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

Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend? Mine was spent in Ocean City, MD with Michael and some of his family. I was really excited since I had not been before and I was seriously craving some beach time. It's been too long! We arrived on Friday just in time for the beautiful sunset. On Saturday we woke up late, had some eggs and bacon and headed out to the beach around noon. We didn't leave until 7. It was perfect! I don't think I really moved from my beach chair that whole time and that's exactly what I wanted to do. Because Saturday consisted mainly of sitting, I woke up earlier on Sunday morning to get in a run before going to the beach once more. I ended up doing 5 flat, sweaty miles. After refueling with some breakfast, we all headed back down to the beach again for a few hours.

Michael and I wanted to hit the road around 6, so we went for an early dinner at the Crab Bag. It was really fun and really messy. I kind of wish I could eat on a big paper table cloth with my hands all the time. Lady like?

Another highlight of the weekend: finishing this 1,000 piece puzzle. I've decided that I really enjoy puzzles and need to buy some for my apartment. They definitely increase concentration and alertness. I'm all for games that are good for the brain! We've been playing Bananagrams at work when we can't focus and it really does help!

Another random thought - how cute is this romper? I got it from Loft for half off! It's super comfortable and I love that it can easily be dressed up. Find it here.

- Rach

What's your favorite weekend getaway?