Punkin Ale - Dogfish Head Brewery

DoubleGator

Florida

3.83/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

A: light copper color. Looks like Fall.

S: Strong all spice smell, a little metallicy. Hints of vanilla and pumpkin pie. Faint alcohol in the back

T: tastes like a smooth brown ale with a pumpkin finish. Spices are more subdued than the smell would suggest. Very drinkable for 7%. Well balanced. Props to DFH for keeping the sweetness (for a pumpkin beer) at a minimum.

M: decent. A little thin and high on the carbonation

O: Solid pumpkin beer. My first of the season.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 21:56:30 | More by DoubleGator

Gorgeous_JR

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is some really good tasting pumpkin beer. It is not overly heavy in any particular flavor so it is lighter than you would think. I drank it out of the bottle and finished it quite quickly in fact. It drinks real easily and has a clean aftertaste. At 7% it's packs a solid punch haha.

I didn't like the bottle label though. Would have liked a design of some sort you know.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 19:03:37 | More by Gorgeous_JR

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a dfh glass

A: pours a slightly amberish brown with a half finger if white head that dissapates to a film, not much lacing.

S: smells like fresh pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices, not much as far as the base brown ale malts are concerned, smells more spicey then anything to me.

T: much like aroma here, pumpkin flavor up for with pumpkin pie spices on the finish, a little bit of toastyness in there with the spice, pretty well balanced

M: medium body with a slightly spicy aftertaste and a touch of creamyness.

O: a good pumpkin beer, I'm not a huge fan of the style, but unlike the balance here, there is pumkin pie spice, but it is not overly done, the pumpkin flavor still comes through... One of my favs for the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 02:32:39 | More by PeterIngemi

cadizkyguy

Kentucky

4.3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had this bottle left over from a six pack purchase, maybe three years ago... I don't think the age will affect the quality of this brew, given its 7 percent alcohol content... the beer has been kept at fridge temperature since the day of its purchase, too.. but let's see what age does for this seasonal offering.

Poured into my Duvel tulip, a nice frothy head appears... the head dissipates rather quicky, leaving some lacing behind. .. a great smelling beer, even with age on it. I smell nutmeg, pumpkin, spices, clove... the smells get better and more intense as the beer warms to room temperature... taste is next and i remember this beer fresh and age has only made this beer better, if that's possible.. the nutmeg, pumpkin, spices all come together in each sip. wow, what a wonderful fall seasonal...

I have to give this beer high marks for being spot on for the style and I grade this as good as my all time favorite, Schlafly's Pumpkin Ale... Excellent beer. Will be looking for another six pack to age for future enjoyment.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 07:12:52 | More by cadizkyguy

diddly

New York

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass.

Aroma is strongly fruity, obviously, with pumpkin over the top, with maybe a little bit of an alcoholly warm aroma. Some cinnamon and spice contribute to a nice combination.

Appearance is a little light, with a nice off-white head, which doesn't last especially long.

Flavor is malt-dominant, with a great contribution from the pumpkin and spice flavors. Good bittnerness, although not a ton of hop flavor - all in all, a good balance.

Mouthfeel is super dry, with medium carbonation.

Overall a very nice pumpkin beer, with more bitterness than most, but as with most Dogfish beers, the balance is terrific.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 02:46:47 | More by diddly

notchucknorris

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a clear coppery color with a thin but pretty creamy tan head.

S: Smells awesome. Tons of pumpkin, cinnamon, a bit of a nuttiness and some baked yams.

T: Definitely not as sweet as the smell would suggest, but retains that great pumpkin flavor. Toasted malt and pumpkin upfront with a tingle of cinnamon, some faint floral hops and a nice dryness with just a touch of alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 03:06:42 | More by notchucknorris

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from tap into pint at Gingerman SONO. Pours a healthy orangey color with a nice head. Very subtle pumpkin spice aromas, but you know you are drinking a pumpkin; nice sweet malt aromas as well. Taste is very subtle pumpkin spice, sweet malts, and some slight hop flavor. You know its a DFH for sure, and like usual, it doesnt disappoint. Its crisp and refreshing and not over bearing on the spice which is really nice - usually one pumpkin is all i can handle in one sitting, but i could drink lots of these.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2012 15:07:46 | More by DrinkSlurm

CheezyBlaster

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best pumpkin beer -well, this or CBC Great Pumpkin, but they're completely different animals. Styles are so silly.

