The 2008 Pumpkin Beer Tour changed all the rules of The Annual Pumpkin Beer Tour. Rather than search a city for pumpkin beers, this year we brought the beers to us!

12 ounce bottles, 64 ounce brew pub growlers, and 22 ounce specialty bomber bottles made the trip from numerous locations across the country. Brews from Washington, Pennsylvania, Maine, Missouri, California, Delaware, Colorado, and New York, 9 varieties in all, graced The Muoio Estate Living Room. In addition, a smorgasbord of amazing desert delights covered the tables, a Hawaiian Fantasy Wedding Vacation Theme delighted the masses (courtesy of Amy and Meghan), and 38 + guests grabbed their 4 ounce taster glasses and readied for action. Pandomonium pours ensued, 10 tickets were divied out per person to vote as he or she desired, and each brew unleashed to battle it out for the championship kudos. The pourings were unlimited, the variety of tastes immense, and the tipsiness astounding!

When the smoke cleared a champion emerged: Elliott Bay Brewing Company Mashing Pumpkin Ale! Some cried foul play. Others waved the flag of victory. But in the end everyone was a winner and each brew appreciated for its craftsmanship, taste, and pumpkin prowess.

Some highlights of the evening included the immense lobbying campaign for the "liquid caramel sensation," Southern Tier Pumking Ale, Randy the wine sommelier's in depth judging and grading sheet, Doug and Ryan's Three Round wrestling match, Johnson's celebratory whisky and sour apple shot fest, a heated political kitchen round table, and the great "tapping of the pumpkin" unveiling of our last minute concotion, The Pumpkin Beer Tour 2008 "Home Brew" (thanks Mike!).

In all this year's Pumpkin Beer Tour was the most rowdy, most chaotic, and most pumpkin beer intense tour we have ever experienced. It was remarkable, it was glorious, it was The Pumpkin Beer Tour 2008!