Fallin' for it

 

Beer: Fall Hornin’

Brewer: Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Style: Pumpkin Ale

ABV: 6.00%

Description: Anderson Valley’s Fall Hornin’ pours clear dark reddish amber with a foamy light beige head that dissipates, leaving a thin lacing behind. The smell is just what you would expect from a pumpkin ale with the aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, and allspice, all making its presence known, backed by sweet caramel malts and brown sugar. The taste of this beer follows the nose perfectly with the spices hitting the palate first, cinnamon being the most dominant. Nutmeg and pumpkin add a bit off bitterness before the malts wash over and leave a very long, dry finish. The medium body holds the spices and pumpkin perfectly, and the moderate carbonation scrubs the palate clean. Fall Hornin’ is a very well-balanced and not overly spiced beer, making it another wonderful pumpkin ale to enjoy this fall season.

Food pairing: The spices and sweetness of this beer make it perfect for desserts, but the caramel sweetness also makes it great for rich meat dishes as well. Try Fall Hornin’ with wild boar, pheasant, or duck dishes; the caramel in the beer will highlight the delicious fattiness in the meat, making it feel like it’s melting in your mouth. Another fine bird to try with Fall Hornin’ is roasted turkey, so be sure to keep some of this brew around for Thanksgiving. This is also a fantastic beer to have with a wide variety of desserts, particularly those that we enjoy during the fall season, such as rich spice-heavy cakes, pumpkin pie, ice cream, cranberry scones, or pecan pie. It must be said that this beer is perfect to have on hand for all of Thanksgiving, although it may be difficult to resist the temptation to drink it by then!

The final word: This is the first year that Anderson Valley has brewed Fall Hornin’ and the brewery has certainly hit the ground running in the pumpkin beer category. Fall Hornin’ makes a bold statement as a fantastic pumpkin ale in a very over-saturated market. Pumpkin ales have a tendency to be overly spiced or too sweet, but Fall Hornin’ has the perfect balance of both. Anderson Valley is a world class brewery that has produced some of the best beers available on the market today, and Fall Hornin’ continues to expand this fabulous portfolio.

Rating: W W W W

Where can I get it? Currently available in bottles at Krugel’s Georgetown Deli, Wilkes-Barre; and Wegmans, Dickson City and Wilkes-Barre.