The dog days of summer are barely behind us (we hope), but breweries are already busy churning out their much-anticipated fall releases. 

For St. Louis, that means the return of two local favorites: Schlafly Pumpkin Ale and O'Fallon Pumpkin Beer. Both are highly regarded in pumpkin-beer circles (Beer Advocate reviewers rank Schlafly's version as second-best out there; O'Fallon's is 16th) and rightfully so -- they are well-crafted brews that inevitably spark nostalgic memories of Thanksgivings past.

And few local beers inspire such fierce "Which is better?" debate every year since 2006, when Schlafly first rolled out Pumpkin Ale (O'Fallon started making Pumpkin Beer in 2004).

I took the 2010 versions for a test drive last night. Here's the scorecard.

Appearance: O'Fallon Pumpkin Beer exhibits a cloudy hue that's somewhere on the color spectrum between honey and pumpkin puree. Schlafly Pumpkin Ale displays a dark reddish-copper color reminiscent of an old ale or Belgian dubbel. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (or beer holder, as the case may be), but to me, one has an appearance that says, "Drink me!" and the other says, "You sure you can handle me?" Edge: O'Fallon.

Aroma: Mild notes of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg are detectable in O'Fallon's version. Big hits of clove, cinnamon and bready pie crust emanate from Schlafly's. There is no mistaking the aromas coming from the Schlafly version -- they are Thanksgiving vaporized, and all I want to do is curl up with this glass in front of a roaring fire. Edge: Schlafly.

Flavor: This is what it all comes down to, right? Because as pretty as beer is to look at and as fun as it is to smell, all that really matters is how it tastes. It should be noted that comparing these two versions isn't exactly like comparing apples to apples. As part of the St. Louis Brewery's Special Release Series, Pumpkin Ale approaches "imperial" territory (whatever that might be for a spice/fruit beer) at 8 percent alcohol by volume. O'Fallon's is 5.6 percent ABV.

OK, OK, so what do they taste like? O'Fallon's has a creamy, smooth mouthfeel that delivers flavors of pumpkin pie filling dusted with cinnamon. There is no cloying sweetness or aftertaste, just a flavor that's subtle enough to beg you to take another sip and see what else you can discern. Schlafly's follows through on its nose with a spicy flavor dominated by cinnamon and cloves, with a touch of ginger on the finish. To my palate, the combination of spice and high alcohol content creates too much heat for me to truly enjoy Schlafly Pumpkin Ale from start to finish. As a winter warmer, it would be great to sip on a cold night. But in pumpkin beers, I want something a little more easy-drinking to last me until the first winter stouts hit the shelves. Edge: O'Fallon.

Winner: O'Fallon Pumpkin Beer.

That's just one guy's opinion -- feel free to disagree (I know you will). Fact is, they're both very good brews, and if you haven't tried a side-by-side comparision yourself, I encourage you to do so.

It's only August. You have plenty of time.