Just like a pumpkin-flavored latte or a fresh pumpkin muffin, enjoying your first pumpkin-flavored beer is fast becoming one of the sure signs that fall has arrived in New England.
Downtown Salem is once-again swarmed with tourists, many of whom have pumpkin brews on the brain.
So, to help you out, we've put together this handy list of five places in Salem where you can stop in for that first pumpkin-flavored beer of the season.
Salem Beer Works: This popular microbrewery on Derby Street has many "fall beer" varieties but only one true pumpkin brew. They're currently offering their Pumpkin Works Ale, which is served with sugar and cinnamon on the rim.
The Tavern in the Square: The Tavern in the Square has a wide variety of pumpkin beers at their bar. Of the 30 beers they have on draft, 20 of them are fall-flavored beers. Among them are the UFO Pumpkin, Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout and Shocktop Pumpkin.
Rockafellas: At Rockafellas on Essex Street, they're currently offering Shipyard Pumpkin
Gulu Gulu: Also on Essex Street, the Gulu Gulu Cafe, which has a host of microbrews on their menu, is currently serving - Post Road Pumpkin Ale from the Brooklyn Brewing Company, Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale and the Southern Tier Brewing Company's Pumpking.
Finz Seafood & Grill: At Finz Seafood and Grill on Derby Wharf they have UFO Pumpkin Ale on tap and they're also serving Shipyard Pumpkinhead in bottles and Great Pumpkin Ale from the Cambridge Brewing Company.
Do you have a favorite place for a pumpkin brew that didn't make our list? Let us know in the comments section below.
pk
6:17 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
The reason that some food and drink is "seasonal" is most often that it is not very good and people will only consume it once a year out of some sense of tradition. For example: Egg nog, candy corn, matzoh, fruitcake. If enough people really liked pumpkin beer plenty of brewers would be making if all year long.
Diane Wolf
8:47 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
PK, many foods are seasonal because those items only grow, or are ready for harvest, during one particular season.
Just because you find some seasonal items unpalatable doesn't mean that you can throw thousands of years of food and cultural history out the window.
This may be your opinion, and you're entitled to it, but it is certainly not the "reason".
Cheers!
Courtney LaMagna
1:16 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012
Village Tavern has Shipyard Pumpkin on draft with a homemade caramel sauce and cinnamon/sugar/ brown sugar rim. They also have Pumking Imperial in a 22oz. bottle.
Bryan Karsis
2:08 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012
The Old Spot has Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale with a brown sugar rim, (which they've unfortunately run out of a few times this month), and Wachusett Pumpkan.
Diane Wolf
6:27 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012
Shipyard Pumkinhead and Southern Tier Pumpking are available, or will be quite soon, at the Lobster Shanty as well. 'tis the season!
Vicki MacLean
12:39 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill has Shipyard Pumpkinhead on tap with a delicious cinnamon sugared rim....also Newcastle Blood Red Werewolf Ale!