Pocono News Section

Shawnee Unveils Homegrown Pumpkin Ale

Shawnee Unveils Homegrown Pumpkin Ale - Monday, October 12, 2009 at 5:30PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Monday, Oct 12, 2009 @ 05:30pm EDT
SHAWNEE ON DELAWARE, MONROE COUNTY - ShawneeCraft Brewery is ready to introduce its new Pumpkin Ale. One early taster described it as "Autumn in a glass."

Brewmaster Leo Bongiorno said, "It's manufactured with pumpkins and pumpkin pie spice."

The pumpkins are grown at Shawnee, processed at Shawnee and served at Shawnee. Bongiorno said, "The pumpkins themselves were planted in late Spring here in our organic kitchen garden."

Brewing company manager Pete Kirkwood added, "We planted the seeds in the spring and watched the pumpkins grow and they were big, beautiful orange pumpkins."

Bongiorno chopped up about 140 pounds of pumpkin and cooked into a pale beer. He said, "It's more a celebration of the harvest than a production type beer."

Shawnee will sell he ale at the Gem and Keystone Restaurant beginning next Thursday, October 22. Beka Paulino got a sneak taste of the new brew. She said, "It's great." Then she added, "I think it's a great program that they're doing."

Shawnee expects to sell out of the Pumpkin Ale fast. The Bongiorno mixed up enough ale for just about 2,000 glasses.