Elysian Brewing Company’s Giant Pumpkin Keg: A Unique Fall Tradition
The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival
Every year, Seattle hosts the Great Pumpkin Beer Festival, a celebration of autumn’s favorite cucurbit. Over 50 breweries from the western United States gather to showcase their pumpkin beers, alongside fall activities like carving stations, food trucks, and costume contests.
The Pumpkin Keg
One of the festival’s highlights is the giant pumpkin keg created by Elysian Brewing Company. Each year, Elysian selects an enormous pumpkin, weighing over 1,000 pounds, and transforms it into a keg for one of their pumpkin beers. This year, their selection included Hi-P, a hibiscus-pumpkin blend; Night Owl ale; One-Eye Jackie pumpkin wheatwine; and Crust Punk pumpkin kvass.
The Atlantic Giant Pumpkin
The pumpkin used for the keg is a variety known as the Atlantic Giant, which is not actually a true pumpkin but a member of the squash family. Atlantic Giant pumpkins are known for their massive size and are often grown for competitions. They are not suitable for eating due to their bland flavor.
Making the Pumpkin Keg
Creating a pumpkin keg from an Atlantic Giant pumpkin is a challenging task. The pumpkin is so large that a forklift is needed to move it. Elysian’s team uses a Sawzall, a drill, and a cutting torch to cut through the pumpkin’s thick wall, which can be up to 16 inches thick. The lid alone can weigh up to 80 pounds.
Inside the Pumpkin
Once the pumpkin is cut open, the team must scrape out the guts and seeds. This is a difficult task, as the person doing the work has to go head-first into the pumpkin from the top. They typically remove about 15 to 20 gallons of guts from each pumpkin.
Preparing the Pumpkin
To remove the raw pumpkin taste that can distract from the flavor of the beer, Elysian blowtorches the inside of the pumpkin. They also use multiple kegs of beer to fill the pumpkin, as the weight of the beer can cause the pumpkin to crack or split.
The Flavor of Pumpkin Beer
Pumpkin is a natural flavor match with beer, complementing the spicy, piney, floral, and citrus flavors of hops. Elysian’s pumpkin beer is brewed with actual pumpkin, unlike “pumpkin spice” products that only use the spices found in pumpkin pie.
The End Result
Despite the challenges involved, the end product is worth the effort. The giant pumpkin keg is a unique and flavorful way to celebrate fall. It’s a testament to the creativity and craftsmanship of Elysian Brewing Company.
Additional Information
- The Atlantic Giant pumpkin dates back to a prize-winning squash in the early 1980s.
- Growers use various techniques to encourage Atlantic Giant pumpkins to grow faster, bigger, and heavier, including fungal treatments and protective blankets.
- Atlantic Giant pumpkins are grown almost exclusively for competitions and are not cost-effective for most other crops.
- The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival spanned the last two weekends of September.
- Elysian Brewing Company is based in Seattle, Washington.