This seriously might be too difficult. For those of us who love and adore pumpkin (and somehow aren’t sick of all of my pumpkin-related posts), this competition is fierce. After all, who doesn’t love a Pumpkin Spice Latte before work as much as a Pumpkin Beer after work? It’s a close call. Very close. And lately, with all of the pumpkin craze happening early this year (i.e. M&M’s, donuts, bagels… and even whiskey), it’s hard to decide which fall treat to try next. But for now I’m going to evaluate the fall pumpkin flavored classics.

To be perfectly honest, even as I’m writing this post right now, I’m not even sure who will “win” this competition. But I’ll try my best in today’s This vs. That.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Let’s face it, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is a classic. You can drink it hot or cold, at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks. It obviously tastes delicious, reminding every pumpkin lover of their favorite fall season. Just the description alone—“espresso blended with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove and topped with sweetened whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices”—brings a smile to my face. And when it’s cold outside, the last thing you want is a cold one in your hand. The warm Pumpkin Spice Latte will ward off those November chills. And, the espresso in that Grande PSL is just enough to keep me awake during my 2 p.m. slump.

Now for the negatives. As much as I love this delicious fall drink, the fact of the matter is there’s no actual pumpkin in the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Not that I really care… it still tastes like the fall season to me. But the fact remains. In addition, I consider the cost of a Pumpkin Spice Latte a tad pricey—pushing the $4 mark. Yikes. That comes out to be around $20 per week. Also (not that you need to watch your calories this fall), but a typical grande Pumpkin Spice Latte contains around 380 calories (the horror). But maybe that’s just the whipped cream, which you can easily eliminate from your drink. Or maybe, you should just treat this as a dessert.

Pumpkin Beer

Pumpkin beer really is the perfect brew for fall. As soon as it debuts in Boston bars, crowds go wild to get their hands on whatever pumpkin beer the establishment has on draft. I, for one, love drinking the pumpkin flavored malty beer, which includes a similar autumnal taste as the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Pumpkin beer typically has almost a nutmeg and cinnamon like aftertaste—delicious in my opinion. And, unlike the Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin beer is actually made with pumpkin. For instance, Shock Top’s Pumpkin Wheat flavored beer is made from a traditional Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with ripe pumpkins. Surprisingly, there are fewer calories in a Pumpkin beer than in a Pumpkin Spice Latte – rounding out to around 200 calories per bottle.

As for the pumpkin beer negatives, the beer, while typically not more expensive than your average brew, still costs more than a Pumpkin Spice Latte. The average price of a Sam Adams Seasonal at a bar comes to about $6. And while some pumpkin beers tend to be delicious, some brands can miss the mark. I’ve certainly had pumpkin beer before that was less than ideal: some are way too rich, while others can be dry and bland, leaving only a hint of pumpkin taste. The good news is there are plenty of pumpkin beer choices, but unfortunately, that means you will need to taste many different pumpkin beers before you find your favorite. This could lead to a pumpkin beer goose chase. And who has time for that?

Winner: Pumpkin Spice Latte

Honestly, who’s really watching their weight here? It’s fall, and soon to be winter, after all. Personally, I love the taste of a Pumpkin Spice Latte, and it tastes the same every time. I know what I’m getting when I place my order and I know I’m going to like it. While I do like some brands of pumpkin beer like Sam Adams and Shipyard, I don’t like every brand of the beer. You can also drink the Pumpkin Spice Latte at any time. In the morning, at work, in the afternoon as a little “pick me up.” But pumpkin beer is best enjoyed after work or on the weekends.

So, while this competition was a close one, the Pumpkin Spice Latte takes the cake. Now, we’ll just see have to wait and see how the Pumpkin Spice Whiskey stacks up against these fall drinks…