a doubt a novelty in the brewing world, they are loved, tolerated and, by some beer-purists, downright hated. I fall in the middle. I don’t crave them, but on the right day, under the right circumstances (like while sitting in my driveway being accosted by a never-ending cavalcade of Fun-size costumed panhandlers on All Hallow’s Eve, for instance), a good pumpkin beer can be rather enjoyable…perfect, even. This Halloween, I’ll reach for an autumn mainstay—Alpine Ichabod. A fall-time treat brewed by Alpine Beer Company this time each year, the name stays the same, but the style fluctuates, making for a fun, unpredictable flavor adventure. I’ve enjoyed numerous versions of this beer over the years, but the 2016 iteration may be the best yet. Pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg find their way into an English-style extra special bitter. Despite the name of that style, ESBs aren’t hop-bombs. If anything, they are one of the most even and balanced beer-styles on the planet, making for the perfect canvas for the aforementioned ingredients. The front-end of this 5.8% alcohol-by-volume brew is all biscuit, caramel and, of course, pumpkin, transporting one’s taste-buds to the final course of Thanksgiving dinner. The combination of hops and nutmeg make for a bitter, burnt caramel finish that’s just right. If you consider pumpkin beers to be treat versus trick, this one’s for you. Twenty-two-ounce bottles of Ichabod will debut at Alpine’s tasting-room in its namesake town tomorrow, Saturday, October 29, as part of an epic Halloween-themed event put on by the brewery and its parent-interest, Green Flash Brewing Company. In addition to the action at Alpine, Green Flash’s Mira Mesa brewery will host a “haunted” version of its brewery tours while its Cellar 3 tasting-room in Poway will have Halloween-themed activities.
From the Brewer: “Ichabod is our fall-time seasonal offering, which changes in style almost yearly. While the style changes, the focus on pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg stays the same. This year we brewed an ESB (extra special bitter). Traditional ESBs have a good balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness. While the hop presence is moderate, the malty sweetness creates a good platform for the pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg to be the main performers. It’s like liquid pumpkin pie.”—Sean McIlhenney, Head Brewer, Alpine Beer Company