Clean, fresh, autumnal nose, floral kiss. Fresh and toasty, "marzenish." T&M: Warming, spicy, allspice for sure, clean pumpkin presence, brown sugar, root beer, wonderful carbonation, excellent mouthfeel. Touch of creaminess.

This is the best that a, in my opinion, weaker style can get.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 22:45:38 | More by CheezyBlaster

kojevergas

California

3.03/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a Uinta brewing pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average. Acquired as part of a four pack at the Cap 'N' Cork in Los Angeles a few hours ago.

Served straight from the refrigerator. Not paired with food.

A: Pours a four finger white head of nice cream, pretty good thickness, and good retention for the relatively high ABV. Colour of the body is textbook transparent copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Fairly vibrant, but nothing special.

Sm: Brown sugar, spice (including distinct cinnamon), clean malts, light toasted malts, and pumpkin. Pumpkin is substantial - a good characteristic for the style (you'd be surprised how many pumkin beers I've had that featured very little pumpkin). I'm excited for it. Aroma is dry in character and average in strength.

T: Spice and pumpkin are the first thing I notice, with some texture-affecting brown sugar throughout. The foundation is comprised of clean bland malts. The spices don't feel all that balanced. It's got body, but mostly because of the mouthfeel rather than the flavour. No yeast comes through at all. The pumpkin is nice. The brown sugar comes through most on the climax, where I can almost feel it rotting my teeth. It's a pretty sugary build all around - a substitute here for Dogfish Head's usual trademark sweetness. Where their IPAs are sweet, this is sugary. Some limited subtlety, but little complexity or impressive layering. Indeed, there's nothing unique or special here. Feels manufactured and par for the course. No alcohol comes through. I do get cinnamon.

Mf: Surprisingly dry, with emergent wetness only coming roughly at the midpoint. A bit too thick. Smooth. The mouthfeel distracts from the flavour. Adequately carbonated.

Dr: Horribly overpriced for the disappointing quality. I expected no better from Dogfish Head. I wouldn't get this again. A bit rubbish. Drinkable but boring and bland. Rather simple. Hides its alcohol well.

Low C+

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 05:10:02 | More by kojevergas

TPINC3

Alabama

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into my Dogfish Head tulip glass. I let it sit for a minute to bring out the aromas and to get the nice dogfish emblem in the lacing on top of the beer.

A - Clear. Its a nice amber color that kinda looks like a glass of tea. Small lacing around the edge of the glass and a white lacing over top of most of the beer.

S - It smells like a dogfish beer. Maybe it's just me, but I think all dogfish beers have a similar scent. After taking a nice deep smell, I get whiffs of pumpkin (obviously) and some spices cinnamon or nutmeg (I know the taste, but I can't quite put my finger on it). Smells kinda like a pumpkin pie almost. It smells like fall and it smells delicious.

T - Very creamy beer. Definitely malt and pumpkin driven Once again there's still a lot of spice to it. Initially has a sweetness but then Finishes with a little spiciness. Very good.

M - Medium body. Not too much carbonation. Just right for the type.

O - Another excellent offering by Dogfish. This was definitely worth ordering online and having to cover the ridiculous cost of shipping. Hands down the best pumpkin beer I've ever tasted. Only downside (if you can call it that) is it's so good you really want to just keep drinking it instead of appropriately savoring the aromas and taste. Ultimately, worth a try. Cheers!

P.S. Dogfish, if by some absolute miracle you read this review... Please come back to Tennessee! We miss you. I met a couple other brew fans at our local Whole Foods where we were looking for some beer . we all 3 met in the beer aisle and reminisced of the days when it was always available. I'm sorry I took you for granted! haha. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 01:53:04 | More by TPINC3

bmwats

Louisiana

3.83/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint.

