Beer Porn: Dogfish Head “Punkin Ale”

The Stats:

• Punkin Ale
• Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery (Milton, Delaware)
• Style: Pumpkin Ale
• ABV: 7.00%
• Serving Style: 12 oz bottle (purchased as a single for ~ $3 at Premier)

I’m a spring/summer beer guy; I like the lighter styles of Hefeweizen and White Ale’s more then any other style of beer.  But when it starts to get a little chilly outside and I can start to consider wearing a hoodie, I enjoy a fall beer here-n-there.  So along with the usual Oktoberfest/Marzen’s that start coming out in fall, you also start to see Pumpkin Ales popping up.

Now, I normally don’t think of myself as a big pumpkin ale fan; I thought that the weird pumpkin extract that was used to flavor the beer wasn’t that tasty.  I’m not a big pumpkin pie fan and I don’t really want that flavor in my beer.  But then I tried Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale and quickly realized that Dogfish might be the best brewery in the United States.  They honestly make some of the most amazing beers, and Punkin Ale is one of those amazing beers.

The first thing you notice about the beer when you pour it into a glass is the lack of an overwhelming Pumpkin smell.  First sip and still, no strong pumpkin flavor.  Sure you taste a hint of it (they do in fact put chunks of pumpkin into the beer) but the brown sugar and cinnamon really were the flavors that hit me right away.  Really the entire beer just reminds me of leaves falling off trees, a fall bonfire and trick or treating.  This is a beer thats heavy; it’s definitely not a “light” beer like previous pumpkin ales I’ve tried in the past.  This is also a seasonal release, so they should be hitting more stores shelves soon and will be there until Halloween-ish (depending on how fast they sell out).  So in the coming weeks when the weather starts to eventually drop in temperature, go outside and grab a pack or pint at your local beer bar.

Check out want head brewer/owner Sam Calagione says about Punkin Ale: