This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend The Great Pumpkin Festival at the new Elysian Brewery. Yes the same festival but with new digs this was on a near perfect Saturday. I even saw blue skies and was over dressed. Yes the man who wears shorts every day wore paints and a sweatshirt. I arrived early to be sure I got to try the best. With over 30 different Pumpkin style brewed beers I had a huge challenge of which to try. Note: No I can not try them all that would be very dangerous and not a good way to spend Sunday in bed all day.
First we must address the new digs. Elysian’s new brewery located in Georgetown. The brewery was truly a spectacle with new equipment oh so shiny and not used as of yet. I sure can’t wait to watch over the next year as the brewery fires up and gets to brewing and packaging. I have seen this place near empty a few months ago to a place filed with equipment next the equipment will be brewing, fermenting and finally bottling. I will be going back in a few weeks to see how they are doing.
Elyisan took the parking lot and turned this into the festival grounds. Under tents the servers all dressed for the occasion where ready to pour some pumpkin brewed refreshments. The first for me was the Avery Brewing (Boulder Co) Rumpkin – Imperial Pumpkin Ale brewed with pumpkin and a blend of spices and then aged in fresh Gosling’s Rum barrels for six months. This was a huge ABV beer that was advertised as 16% and I must say it was a tasty brew and yes you can taste the rum. Next Black Raven SasquashKin Imperial Pumpkin Stout. Now the beer was a huge Impy Stout but there was a lacking of the pumpkin in the flavor. Please do not get me wrong this was still a very tasty stout.
Others I also drank not in any particular order.
Cambridge Brewing -Wilson– Pumpkin Porter
Elliot Bay– PABST – Pumpkin and Bourbon Stout Together) This was a super tasty brew. One of my favs.
Elysian – Coche de Medianoche – Thick dark black brew with tons of spice.
Georgetown Brewing – many, Moe and Jack’s Pumpkin Ale. (Loved it)
Hollister Brewing – Grumpy’s Pupkin Saison
Naked City Brewing – Aaaahhh… Gus Gus – Pumpkin Blossom Saison. This was near perfect Saison and dang makes this person who really is not a Saison drinker like the style. Thanks Don now I need another beer this was so dry and just writing about it make me thirsty.
Silver City Brewing- Punk Rauchen – Smoked Pumpkin lager. Holy smokes batmen this was smoky. LOL
All in all I had a blast the crowds where there and the beers where flowing. As in past years the crowds where packed, jammed and crammed into a tiny space. The extra room and smart very smart hosts who kept the crowds to a minimum with watching the levels they ran a wait as to let the crowds to never swell. The annual tapping of the Great Pumpkin went off with out a hitch. This is one festival this beer geek will return to every year. Thank you Elysian you did a great job yet again. Until 2012 GPBF – Need I say 361 days and yes I am counting.
