Pumpkin Fest Menu IS UP!

The day has finally arrived! Well, sort of, anyway! The Cambridge Brewing Company has finally posted the menu for Saturday's upcoming Great Pumpkin Festival on their website and it looks really good. They haven't posted a beer list yet (way to skip the most important part!) but word is, there will be over 30 different pumpkin brews on tap, which is up from last year's event. Like last year, the giant white pumpkin full of Great Pumpkin Ale (see my review - it's GOOD) will be ceremonially tapped at 10pm. Food will be served from 4pm - 12am, confirmed beers Elysian Mr. Yuck (a pumpkin sour ale), Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela (ale brewed with pumpkin, spices and cacao) and Allagash Gouleschip (the world's first pumpkin LAMBIC ya'll) will be tapped at 5, 7 and 9pm, respectively. I for one simply cannot wait and plan to be there for the tapping of all three beers, the food, the ceremonial procession and any other Halloween beer-fueled hocus pocus that happens to go down. Make sure that you bring plenty of cash, or have your handy dandy preferred piece of plastic in your pocket, because admission is $10  plus beer tickets (you do get a cool souvenir glass as part of your cover though). Tickets are 4 for $5 with one ticket worth 4oz of beer. With most beers you'll have the choice between a 4, 8, 12 or 16 oz pour, so you do the math - each 16oz beer is $5. I actually don't think that that is an incredibly high price, as these are pretty cool brews and of course you are paying for the experience as well. Many of the beers you are going to be able to try on Saturday night are from breweries that don't distribute in this area, so in my opinion, the price is well worth the chance to sample and taste out of this world, off the wall, never to be tried again pumpkin ales. Last call will be at 12:30am and  there will be 3 pouring stations as well as 2 ticket booths scattered throughout the restaurant. If you want to get a table, you can only do so if all members of your party are present and everyone orders a meal. Sadly, you cannot hog a table for the whole evening (they're giving you a one and a half hour limit) and you can't make reservations. So get there early, stay late, bring plenty of money, and don't forget to grab your pumpkin beer glass and festival map at the door (free with the price of admission!). Have fun dudes and remember to drink responsibly!


Here's the menu:

Great Pumpkin Festival Menu (Table Service)

Roasted Sugar Pumpkin Bisque
Cranberry, Sage and Walnut Crumble,
Brown Butter Drizzle…6

Local Honey Glazed Pumpkin and Celery Root Timbale
Watercress and Arugula, Fried Procuitto, Aged Gouda, Hazelnut-Sage Vinaigrette…9

Grilled All Natural House Made Pork Sausage
Braised Collard Greens, Cascade Hop Infused Hot Sauce, Pumpkin Mustard Relish…10

North East Family Farms Braised Short Ribs
Pumpkin Gnocchi, Locally Foraged Wild Mushrooms, Tuscano Kale, Roasted Red Onion, Parmesan Reggiano and Truffle Butter…20

Pumpkin Ale and Honey Glazed Long Island Duck Breast
Curried Parsnip Puree, Roasted Bosc Pear,
Sauteed Swiss Chard…19

1 ¼ Pound Punjabi Pumpkin Steamed Native Whole Lobster
Local Leeks, Potatoes and Spinach, Cardamon Butter…25

Pumpkin Raviolis
Great Hill Bleu Cheese Cream, Sage, Hazelnuts and
Pickled Plympton Cranberries…18

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Pumpkin Ale Ice Cream, House Butterscotch…6

Pumpkin Churros
Cinnamon Sugar, House Made Nutella
with Taza Choclate…6

Pumpkin Festival Patio Grill Menu

All Items are 4 tickets

Choice of

Grilled Bratwurst or Bockwurst
Pumpkin Ale Braised Sauerkraut, Beer Mustard,
Pretzel Roll

Grilled Flatbread
Tuscan Kale, Fontina Cheese, Roasted Pumpkin
and Dried Cranberries
*Option to add Duck Confit

Grilled Autumn Vegetable Skewer in Pita 
Pumpkin Seed Hummus, Green Leaf Lettuce