Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

The best part of trying to open a brewpub is all the "research" you have to do. We want our beers to be the best, so we try as many different offerings as we can (without drastically affecting our lifestyles) and we see what we like and what we don't. I figured it would be a good idea to keep you all updated on the various beers we try. Feel free to share your reviews as well.



Last night I picked up a four pack of Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale. For the most part I am a big fan of Dogfish Head. Their beers are always unique and usually tasty. Even when they don't totally appeal to me, I always respect the fact that they are constantly trying to expand the definition of beer. They use ingredients most would never even consider and methods others wish they had thought of themselves. They've become a major player on the beer scene, and while I often go after smaller, harder-to-find breweries when I'm at the liquor store, it's good to know that a company like Dogfish Head can have so much success.

I am very happy I jumped back into the Dogfish Head pool last night. I had never tried this fall offering, and I realize now that was a mistake. Dogfish describes this ale as "a full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkins, brown sugar, allspice cinnamon, and nutmeg." More simply put, it tastes like Autumn in a bottle. This week the temperature dropped 5-10 degrees and I was starting to get really fired up about my favorite season, Fall. This beer took that to the next level. Pumpkin ales are very hit or miss in my opinion, and even the good ones often have a strange pumpkin flavor and are usually a little too weak for my liking (especially when it gets cooler outside). This beer rings in at 7% abv and has a wonderful flavor. It tastes more like pumpkin pie (maybe with a hint of sweet potatoes), but it's definitely not overly sweet. I can't wait to drink this with a warmed up plate of Thanksgiving leftovers in a couple months!