Fall Is Finally Here

Autumn has begun. Hell Yeah! Fall, I have been waiting for you all long, hot summer. Please commence the cool breezes, crisp days and falling, crunchy leaves. And, brewers bring on the fall seasonal beers!
On tap at my favorite local bar and grill – Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale…and all is right with the world. If you’re like me, you’re ready for fall, and you’re ready for the pumpkin ale. And, my friends, Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale is still the best of the best.
Historically in this country, it was tough to brew beer in the old style due to incorrect and sparse brewing ingredients. However, pumpkins, at least in the fall, were abundant. And, this vegetable was a fermentable adjunct, meaning that when added to the brewing process, the pumpkin sugars would become alcohol.
Today, some pumpkin beers are made with real pumpkin, others with artificial flavor, most also contain different spices reminiscent of pumpkin pie, including clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, ginger and allspice. These types of spices tend to dominate the flavor of today’s creations, with pumpkin being prominent in the smell, subtle in the taste. The beers themselves are often amber or brown in color, more malty than bitter, and are medium-bodied brews.
By far, the best pumpkin beer on the market, quite possibly my favorite beer of any once a year seasonal offering, is Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale. This is everything a vegetable/spice/herb beer should be. The label tells it all: “A full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, all spice, cinnamon and nutmeg.”
The best pumpkin beers I have tried are made with real pumpkin, so a check in that box for DFH. And, unless you want a cinnamon candy or a piece of pumpkin pie, hopefully those characteristics are toned down a bit, and Punkin’ is solid there as well.
In the tumbler, Punkin’ actually looks a shiny bright pumpkin color, with tiny bubbles streaming up from the bottom of the glass. The cap of foam is a light shade of orange too.
The smell of this ale is delightfully restrained, if that makes sense. It’s not the sweetest or thickest or spiciest pumpkin I’ve ever smelled, but it’s definitely the best put together aroma of the lot.
Flavor is where this beer comes through all the way. The taste is perfect, not too sweet, not too hoppy, but a great flavor of pumpkin and additions. Malty and caramel in taste, the hops n’ spice keep if from becoming cloying. The spices do not overwhelm, the pumpkin is obvious in the flavor profile, and the base beer is one you would be happy to drink on its own.
Although, DFH says this is a brown ale, it’s certainly not one of their brown ales. Yet, its pure fall beer bliss. Sadly, it is a seasonal offering, and it’s only available during October, so grab it now.. Enjoy the brews … Cheers
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.