Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Milton, Delaware USA

Wow nicely spiced, cinnamon, pumpkin pie, sugary, cloved. Good spiced beer for the season, more character than the typical seasonal. A little too sweet after a few though, a little cloying.

Thanks to my wife for letting me have a couple sips to review her beer. Pours a clear copper color with a standard white head. Smells a strong chunky pumpkin flavor with the spices (nutmeg, allspice, clove, etc) taking a back seat. There’s almost a baked bread smell, like a pie crust, too. The taste is more of a strong brown ale, with spices, than a sweet pumpkin beer. It’s actually pretty good because all of those spices take a back seat.

Bottle. Poured a clear amber with a small off white head. Aroma of SPICE and some pumpkin. Flavor of SPICE and some pumpkin. The pumpkin flavor is very well done on this beer, but the spice level is way too high. Good beer, that could have been great.

A decent pumpkin brew. A little too overpowering in the allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Too spice filled for me, much prefer the Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale.

There are a lot of ways to flavor a pumpkin beer. Some of them are more natural, some of them are just really sweet, and this one is really rich and spicy. So, if you’re a candle person you’ll probably like this beer. Also, it’s a way to be festive and also be drinking a 7% beer. Flavor here is of light, raw pumpkin, and then heavily (not overly) spiced with a nice balance of cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice (which I think is just inclusive of allspice). Drinkable, but dangerous.

Poured into a pint glass. The bottle says this is a brown ale but the color is decidedly light amber. Crystal clear with a frothy white head that sticks to the glass nicely. Aroma is heavy on the cinnamon and brown malts. The other spices are more understated. Flavor profile has a bread dough base with clear pumpkin flesh influence and notes of allspice and a bit of nutmeg. Mouthfeel is well-carbonated and medium-bodied. Sweet clean aftertaste, very little hoppiness, semi-dry finish. Very very drinkable.

Slight hint of pumpkin and alcohol in the aroma and flavor. Nutmeg overpowers it though, and leaves a residue on the tongue, which felt like an interference. Good not great.

Good beer. Nose of sweet caramel malts. Flavor has deep caramel and brown sugar tones. Pumpkin doesn’t dominate, it’s actually somewhat in the background, but adds a pleasant flavor. A little spicy, and the alcohol comes through. Solid offering.