October keeps rolling on. Soon enough, the big night will be here (it's next week!). Until then, I have a small handful of pumpkin and Halloween-inspired beverages to get to. Will I make it to all of them? We'll see. That's the scariest part of the season for me.

Tonight, however, we're visiting a variant of an old favorite: Schlafly's Pumpkin Ale. How does adding vanilla to a tried-and-true standby tweak the flavor? Let's dive in and find out.

Schlafly changed beer in Missouri when they opened St. Louis' first brewery since Prohibition. Tom Schlafly had become infatuated with New England craft beer in the '80s. After a change in state law in 1991, Schlafly opened it's brewpub doors in AB InBev's backyard. Tom pushed for looser beer distribution regulations in 1993 and his efforts saw Schlafly hitting bars and store shelves. The brewery opened a secondary location in 2003 when the demand for their ales exceeded what they could make. Check out their "History" page for more information on who and why they are.

Vanilla Pumpkin Ale clocks in at 8% ABV. According to its entry on Schlafly's "Special Release Beers" page, it's just their historic Pumpkin Ale with an infusion of vanilla. This "...brings a creamy sweetness that delights the palate." Sounds fine to me!

A waft of Vanilla Pumpkin's bouquet presents those traditional pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg), but they're playing second fiddle to the vanilla. This is bold on the fore and, mixed with the cinnamon, provides a marshmallowy, graham cracker quality to the ale. Melba gave my bottle six whiffs--she's getting better!

The vanilla and the cinnamon steal the show in the flavor profile. They combine and wash away the other flavors I can pick up as soon as I do (nutmeg, clove, and ginger). The combination was pleasant enough on the nose, but it's a tad overwhelming in the palate.

Vanilla Pumpkin's a little bitey at first, which is what I want from any ale. This mellows and flattens quickly, making a quaffable pull.

We have a vanilla pumpkin candle that we occasionally light. It's fun and warm, but not something that signifies Halloween to me; it's more appropriate for mid-November. Cold and gray weather, delicious food baking in the oven.

Schlafly's Vanilla Pumpkin Ale's a good beer that pales in comparison to its standard variant. The vanilla's a little too heavy-handed for my taste. All the same, it warrants a solid 8.0/10. Give it a try if you want a shakeup from your standard pumpkin beer fare.