A: Dark golden hue. Pours about a 1 half finger, bubbly, white head. Quickly settles and dissipates almost completely. No real lacing.

S: Pumpkin, nutmeg, and a little cinnamon.

T: Malty with pumpkin and nutmeg.

M: Malty and only a little sweet accented thoroughly with great Fall spices.

D: Not much resistance, but best savored.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Fair appearance with a great nose of fall spices. Flavor is malty and spicy. Very well calibrated. Overall, this is a good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 05:11:01 | More by bmwats

KKB

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Basically looks like carbonated apple juice. Soft brownish white head that goes away almost immediately. Looks clean, relatively clear.

S - Basically smells like a pumpkin pie. You can smell the pumpkin for sure, the cinnamon and the allspice. Smells spicey, pumpkiny and delicious; perhaps some light floral hops in the nose as well.

T - Quite delicious, more of what you get from the smell. Pumpkin right off the bat, with that cinnamon, some spice, and you get the sweetness from the brown sugar. Not quite as good as the nose suggests but still the best fall pumpkin brew that I have had. Alcohol blends in nicely...The brown sugar really started to come through more as it warmed. Nice to start it real cold and sip slowly and luxuriously away at it till it gets pretty cool. At the end the flavors only come out more robustly and leave you with a smile on your face.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, a nice light dry finish. Great mouthfeel.

O - Overall this is a great pumpkin ale, the best one that I have had so far. Just delicious.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 23:33:58 | More by KKB

DonDirkA

Arizona

4.68/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Nose is cinnamon, pumpkin, nutmeg, molasses, some caramel malts and nutmeg. The taste is very similar. Cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, malty backbone, molasses and coming in last is pumpkin. Its not the most pumpkin of the pumpkin ales but its my favorite. Although to be honest I don't experiment with them much because I have been disappointed so often (I'm looking at you Buffalo Bill's and probably some others I've forgotten)

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 08:01:27 | More by DonDirkA

BuzzLikebeer

4.45/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass

A - Copper/Gold with 1 finger white head. Dogfish calls it a brown ale but it doesn't look dark enough for a brown to me.

S - Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove. Pumpkin pie in a glass. Slight ester/yeasty aroma.

T - The aroma is tricking my tastebuds into tasting pumpkin pie. But actually a somewhat dry hoppy taste with residual sweetness at the end. Brown sugar seems to come through. Well balanced. The 7% ABV is well hidden.

M - Medium body. Fits the style. Drinkable body offsets sweetness and allows the drinker to enjoy several.

O - This is my 2nd favorite Pumpkin Ale. The spicing is the best in the style. I am a big fan of Dogfish Head and this is one of the best beers they make. A Northeastern US autumn is not complete until you've had a Dogfish Head Punkin Ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 01:48:36 | More by BuzzLikebeer

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear, light golden-brown, almost burnt sienna, with a big, fluffy, frothy, off-white, slightly yellowish-brown head. Decent lace and retention.

S: You have to pour a big head and dig your nose deep to get a lot of aromas. Letting it warm up a bit helps, as well. Fall spices, lightly roasted malt, sweet molasses, caramelized/brown sugar, sugar pumpkin, earth. Smells like the air of the season.

T: The flavor is much better/stronger than the nose. Delicious balance of spices (specifically nutmeg and cinnamon), fresh pumpkin, and roasted malt. Hints of brown sugar, sweet malt, and hops.

M: Super smooth, flavorful, and unique. None of the flavors overpower each other. Can become cloying with all the sweetness but still top notch.

O: A well-crafted, easy-drinking, not overly spiced or pumpkin'd Pumpkin Ale. Great beer for the style. One of the best in my opinion. The question I always find with Pumpkin Ales is, could I have second? With this one, most likely.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 22:50:24 | More by Gatch

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Pint Glass

Appearance - Dark mildly hazy Orange with a few carbonation bubbles along the sides. Head is white and about half a finger in width upon pour before becoming a white film. Lacing on the mild side here.

