For many of us, fall could easily be renamed “pumpkin spice season.” While thoughts tend to turn toward coffee enhanced with the flavors of fall, the Show-Me State offers a variety of seasonal beverages.
Wine
In early autumn, the crew at Hemman Winery in Brazeau gets busy cutting up pumpkins for a small, very special batch of wine made from 100% pumpkin. The wine has the aroma of a freshly-carved pumpkin, but the flavor is mellower – more like honeydew melon.
Wenwood Farm Winery‘s Pumpkin Pie wine is a family tradition. The winery, located in Bland, creates the semi-sweet white with a kiss of pumpkin pie flavor. Rich with cinnamon, it’s slightly spicy and has just the right amount of sweetness.
Beer
If beer is your drink of choice, try Pumpkin Pale Ale from the Schlafly Brewing Company in St. Louis. Available in tap rooms and area stores, it’s hailed as one of the best beers of its kind.
One of Missouri’s most popular pumpkin beers was made by the O’Fallon Brewery in St. Louis, but after the business closed, the Urban Chestnut Brewing Company acquired the brand to revive the fan favorite. The beer is brewed at Urban Chestnut’s Midtown and Grove facilities in St. Louis and is distributed throughout the region during the fall months.
Be sure to sample Mr. Pumpkin from Mother’s Brewing Co. in Springfield. Nutmeg, mace and cinnamon bring the pumpkin flavor to life. It’s a smooth and not overly sweet ale that’s brewed for beer lovers.
Coffee
Big Momma’s Coffee in Springfield gets into the spirit of the season with a big punch. Their Pumpkin King Latte contains two shots of espresso, steamed milk, pumpkin spice and cinnamon.
Lakota Coffee Company in Columbia has you covered whether you want to brew your own at home or enjoy a cup in their shop. Try the Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee beans or order a Pumpkin Spice Latte Espresso served up fresh and hot.
Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co. combines two fall flavors in one beverage with its Baked Maple Pumpkin Latte – made with real pumpkin. The company has more than a dozen locations in the St. Louis area.