Sip on a pumpkin pie sour or try an award-winning pumpkin beer in Des Moines this fall

Paris Barraza, Des Moines Register
·2 min read

Scoff at pumpkin spice lattes? Try a pumpkin beer instead. Experience these seasonal beers — one of which roasts its pumpkins in house to another that won a gold medal — across the Des Moines metro.

Backpocket Pin & Pixel

Backpocket Brewing's pumpkin ale is available for purchase at the Johnston taproom, Backpocket Pin & Pixel.
Backpocket Brewing's pumpkin ale is available for purchase at the Johnston taproom, Backpocket Pin & Pixel.

The Coralville-based brewery Backpocket Brewing won a gold medal at the 2023 World Beer Cup competition for its pumpkin beer. Pumpkin Ale, which won in the pumpkin beer category at the competition, is described as light, refreshing and resembling of pumpkin pie with its blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and vanilla. Try the Pumpkin Ale at the brewery’s Johnston taproom, Backpocket Pin & Pixel.

Location: 6205 Merle Hay Road in Johnston

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Court Avenue Restaurant & Brewing Co.

Catch a pumpkin beer right in downtown Des Moines with Court Avenue Restaurant & Brewing Co.’s Pump up the Fallume. Experience the taste of house-roasted pumpkin, fresh Madagascar vanilla beans, warming spices and ginger in a brown ale perfect for the season. The drink, according to the brewery, was brewed in collaboration with music and arts education and empowerment organization Girls Rock! DSM, with $1 donated for each purchase of Pump up the Fallume.

Location: 309 Court Ave. in Des Moines

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West Hill Brewing Co.

West Hill Brewing Co. in Indianola will sell their pumpkin beer, Pumpkin Cutter, the week of Oct. 23.
West Hill Brewing Co. in Indianola will sell their pumpkin beer, Pumpkin Cutter, the week of Oct. 23.

Order porter Pumpkin Cutter, available in West Hill Brewing Co.’s taproom the week of Oct. 23. This batch of dark beer contains freshly roasted locally grown pumpkins and autumn spices, complete with a cinnamon and sugar rimmed glass, brewery staff said in an email to the Des Moines Register.

Location: 219 W. Salem Ave. in Indianola

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Flix Brewhouse

Watch the movie “Candyman” on Oct. 17 and get a taste of something far sweeter than the scary movie at Flix Brewhouse with a glass of pumpkin pie sour, now available for purchase. The pumpkin pie sour is called Jackie-O, a riff off of a jack-o'-lantern.

Location: 3800 Merle Hay Road, Ste. 1300 in Des Moines

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Confluence Brewing Co.

Basic Batch is a pumpkin beer from Confluence Brewing Co. in Des Moines.
Basic Batch is a pumpkin beer from Confluence Brewing Co. in Des Moines.

Confluence Brewing Co.'s Basic Batch is back. The brewery encourages you to "embrace your inner Pumpkin Queen" and indulge in the ale that has nutmeg, cinnamon, a hint of clove and of course, pumpkin.

Location: 1235 Thomas Beck Road in Des Moines

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at PBarraza@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 5 pumpkin beers in Des Moines to purchase include Flix Brewhouse