Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week:" Buffalo Bill's America's Original Pumpkin Ale

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Oct 22, 2008 6:00PM

Many pumpkin beers taste too sweet, as though the brewers are afraid to let the flavor of the autumnal gourd stand alone. Since this is the brief time of the year where all things pumpkin are in season, we found a worthy selection for "BotW" at Risqué Café, home of the deep-fried bacon and an obnoxiously overpriced beer menu.

Pumpkin has been a regular brewing ingredient for centuries. Hailing from the Buffalo Bill's Brewery and Restaurant in Hayward, CA comes their "America's Original" Pumpkin Ale. Most pumpkin beers claim to be "pumpkin pie in a bottle;" Buffalo Bill's comes closer than most. The mouthfeel is teeming with familiar flavors of pumpkin pie: nutmeg, clove, and the savory flavor of pumpkin meat. The pumpkin becomes more pronounced on the finish, which is fierce and lingering. The mouthfeel is also very thick and creamy, with a rich amber in color and a thick, slowly dissipating head.

We'll be offering another pumpkin beer selection next week. until then, tide yourselves over with this week's "beer of the week:" Buffalo Bill's "America's Original" Pumpkin Ale.