Now that it's officially October, let the pumpkin craze commence. Actually, let's be honest...when Starbucks released the Pumpkin Spice Latte on September 8th is when the craze commenced. So I guess I'm even LATE to the game! However, today I'm Sharing a Pumpkin Ale Cheesecake & Beer Caramel Sauce recipe that is going to make your taste buds go crazy.  DuClaw Brewing Company, based in Baltimore MD, sent me two awesome seasonal brews to test out - 31 Pumpkin Spice Lager and 62 Imperial Pumpkin Ale. You can imagine just how excited I was when this package came in the mail...

Don't get me wrong, pumpkin brews are amazing enjoyed as a beverage, but include them in a recipe and your taste buds will scream.  I had several ideas of what I wanted to create with my new brews, but I decided on a pumpkin cheesecake. It's the perfect spicy, saucy, sexy desert (did I just describe my food as sexy??) to share with friends and family during October...but I'm thinking that I'm totally going to make this when Thanksgiving rolls around to replace boring ole' pumpkin pie. I'm eating a slice right now as I write this post. Can't you hear my taste buds screaming?

About the beer: 

Both the 31 Pumpkin Spice Lager and the 62 Imperial Pumpkin Ale are delicious, especially if you like a lot of spice. In the words of DuClaw Brewing Co., the 31 is your "grown up pumpkin spice latte." It has a dark amber color and it's very drinkable at 5.7%. 

I favored the 62 Imperial Ale, not only because it's ABV is 8.2% (8.2%!!), but because I figure that if you're going to drink a pumpkin ale, go big or go home, right? The flavors are intense, and it's one of the most hop-loaded beers to date! I'll be honest, I can only drink one of these because the beer is very strong, but the infusion of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg make me feel so warm inside. This is the type of beer I would want to sip on a chilly night by a fire place - washing down this cheesecake I'm about to share...

62 Imperial Pumpkin Ale has a dark brown/reddish color and is made with grains including Munich, CaraRed, CaraAroma and Flaked Oats. The CaraAroma is a caramel malt - so I definitely wanted to build on the hints of caramel. Hence the beer caramel sauce. 

[yumprint-recipe id='3'] 

[yumprint-recipe id='4']You guys, this recipe is outrageous. Please go do yourself a favor: get your hands on some DuClaw Brewing Pumpkin Ale and whip up this decadent desert. I dare you not to eat the caramel by spoonful. 

About DuClaw Brewing Company:

DuClaw Brewing Company is a leading craft brewery founded in 1996, and is based in Baltimore, Maryland. Driven by the company motto “craft be cherished, rules be damned,” founder Dave Benfield took DuClaw from a home-brewing operation that sold beer through his dorm room window to a state of the art brewery. DuClaw Brewing Co. has released more than 65 brews. Today, Benfield and DuClaw brewmaster Jim Wagner work to continuously release more than 25,000 barrels of high-quality beers per year. DuClaw is available in select liquor stores, restaurants and bars throughout MD, DC, NJ, DE, VA, PA, NC, WV, and most recently, Cleveland, OH. I can't wait to visit the brewery next time I'm driving through Batlimore! 

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Disclosure: I’m proud to partner with DuClaw Brewing Company as part of their DuClaw Pumpkin Brew Blogger Campaign! I am being sponsored by DuClaw Brewing Company for this post, but all opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared can be verified at http://duclaw.com/. I greatly appreciate your support surrounding this post! Thank you!

Let's chat:

Do you prefer a pumpkin spice latte or a pumpkin beer?

XO- Rach

Good morning!  I've got a great, pinnable workout to share with everyone this morning. Yesterday morning I taught my Super Circuits class in Old City and I was so surprised with the turnout! I usually have a small class of about 5-8 women, but yesterday I had about 15 people - even a couple guys. I love the energy that a bigger class gives off. 

Before I taught, I had to down a 16 oz of Wawa's Pumpkin Spice Coffee...if you haven't had it GO GET IT NOW. Their pumpkin spice coffee is better than any other coffee places. And way cheaper. 

Anyway, on to the fun stuff. This Super Sweaty Circuit Workout consists of 4 different circuits and a little core burnout at the end. Each circuit is designed to focus on a specific part of the body. I think this one got us all sweatier than usual because after each circuit, that muscle group was a bit fatigued. 

For the elevated side squat, you simply have one foot on the bench and you bring it down into a squat and then immediately come up to raise your opposite leg. I demo this one in the short video below! The chest press and skull crusher combo means that you will be laying on the bench. You start with a basic chest press, turn your palms to face each other at the top and then go into a skull crusher (tricep extension.)

The alternating reverse lunges to a single leg deadlift are also in the short video below. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite exercises! Single leg deadlifts are an awesome exercise not only for your hamstrings and glutes, but also for your core and stability. This combo movement is a great one to ease you into doing single leg deadlifts because it will take some of the balance challenge away by adding the lunges in. 

Here's  snippet of some of the moves this video is also on my Instagram - with a little better quality!):

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpWc4xiE-LQ[/embed]

On another note, who's celebrating Rosh Hashana today? I'm making a dinner tonight for Michael and I and we are going to FaceTime my family in Florida. Sad that we can't be all together but technology kind of makes it possible! I'm making a turkey breast, matzoh ball soup and this honey cake. I'm excited. 

Michael and I just walked to our local coffee shop (at the train station) for some lattes and I'm about to head out for a long run in this BEAUTIFUL 70 degree weather. It's starting to feel like fall and I am so happy :) After that I'll get cooking.

I LOVE SUNDAYS!!

XO- Rach

What's your favorite thing to do on a Sunday?