Pfriem's Pumpkin Beer Is One of the Best of the Year

The Hood River brewery didn’t take any short cuts, putting roasted pumpkin in the mash and organic pumpkin puree in the kettle.

Pumpkin is past its peak. Last year, the bottom fell out of the pumpkin-beer market, leaving bottles on the shelves through Christmas. Are we living in a post-squash society? Maybe, but the great pumpkin beers still sate me—and, apparently, sell well.

Related: We Tried 23 Pumpkin Beer and Ciders—These Are the Best

Pfriem's very pure pumpkin ale is the best I've had so far this year, easily besting old favorites like Southern Tier Pumking. The Hood River brewery didn't take any short cuts, putting roasted pumpkin in the mash and organic pumpkin puree in the kettle. Pfriem used a classic blend of fresh pie spices, ground by hand, and paired it with a Belgian yeast that offered its own clove notes. While other breweries are slowly backing away from pumpkin, Pfriem actually made more this year than last. If you see a bottle, get it. Recommended.

Willamette Week

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.