Smell - Cinnamon, Pumpkin Pie, Spice, Graham Crackers, Yeasts, and Malts. Very warm and inviting aroma that one can smell all day.

Taste - Cinnamon, Spices, Pumpkin Pie, Yeasts and Malts. After a streak of what I would call disappointing Pumpkin Ales, I'm happy to say the flavor here is rich, delicious & sweet.

Mouthfeel - Light carbonation and light bodied and feels very crisp and easy to drink. I also get a warming sensation from drinking this, which is another good sign (for me at least)

Overall - Even though I still prefer Painted Pumpkin Ladies, this comes in a VERY close for my overall favorite Pumpkin Ale. It's got rich aroma and flavors. On top of that, it's easy to drink and it warms you right up. If you can get your hands on it, I assure you that you will not be disappointed!

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 17:58:42 | More by NuclearDolphin

hoppytobehere

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a deep amber with 1 finger head that dissipates pretty quickly.

S: Pumpkin pie and spices, but not over the top.

T: Nice blend of pumpkin, spices, and sugar. You get a little bite of hops and then malt towards the end. Alcohol is subtle.

M: Medium body/carbonation, not overly sticky and sweet.

O: Pumpkin beers aren't my favorite, but it's nice to have a few each Fall. This one is up there with the Schlafly Pumpkin Ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 00:58:32 | More by hoppytobehere

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

first time reviewing this one, although i've ben drinking it every fall for the past 6 (+/-) years.

poured a clean amber with 2 fingers of white head (nice lacing).
smells funky from the pumpkin.. not so much from spices, but just a bit tart. bready, malty.
a nice and subtle blend of pumpkin pie spices, getting a hint of banana.. nice and malty sweet.
medium body with an average amount of carbonation, slight creamy feel on lips.
as far as pumpkin ales go, this is one of the top ones for me every year.. feels like i'm drinking a beer and not just pumpkin pie in a glass. it's kind of funny how taste buds change though, i used to get extremely excited over the pumpkin beer season.. but now i look in my fridge, i have maybe 15 pumpkin beers and all i'm craving is a blonde ale or an ipa.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 04:51:53 | More by facundoCNB

TheBigLebrewski

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a pint glass. Short but satisfactory, small-bubbled white head. Amber and lighter in color than expected. Great smell, per the style; appreciably not overpowering. Could say the same about taste: great amount of pumpkin, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, without being overly sweet or weighted in favor of any particular ingredient. (Didn't get much brown sugar.) Mouthfeel, however, was not perfect - A very little bit of a metallic tinge that puckered up the tastebuds. If anything diminished my affection for this beer it was the mouthfeel and, even more-so, the aftertaste - a sort of herbal bitterness that detracted from the very well balanced sweetness in the front of the sip.

Overall, a decent pumpkin ale, but not the best of it's type. I enjoyed it, and it's certainly worth trying, but considering that this is usually marked-up from the standard dogfish pricing, you can ultimately find a better pumpkin ale for cheaper. Try Shipyard's Pumpkinhead if you like lighter beers or lots of nutmeg, Jolly Pumpkin's Parcela if you're partial to sours, or Shipyard's Pugsley's series for a similar, more pie-oriented, and equally tasteful pumpkin brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 03:30:02 | More by TheBigLebrewski

Luddy37

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The appearance of this beer was a orange copper ale color that Id expect. The smell was one of the better from pumpkin beers. I was hit with the floral aromatics which included a hint of pumpkin. However, the smell was not all that overwhelming. The taste was overall good. A hint of pumpkin emerged followed by a light sweet after taste from the sugars. They say its a full body ale, but I somewhat disagree on that aspect. I think overall it was a more medium and went down smoothly. Overall a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 05:40:43 | More by Luddy37

davecavemaster

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours with a good creamy off white head. The head starts out pretty thick, but dissipates fairly quickly, leaving a thin foamy head for most of the drink. Moderate lacing on the glass.

As for color, the beer pours a golden, orange. Lots of small bubbles drifting up form the bottom keep a thin layer of foam on top.

