Tasting: Boston's Bistro Pumpkin Ales

Last Thursday, Dave Boston hosted Boston's Bistro's monthly beer tasting, this time in his newly painted tasting room. As I reported in an earlier post, this month's style was primarily pumpkin ales (although Breckenridge's Vanilla Porter and Stone's 10th Anniversary Ale snuck in to round out the bill). The clear crowd favorite was Weyenbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale, followed by Dogfish Head's Punkin' Ale as a very close second. Although Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale (alleged to be the first craft pumpkin brew) was the group's third choice, I did not care for it and ranked it last, after the Southampton and the New Holland brews.

Not surprisingly, the Stone 10th Anniversary Ale was a big hit. The Breckenridge got mixed reviews. I thought the vanilla was overwhelming, although I noticed that the flavor rounded out as it warmed. This might be an interesting beer to cook with.

Some pics below. Boston's hosts tasting monthly. $5 gets you samples of 7 beers.


Shane, Jim, and Theresa engage in a pre-tasting conversation.











Batman, our facilitator

















The pour.













Shane and George evaluate beers (and George applies terms from his anti-glossary)











The spread.









Shane with Dave Boston, Boston's Bistro owner and beer aficionado

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