Rather than watch another debate in the comfort of my own home, I headed out to dinner with a friend whom I've known since high school. We chose to eat at Heartland Brewery, a brewpub with five locations all in the Manhattan area. We went to the original spot in Union Square and I ordered a beer with a bit of a twist.
Heartland claims to be one of the first to bring craft beer to New York City back in 1995. Before that, beer was not really the Manhattanite's drink of choice. But the success of this beer-focused restaurant and bar is certainly evidence that the opposite is true today.
The ones featured on the menu were mainly seasonal combos. Immediately, I knew I had to have one and I took several minutes deciding between the Stumpkin (Heartland's Smiling Pumpkin Ale and their Farmer Jon's Oatmeal Stout) or the Jack O' Lantern (Smiling Pumpkin Ale with Hard Apple Cider). By the time the waiter returned, I'd made my choice: the Jack O' Lantern.
Our table was rather wobbly but I steadied it as much as possible before setting down my full glass of beer. I examined the color -- an orange-brown. I assumed the pumpkin ale had been lightened by the cider but the mixture overall just looked like apple juice. There was also no head to speak of but that's pretty typical when a beer is served to a table in a restaurant, I think.
The flavor was very sweet. In the past I've described some beers as being too sweet but I don't feel that was the case with this particular mixture. I expected an apple sweetness and pumpkin ales also tend to have fruity flavors. On the other hand, the mix may have been more cider than ale.
I finished the drink slowly as I was eating delicious crab cakes with it. If I return to try the other mixtures offered on the menu, I might choose something a little less fruity. But for anyone who is a fan of hard cider, this might be a good choice for you.
