Shooting Creek Pumpkin Ale Should Hit Stores Soon

It’s not too late to try what’s becoming one of the most popular seasonal beers, at least if you live in the Roanoke area. While most Pumpkin Ales are on the last days of availability, expect the release of Shooting Creek’s 2010 Pumpkin Ale in the next week or so. Last year’s batch has folks asking for this year’s version already, which I can personally vouch for – it is one of the most enjoyable Pumpkin Ales I tried this fall. The nearby Floyd County brewery was bottling their version of the fall beer about three weeks ago and told me it hoped it have it in stores about now.

The Shooting Creek Pumpkin Ale uses diced up heirloom pumpkins, and for the spices feature nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon. I thought the beer is very flavorful overall, featuring a sort of darker, bready malt character that is accented but not overrun by the noticeable but not in your face spices and taste of pumpkin. There is even an ever so slight bitterness that pokes out for a second, towards the end of each taste. No one characteristic stands out above another, and it all makes for a very drinkable Pumpkin Ale, something that not all of these beers can say for themselves. Many of these have too much of an pumpkin pie taste that tends to overpower all else, and makes for a beer most folks can only have one of before they’re done.

Look for this year’s Shooting Creek Pumpkin Ale in stores very soon, but as with all of these seasonal beers, the run will most likely be pretty quick lived!