Pumpkin Beer and Cigar Pairings
While we can thank Starbucks for the explosive global obsession with pumpkin flavors over the past two decades, pumpkin beer has actually been around since the late 1700s. George Washington brewed a version of it, which modern brewers mimic. Commercially brewed pumpkin beer originated in California in the 1980s. It’s little wonder demand for seasonal Halloween beer has risen considerably in light of the craft brew craze. Today, there are over 400 varieties of pumpkin beer. If you drank six different pumpkin beers every day, it would take about 67 days to sample all the pumpkin beers out there. We’re simplifying things a bit for lovers of cigars and pumpkin beer. Below are five great cigar and pumpkin beer pairings for ale aficionados who need to stock the man cave this fall.
1. Ashton Aged Maduro & Dogfish Head Punkin Ale
Ashton Aged Maduro is handcrafted from a dark and gleaming Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over well-aged Dominican binder and filler tobaccos blended by world-renowned cigar-maker Carlito Fuente. Tasting notes of molasses, cocoa, black pepper, and maple emerge in a luscious display that’s rich but not too strong. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale debuted in 1994 and has enamored craft beer fans with its tingling full-bodied spectrum of cinnamon, brown sugar, and pumpkin flavors. Its nutmeg aromas and medium amber hue make a great match with Aged Maduro.
2. La Aroma de Cuba Habano Reserve & Saint Arnold Pumpkinator
In 2025, Habano Reserve debuted in the bestselling La Aroma de Cuba portfolio, in a limited run of 3,000 boxes. Pepin and Jaime Garcia blend this premium Nicaraguan gem from an oily, reddish-brown Ecuador Habano Rosado wrapper leaf and vintage Nicaraguan long-fillers harvested on Garcia estates in Estelí, Jalapa, and Namanji. Cohesive notes of coffee bean, molasses, cream, and cedar mingle with an undercurrent of spice throughout a medium to full-bodied smoke. Saint Arnold Pumpkinator provides a decadent profile of molasses, brown sugar, and spice in an elite imperial pumpkin stout. Saint Arnold declares Pumpkinator to be the most expensive beer they’ve ever brewed, and its deep, dark flavor emanates with pronounced pumpkin flavor, like an oven baking over 30 pumpkin pies. Check your pulse if your mouth isn’t watering for this epicurean cigar and pumpkin beer pairing.
3. Flor de las Antillas & Allagash Ghoulschip
Maybe it’s the blend; maybe it’s the band. Flor de las Antillas has always maintained an autumnal vibe. The 96-rated cigar was the first blended by the Garcia family, makers of My Father Cigars, to score a ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ award from Cigar Aficionado. Its all-Nicaraguan blend is deserving with its medium-bodied profile of leather, cedar, cayenne, cinnamon, nuts, and cocoa. Fresh local pumpkins go into Allagash Ghoulschip along with molasses and raw pumpkin seeds. This excellent Halloween beer delivers a golden, dry, and tart finish, complemented by apricot, vanilla, and caramel aromas. Allagash and Flor de las Antillas combine in a savory and crisp way that begs you to kick back on the front porch and watch the leaves fall.
4. San Cristobal Revelation & Southern Tier Caramel Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale
An attractive Ecuador Sumatra wrapper covers an ample interior of well-aged Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos blended by Pepin Garcia in Revelation from San Cristobal. Intricate notes of smoked almond, cedar, cinnamon, and cocoa mingle with hits of black pepper in six classic sizes. This malty, 93-rated smoke intertwines beautifully with Southern Tier Caramel Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale, a spiced pumpkin craft brew with a resounding sweetness. Notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pie crust lather the palate over a smooth foundation of caramel and pumpkin in every sip.
5. Oliva Serie V Melanio & Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale
Former ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ Oliva Serie V Melanio is a 96-rated gem, drawn from an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper and a medium to full-bodied blend of premium Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Notes of wood, caramel, earth, and black pepper unfold with an appealing aroma. Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale is a seasonal brew, popular for delivering an ensemble of vanilla bean, caramel, and authentic pumpkin notes in a 6.7% ABV classic. Night Owl is brewed with real pumpkin alongside nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice to create its complex taste. Serie V Melanio and Night Owl harmonize exquisitely, offering a balance of toasted flavor and sweetness.
