Posted by Greg Clow in beer, beverages on October 28, 2008 at 7:39 am

An old friend of mine named Matthew Didier is the founder and director of The Toronto & Ontario Ghosts and Haunting Research Society, an organisation with a fairly self-explanatory name. If you watch any local television talk shows, you'll probably see him or one of the other group members on the air sometime this week, as Hallowe'en is their busy time of year as far as media attention goes. Which is something that Matt has been known to complain about often, as while he can understand why the spooky season would lead to the increased attention, his own interest in the paranormal is a year-round thing, and I guess he wishes that more people felt the same way.

Personally, I have similar feelings about pumpkin beer. While Hallowe'en and the harvest season are a natural time for these tasty ales to be enjoyed, I would have no problem tipping a few back at pretty much any time of year. So it's a bit of a shame that they tend to be available for a limited time and in limited quantities, especially here in Ontario, where we remain at the mercy of the LCBO for most of our interesting beer purchases. Still, it's some consolation that this year the booze board overlords saw fit to allow three different pumpkin ales to make it onto store shelves.

For those uninitiated in the style, I suppose a quick pumpkin ale primer might be in order. As the name suggests, they're beers that are made with pumpkin, usually along with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger - basically, all the good stuff that goes into pumpkin pie. In some cases, breweries forego the pumpkin entirely, and just use the spices in a malty amber ale, but the trio of pumpkin beers currently available at the LCBO are the real deal, all of them using pumpkin in their recipes.

Actually, it more accurate to say "the duo of pumpkin beers currently available at the LCBO", as St. Ambroise Citrouille (LCBO 90738 - $9.95/4x341 mL) from Montreal's McAuslan Brewing sold out at all GTA locations within a week or so of hitting the shelves, thanks to a very limited supply and coverage in Food & Drink and other media. Made with all of the spices mentioned above, it's certainly a spice-forward example of the style, with the sweetness from the malt and pumpkin fading into the background a bit, and the hops being pretty much non-existent aside from a brief appearance in the finish.

A bit more balanced, and also still available thanks to an increased production run this year, is Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale (LCBO 67710 - $4.95/650 mL) from down the road in Etobicoke. Laced with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice, this golden-amber brew definitely has a spicy edge, but it also has a well-rounded pumpkiny sweetness, making this the easiest drinking of the three, and also the most "pumpkin pie in a glass"-like.

The third in the bunch is Post Road Pumpkin Ale (LCBO 90373 - $2.40/355 mL) from Brooklyn Brewery, and it belies its American craft beer roots by being the hoppiest of the three. The label doesn't reveal which spices are used, but I'd guess that cinnamon and ginger are primary players in the recipe, with perhaps some clove as well. The flavour starts sweet, but the spices hit the palate midway through, and mingle pleasantly with hops towards the end, leading to a crisp and satisfying finish.

For those planning on entertaining at home on the big night this Friday, any or all of these ales would be a great choice to get your guests lubricated in a seasonal manner. Those planning to hit the town, meanwhile, might be interested in a fourth option: Volo (587 Yonge Street) will be tapping a cask of Highballer Pumpkin Ale from Grand River Brewery near Cambridge.

However you end up celebrating, here's wishing a Happy Hallowe'en to all. Cheers!