My Fizzy Fix of Pumpkin Ale

If I were a smarter man, I would have gone to a progressive market like GreenLife to get a mix-and-match 6-pack of fall-flavored beers.

As it happened, I bought a full sixer of Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale from Bi Lo. At $8.29 plus tax it's not cheap, but it's a steal compared to the typical four-dollar pour (or more) at a restaurant. And if I didn't like it, I could surely find somebody to unload the other five on.

The epitome of mass-produced "handcrafted" goodness

Luckily, I liked it. A lot. There are a few critical elements that characterize a good beer for me; namely, color and flavor. "Lite" beers typically skimp on both. Harvest Pumpkin, however, has plenty of each.

Actually, let's review some real beer traits:

• I generally prefer ales to lagers. Harvest Pumpkin Ale: Check.
• A good beer retains drinkability as it moves from ice-cold to room temperature. HPA was still tasty as I reached the bottom of the bottle. (NOTE: If you don't nurse your beverage like a baby, you won't know what I'm talking about.)
• Fall seasonals trend toward a slightly higher alcohol content, probably so they can stand up to the heavier dishes they accompany. At 5.7% ABV, one bottle provides a nice tingle for a lightweight like me. Two bottles would make Thanksgiving dinner with extended family seem tolerable. Three bottles would have me passing out in the gravy.

The packaging describes the brew as having "vine-ripened pumpkin and flavors of cloves, nutmeg, and allspice." I would describe it as "beer, with some pumpkin." It has a light, pleasant taste that would be at home with late-summer/early-autumn grilled meats, and it wouldn't be out of place preceding a slice of pecan pie. Harvest Pumpkin Ale would be a good fit for watching football on the first chilly Saturday that forces you into your favorite team's sweatshirt.

Blue Moon does every limited-run drink well. Harvest Pumpkin is no exception. If you don't feel like paying extra, however, regular Blue Moon knows no seasonal boundaries.

Eat it: Great taste, only mildly filling; No weird pumpkin aftertaste

Beat it: Love-it-or-hate-it flavor; Doesn't pair well with certain foods; At close to $9 for a 6-pack, you'll only want to buy it once