Elysian Brewing’s head brewer discusses the popularity of pumpkin beers, interview

This year marked the 20th anniversary of Elysian Brewing’s Great Pumpkin Beer Fest. While that October weekend celebrated all things related to the great gourd, the special event was more than a sea of orange filling the Seattle event. For the beer brand’s head brewer, Dan-O, pumpkin beers bring the community together over the flavor and creativity poured in every glass.

Pumpkin flavors fill the shelf. Whether it is the first pumpkin spice latte or even a pumpkin scented garbage bag, some people crave that comforting, seasonal flavor all year long. But, Dan-O believes that pumpkin beer season should be finite.

When asked if pumpkin beer should come earlier in the season, Dan-O said, “I don’t think pumpkin beers should come out any sooner than August 1st.  If you start offering something that is emblematic of the season, too soon or year round, then it isn't as special.  What's that saying?  Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I mean, we brew it practically year round already in order to keep up with the demand.  We start in late February/early March and the last brew this year was September.”

While the brewery might have that spicy, tempting aroma fermenting in their tanks, it is not time to tap that beer until the calendar nears fall. Even if the temperatures might not always be quite as chilly, that first taste captures the coziness of the season.

Although some people thirst for that first pour of the Elysian pumpkin beers, others would rather enjoy another pint of Space Dust. For Dan-O, there is no middle ground. “Pumpkin beer is polarizing – people love it or they hate it.  Not every beer is for every person and that’s okay, but the people who love it, REALLY love it. They look forward to it every year and they love coming to the Great Pumpkin Beer Festival where they can taste so many options!”

During this year’s Great Pumpkin Beer Fest, there were 80 different beers. From the classic Elysian offerings to innovative brews, guests turned into those tickets and filled their tasting glasses.

Dan-O explained, “We don’t adjust our core pumpkin beers, but we try to create new, fun offerings that fit the harvest vibe. Each year, we also run an employee contest, where any employee, not just brewers can submit ideas for a pumpkin beer.  We pick the top few and our innovation brewer Brian works with them on the recipe and they brew it together.  Fan favorites this year were Cinnamonster, which is a pumpkin, cinnamon, brown ale and Porter Pie, which is a pecan tassie-inspired beer.”

That type of playfulness is what beer drinkers want from Elysian. While the brewery offers specialty beers on tap at its Seattle locations, the same innovation can be found in its core line. Although some people might long for that cranberry wit to make a return, people know that the creative brewery minds are hard at work dreaming up the next great offering.

For example, at the 20th GPBF there was a pumpkin version of the iconic Mr. Yuk. Dan-O shared, “we have made a few pumpkin sours over the years. This year Mr. Yuk returned and sold out very quickly both days. Any beer style could make a good pumpkin beer.”

Whether or not there will be a Juice Dust or Dank Dust pumpkin or maybe an Odd Water for the NA drinkers remains to be seen. But, a non-alc pumpkin offering could be a game changer.

Also, Elysian Brewing looks to bring a little fun to its GPBF offerings. This year, there was a beer float that had one of the longest lines of the event.

Dan-O explained, “We have done beer slushies in the past, but we like to change things up every year. This year we decided to do pumpkin beer floats with local ice cream shop Bluebird. We had 2 ice cream flavors and 4 beer flavors to choose from.” Having personally tried these beer floats, the snickerdoodle ice cream with the Night Owl was delicious.

While it is Elysian Brewing event, the beers are not just the brand’s flagship offerings. The event features a wide array of breweries. Dan-O said, “we always ask all local breweries if they want to participate, then we see what beers they have available to fit with the pumpkin/harvest theme.  When we were only doing 40 beers, it was easy to get only pumpkin beers.  As we grew to 80-100 beers, trends have also changed and we were able to get more harvest/fest beers and wet hop beers. We have also added a few ciders and meads.”

The variety on top was tremendous. From fresh hops to the higher ABV offerings, there were plenty of options that would not be found on the shelf. For the beer lover, it was a great time.

More importantly, the Great Pumpkin Beer Fest is about people coming together to enjoy the moment. It is not meant to be an erudite discussion on hops and harvest. It is meant to have fun, drink beers, and be a little silly along the way.

For Dan-O, his favorite part is the signature moment of the evening. “After we tap the 1500 lbs (ish) pumpkin and pour the beer for our guests, we push the pumpkin off its altar and smash it! I do a countdown to the push and everyone has a huge grin on their face – it’s so exciting. Where else do we get to smash a giant pumpkin?! “

While the annual event is always a celebration of pumpkin and the harvest, the secondary theme varies. This year the carnival theme balanced the slightly strange with the frivolity of the night. From fortune tellers to circus performers, the spectacle was as delicious as the beers served.

What will the 21st event theme be? Everyone will have to count down to the October event in 2025. No matter what is revealed, a few things will always be part of the Great Pumpkin Beer Fest. Beers will be enjoyed, a pumpkin will be smashed, and people will be thirsty for more.