Your Fall-Flavored Beer Might Be Threatened By a Pumpkin Shortage

In 2015, news organizations warned that pumpkin—that beloved Thanksgiving food that also tastes great in a latte—was going to be hard to find, thanks to a rainy summer. While the shortage didn’t end up affecting Thanksgiving pies as much as predicted, that doesn’t mean it’s done disturbing your favorite culinary experiences. And this year, it’s also coming for your beer.

According to the beer-focused Draft Magazine, brewers are having trouble securing enough pumpkin for their fall-themed beers because of the still-recovering gourd supply. One brewer interviewed by Draft declared it “Pumpkageddon,” although that’s probably overstating the situation a bit. Craft brewers are having to go out of their way to hunt for leftover pumpkins from new suppliers, meaning that if they do come out with a tasty pumpkin brew this fall, it’ll probably be later than usual.

Still, a late addition to the pumpkin-saturated fall food supply might not be such a bad thing, considering that McDonald’s plans to release its version of the pumpkin spice latte this month and plenty of other fall-flavored foods are expected to arrive before summer is even over. And as we all know, pumpkin spice options (including non-food products) usually don’t contain any pumpkin at all, so at least your lattes will be safe no matter what the pumpkin harvest brings.

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