Gourd Help Us, Pumpkin Season Is Already Here

Starbucks has already teased the August return of its Pumpkin Spice Latte, ever a harbinger of the oversaturation of autumnal marketing to come. (Remember when Starbucks used to wait until September to push it on us? The simpler days of 2017!) But while there's still a few more weeks until the official #PSL rollout, one brewery in Arizona is already selling its fall seasonal pumpkin beer a month earlier than usual, a formal declaration that summer is "over" and the rest of the season can be skipped over entirely.

"By any measure, summer 2020 has sucked," said Andy Ingram, co-founder and head brewer at Four Peaks Brewing Co., in a recent press release announcing the early return of the brewery's Pumpkin Porter. "At this point, everyone's over 2020. We just want the year to end. We may still have a few months to go, but at least summer's over now that Pumpkin Porter's out."

But....it's still berry season. The peaches are perfect. These hot, sticky days call for watermelon, not pumpkin! Of course, people are free to drink what they want—and pumpkin beers and lattes are delicious in their own way—but if summer 2020 has "sucked" because of the limitations imposed by coronavirus, at least the summer season offers bountiful warmth and sun to enjoy from a backyard, deck, rooftop, balcony, stoop, or open window. Though I suppose staying home beneath a cozy throw blanket sipping on autumnal flavors will make some people feel like the isolation is elective rather than mandated.