The aroma of this brew is very nice. It's like inhaling a pumpkin pie. The smells are dead on what the label tells you, "brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg." Very spicy nose, some traces of malt and a slight breadyness as well. Overall, the spices take the front of the nose.

I think the most impressive part of this beer's taste is the way you can taste of the flavors, but none of them are overpowering. You can taste the pumpkin, the spices, and all of the sweetness of the sugars, but all are very balanced. With some seasonals you are done with one, with this one you crave another.

Great fall pumpkin beer. The folks at Dogfish Head nailed this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 03:01:30 | More by davecavemaster

DerekP

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

In the glass the brew is amber, with a pumpkin-orange glow under the light. Soapy, off-white head; thin, but retention is steady.

Pumpkin pie spices with an overall smooth aroma. Nothing overbearing. Spice and an underlying herbal hops note.

Spices don't linger in the taste. A bit of sweetness, a light hops bite. Cinnamon & allspice (as noted on the label).

There's a body to this brew that some pumpkin ales lack; a completeness. I don't get the sensation that I'm drinking watery beer with pumpkin spices added to the base. Beats most pumpkin ales in my book.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 20:29:58 | More by DerekP

BigCheese

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a Peachy orange red. Thinish white head. Head dies quickly and doesnt leave much laving, appears to be a filtered ale.

S: Pumpkin and brown sugar sweetness off the bat, nutmeg and cinnamon in background. Quite pungent.

T: A rustic pumpkin flavor intertwined with some lightly roasted malts initially. Kicks of brown sugar and cinnamon. Quite sweet and spicey. Malt base reminscent of an irish red mixed with brown, some tea like bitterness notes mixed with the cinnamon and nutmeg, I do enjoy the brown sugar malt base.

M: Pretty thick and syrupy. Quite rich/heavy. Very flavorful, not a session beer. Lot of residual sugar.

O: More of a dessert beer, would pair well with potatoes turkey, steak, and rustic food. Might be a tad over spiced but its got a great flavor profile. Stands out among the many pumpkin ales. The only thing I didnt like was the tea bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 01:41:36 | More by BigCheese

RussBecker1

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle to a pint glass.

A-Pours a dark rusted orange with hints of both brown and amber. Looks as you would imagine a pumpkin ale would. Very little head which lasts for a decent amount of time, but leaves little to no lacing throughout the glass.

S-The nose is not very sharp, but the spices are very identifiable. Cinnamon, allspice and hints of pumpkin are there with maybe a bit of clove and vanilla that round out the body. Smells more like a pumpkin pie than simply a pumpkin ale, which is nice just not very strong.

M-About average. The body is heavily carbonated which makes it very drinkable, but it does hamper the taste and undertones of the body.

T-The nose is spot on. All those flavors are apparent although not very strong. It is substantially less sweet than some other pumpkin brews which was personally much appreciated. The flavors do intertwine well, but are muted to a certain degree that takes away from any possible complexity.

O-Punkin is not too complex of an ale, but I did find it pretty enjoyable to drink. Having it only available during the fall does play into its likeability, as at any other time it would be far less appealing.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 15:03:34 | More by RussBecker1

Jerzi20

4.73/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- The carmel color is exactly what I want to see in a pumpkin ale - not too dark, and not too light. It's the perfect medium.

S - Without taking a sip, in the proper glass you can simply inhale the taste of pumpkin pie. Slightly spicy, the crust hits your palate first but the combination of pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon remain. It's almost like inhaling desert without the calories.

T - For my taste buds, this is the ultimate pumpkin beer. Is not too sweet, and once you sit down to relax with one, it's hard to quit. Most pumpkin beers leave me too full or are too heavy to drink pint after pint. I just can't get tired of this one. With a small sip, the dry sweet taste hits your taste buds but disappears just as quickly. The sweetness is counter acted with the spices.

M - Smooth, Sweet, and spicy. It leaves your toungue quickly, leaving you wanting more!

O - I think it's pretty obvious, I ust can't get enough of this!

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2012 02:41:57 | More by Jerzi20