If pumpkin ale is your favorite part of fall and you have been looking for a version you can drink any time, this one is worth the wait. It has that warm, spiced flavor you expect from a good pumpkin ale without any of the alcohol.
I am not a big beer person, but pumpkin ale was always the exception. That combination of malt, warm spice, and pumpkin just worked for me in a way that most beers never did, and it was one of the few drinks I actually looked forward to every fall season. When I started cutting back on alcohol, it was one of the things I missed most and one of the first I knew I wanted to recreate.
I spent the whole summer working on this one, testing ratios, adjusting the pumpkin, and figuring out which non-alcoholic ale held up best with the spices. If you are already in full pumpkin mode, the pumpkin spice whiskey mocktail is another one I worked on around the same time and is worth making alongside this. This is the version I finally felt good enough about to share, and it took longer than I expected to get there.
My sister came over recently and she was the first one I made it for. She loves pumpkin ale too but has also been staying away from alcohol, so she was the perfect person to try it. She loved it and said it had the same cozy pumpkin ale feeling she had been missing.
She also said was that it was going to be perfect for when we get together with relatives in November. If you are planning something similar, the pumpkin puff pastry pockets would make a great snack to put out alongside it.
It tastes like a fall drink should. Malty and lightly sweet, with that warm spiced flavor you expect from anything pumpkin this time of year. It is fizzy enough to feel like a proper beer but not heavy at all, and the pumpkin comes through in the background rather than hitting you all at once. And once you finish your glass, the pumpkin pie martini mocktail is the natural next thing to make.
Ingredients
The non-alcoholic amber or brown ale is the ingredient I would pay the most attention to here. Both have enough toasted, malty flavor to work with pumpkin and warm spices without tasting too bitter. Amber ale is a little lighter, while brown ale gives the drink a deeper, more roasted flavor. If you cannot find either, a non-alcoholic lager works, but the finished drink will taste lighter.
For sweetness, I use this amazing apple simple syrup. You can also use a brown sugar simple syrup!
For the pumpkin purée, stick with pure pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie filling. The filling is already sweetened and spiced, which gives you less control over the final flavor. I also love this pumpkin pie spice!
I also really love topping it with apple chips and serving in beer steins that still look elegant.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Top Tips for Non-Alcoholic Pumpkin Ale
Chill the ale and glasses first: This drink is best very cold, and starting with everything chilled means you do not need ice, which would melt and dilute the ale and pumpkin flavor.
Make the pumpkin base right before serving: Pumpkin purée naturally settles as the drink sits. If you are making several glasses, keep the pumpkin mixture separate and assemble each drink when you are ready to serve rather than mixing a large batch ahead of time.
Pour the ale down the side of the glass: Once the pumpkin base is mixed with the first splash of ale, tilt the glass slightly and slowly pour the rest down the side. This helps control the foam and preserves more of the carbonation.
How to Make Non-Alcoholic Pumpkin Ale?
This non-alcoholic pumpkin ale works best when the pumpkin base is loosened with a small splash of ale first, then topped slowly so the drink stays fizzy.
Prepare your glass
Wet the rim of the glass with a little non-alcoholic amber ale or an orange wedge. Add a generous amount of pumpkin pie spice to a small plate, then dip the rim into the spice until evenly coated.
Make the pumpkin mixture
Add the pumpkin purée and simple syrup to a small bowl, then whisk until smooth before stirring in the pumpkin pie spice.
- The mixture should look smooth before it goes into the glass so the pumpkin does not clump.
- Use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, or the drink can turn too sweet and heavily spiced.
- Whisk the spice in well so it does not sit in dry streaks on top.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the glasses
Divide the pumpkin mixture between the glasses, then add a small splash of non-alcoholic ale and stir until loosened.
- This step helps thin the pumpkin base so it blends into the rest of the drink more evenly.
- If you add all the ale at once, the pumpkin can settle at the bottom.
Top with the ale
Slowly pour in the remaining non-alcoholic ale, then stir gently once or twice.
Garnish and serve
Dust the top with a small pinch of pumpkin pie spice, then garnish with a dried apple chip or orange twist.
You can, although it will no longer taste quite like pumpkin ale. A malt-based alcohol-free beverage can give you some of the same toasted flavor and carbonation.
Yes. Maple syrup pairs naturally with pumpkin and warm spices, but it has a stronger flavor than simple syrup. Start with a little less and adjust to taste.
Some separation is normal because pumpkin purée does not fully dissolve in beer. Give the drink a very gentle stir if you notice pumpkin settling at the bottom.
Yes. Reduce the brown sugar simple syrup or leave it out completely if your non-alcoholic ale already has some sweetness. The pumpkin and spices will still give the drink plenty of fall flavor.
Absolutely. A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves works well, and you can adjust the individual spices to suit your taste.
Non-Alcoholic Pumpkin Ale
Ingredients
- 12 ounces non-alcoholic amber or brown ale
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon apple simple syrup or brown sugar simple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice plus more for rimming
- dried apple chips for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk pumpkin puree and apple or brown sugar simple syrup together in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add pumpkin pie spice to the pumpkin mixture and stir well.
- Place the pumpkin mixture into the prepped glasses. Pour a small amount of the non-alcoholic ale into the glass, and whisk until combined.
- Slowly top with the remaining ale, stirring gently to combine without losing too much carbonation.
- Dust the top with a pinch of extra pumpkin pie spice.
- Perch a dried apple chip or orange twist on the rim before serving.
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