Yesterday I drove by the new Arcadia building. It wasn't on my way to anywhere in particular. I did it for the same reason you might drive past your crush's house in High School, even though it's totally out of the way.
I have a crush on Arcadia. Yes, it's true. I drive by whenever I can, hoping something will change or more of the building will have gone up. I just like to drive by and know it's still there, and yes, it will open soon. That might be a little creepy, but Arcadia, you're worth it baby.
I guess while I wait for the faithful day I can sit out in their beer garden. When they open in December I will be that psycho that sits huddled over the (hopefully) fire pit or outdoor space heater, Starboard Stout in hand.
But it is not this day. This day, we fight (to find the best pumpkin beer available)!
Arcadia Ale's Jaw Jacker has always been my go to pumpkin beer from Michigan. It's readily available, it tastes great, and it sneaks in just above most other pumpkin beers at 6% ABV.
Poured into MY ARCADIA ALES PINT GLASS THAT MY BOYFRIEND WON AT KARAOKE with his rendition of "the song that never ends" aka Stairway to Heaven, this beer actually have magenta hues to it, mixed with the expected hazy orange of a typical pumpkin ale. Picture the colors of a harvest sunset all mixed together. Not much of a head, just a thin ring of white fizz around the rim.
The aroma is very pie-like, likely because there actually is no pumpkin in the recipe, the spices come through more than anything. It's really aromatic, like burning a pumpkin candle, you can actually smell it when it's away from you. Full of allspice, cinnamon, cloves.
The taste is not overbearingly sweet. Nothing is quite as flavorful as the nose was pungent with spices, but the more subdued flavor allows for other, more subtle notes to come through, like touches of honey wheat, toasted malts, spicy ginger, and a little nuttiness all meld together to make a well-rounded brew.
I have heard people argue that it is not a terribly ambitious pumpkin beer, especially despite the lack of pumpkin. It's not that I don't agree, it's that it doesn't bother me. There are plenty of beers that are overly ambitious and just don't work. They flat out don't taste right. This beer tastes right for what it is. It's consistent. And it pairs too damn well with the flavors of fall to pass up.
Now enjoy this video.
Poured into MY ARCADIA ALES PINT GLASS THAT MY BOYFRIEND WON AT KARAOKE with his rendition of "the song that never ends" aka Stairway to Heaven, this beer actually have magenta hues to it, mixed with the expected hazy orange of a typical pumpkin ale. Picture the colors of a harvest sunset all mixed together. Not much of a head, just a thin ring of white fizz around the rim.
The aroma is very pie-like, likely because there actually is no pumpkin in the recipe, the spices come through more than anything. It's really aromatic, like burning a pumpkin candle, you can actually smell it when it's away from you. Full of allspice, cinnamon, cloves.
The taste is not overbearingly sweet. Nothing is quite as flavorful as the nose was pungent with spices, but the more subdued flavor allows for other, more subtle notes to come through, like touches of honey wheat, toasted malts, spicy ginger, and a little nuttiness all meld together to make a well-rounded brew.
I have heard people argue that it is not a terribly ambitious pumpkin beer, especially despite the lack of pumpkin. It's not that I don't agree, it's that it doesn't bother me. There are plenty of beers that are overly ambitious and just don't work. They flat out don't taste right. This beer tastes right for what it is. It's consistent. And it pairs too damn well with the flavors of fall to pass up.
Now enjoy this video.
