As the warm embrace of summer gives way to the crisp air of autumn, there is one thing many of us look forward to – pumpkin spice! And no, we’re not just talking about those lattes that have taken over our Instagram feeds. We’re diving deep into the world of pumpkin beer.

Each year the common narrative takes hold: “Pumpkin beer releases earlier and earlier each year!” The grocery store shelves start to fill with gourd-infused ales while the temperatures are still high, and the leaves have not even started to change color. So, the team at Ekos wondered, is the pumpkin seasonal creep real in craft beer? Or do we assume as much because of the early appearance of some of the most popular pumpkin ales, like Elysian’s Night Owl, Southern Tier Pumking, Brooklyn Brewing Post Road Pumpkin Ale, or Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale? Let’s dig into the data to find out.