Punkin Crisis?

As we continue to make our way out of the blistering heat of summer and inch into fall, those of us that love pumpkin beer around the time that it's actually meant to be consumed have pretty much stocked up on what we needed to get us to this point.

With that said, most of us also know that once Southern Tier's Pumking and Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale hit the market, it means that it's pretty much a wrap on the pumpkin beer releases. At least here in the Pittsburgh area the only one I don't know of on the shelves yet is Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale. I've never had a problem getting either in the past. Some odd news might imply that I might not get much of one of these beers this year.

I recall cases of Pumking last year being at the same limit of two cases per-customer, but it is in the neighborhood of $8-$10 cheaper than it was. As for Punkin, I've seen a two case limit at the very worst. I'm not entirely sure if this store on Browns Hill Road is the only one that got 10 percent of what it ordered, but it usually has one of the largest beer inventories that I know of around me.

If the batch of Punkin is small this year it might be a lot tougher to find some. I planned on getting my case this weekend. Now, I'm not totally sure it will last until then. We'll see how it goes. My worst case scenario is that I end up forced dipping into the six or so bottles I still have from last year's case. Not that bad of a fallback.

Beer Review: Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (2012)

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Seven percent

Appearance: Dogfish Head Punkin Ale pours what looks like to be a peachy color. I picked up both reddish and brownish highlights throughout the body. The beer's head is an off-white and can almost be described as an ivory. It's well-carbonated as evident by the mass amount of bubbles rushing towards the crown of the beer. You will find plenty of lacing that completely encircles the glass as you consume this.

Smell: The fist thing I noticed in this beer's aroma is its tangy hop character. I also got a decent amount of sweet brown sugar, which seemed to be the dominant characteristic throughout. There was also some spicy nutmeg along with some vanilla. I can't forget the tiny bit of pumpkin that was in there as well.

Taste: I got whacked with a ton of sweet brown sugar and pumpkin at first. This tasted amazing. Enjoy those two flavors because the spiciness of the nutmeg takes over immediately and lingers with the hop notes for a long, and I mean a long after taste. If I had it my way, I'd prefer the spices and hops to be a little less dominant.

Overall Rating: 

I only have one complaint with this beer and that's the strength of the hops and spice. Together they're just a tad too strong. I actually think they're a bit more dominant than last year. I feel that the brown sugar and pumpkin are the two best flavors in this beer (it was sweeter last year). Still, we can't blame Dogfish for being experimental as they are known to be. This still remains as one of the top pumpkin ales on my list to buy each season.

Pumpkin Ale Week Continues: Day II

If you've already feeling festive from the first post of Pumpkin Ale Week, then get ready for another edition. Two more beers were tried. Two more beers are ranked. And then there were four.