SouthCoast Bartenders Fall Differently on Pumpkin Beer Rims

You know that fall has arrived (unofficially) when the pumpkin beer is flowing at the bars.

Even though it's still technically summer, Shipyard Pumpkin, Southern Tier and many other breweries have already taken over the taps across the SouthCoast.

As usual, with pumpkin beer comes caramel rims with cinnamon sugar.

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The other day I was sipping on an ice-cold pumpkin without the rim. The bar was hopping and I noticed a lot of people ordering the sweet rim to complement their seasonal beers and ciders. The caramel was making a mess and you could tell it was an inconvenience.

When I asked the bartenders (who will remain anonymous) how they felt about the cinnamon-sugar rim, they quickly responded with, "It's awful." They then proceeded to explain that it's a process to properly clean the glasses afterward because the caramel is tricky to wash off before sanitizing the glassware. The sugar gets everywhere and is overall a sticky situation.

It's not that they minded decorating glasses and making customers happy, but when the bar is slammed and everyone wants a rim, it's a time issue.

On the other hand, some bartenders take pride in creating the perfect rim on a pumpkin beer. This is the season, after all.

"I love having the rim if I’m gonna have a Shipyard Pumpkin beer," said Megan McGrady, a bartender at Shorty's Pub in Fall River. "However, they do make a huge mess, but I do load up the rim when I serve it to people because I like to make people happy and it looks good when done correctly."

One Fall River bartender looks forward to this time of year.

"I don't mind it at all," said Amanda Barbosa, a bartender at Pier 52 in Fall River. "It means fall is coming; it's my favorite season."

Lastly, this bartender couldn't have said it better.

"If you ask me, it's a necessary evil," Matt Desruisseau, a bartender at Off The Hook Bar and Grill, told Fun 107. "Personally, if I'm out and about and want a pumpkin beer, I'm looking forward to ordering a rim myself. Therefore, it doesn't matter to me whether or not someone asks for the rim or not, regardless of the mess it might make behind the bar."

So, there you have it, folks. If you're worried about being an inconvenience to the bar staff, just know that there's a time and place when asking for the rim.

Otherwise, get that pumpkin fix before the eggnog rolls out for the next season.