Oh my gourd, I love Fall!

One reason – Athletic Brewing Co. brought back their seasonal Dark & Gourdy!

It is, as you may have guessed, an autumnal pumpkin spice flavored nonalcoholic beer.

It’s a porter, which means it’s dark, smooth, and full bodied.  Nice foamy head with gentle effervescence – not too sharp. Typical pumpkin spices of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg – comforting but not overwhelming. A bit of a coffee undertone. Some of the VegCharlotte team could taste notes of chocolate; some couldn’t.

Note that this beer does not scream, “PUMPKIN SPICE!”

Nor are the spices a gentle ghostly whisper. “Pumpkin spiiiice …”

Instead, it’s more like you took a walk on a crisp October night and a carved pumpkin winked at you and chuckled, “Pumpkin Spice!”

Because the spices are so balanced, and the beer is not as sweet as many “pumpkin spice” beers, Dark & Gourdy is very flexible.

Of course, it’s a good “sipping beer”. Something to sip slowly while curled on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket watching horror movies. Or laughing with friends around a firepit.

But, by virtue of not being too sweet, or too in-your-face spicy, Dark & Gourdy also works as a dinner beverage. It’s great with almost any traditional Autumn dish. It pairs especially well with chili (especially black bean chili), roasted squash, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin pasta.

If you have the fortitude to hold a couple of six packs in reserve, Dark & Gourdy would also be great with Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe even with a slice of … pumpkin pie?

70 calories, less than .5% alcohol, and proudly vegan!