Three Pumpkin Ales
I have selected three bottled pumpkin ales for sampling and evaluation this week. But first I have to warn you. Over the years I’ve come to realize that no matter how hard I try to like pumpkin ale, I’ve never found a commercial example that satisfies me and makes me want to drink more than one bottle or pint. The only really good pumpkin ale I have ever tasted has been homebrewed, produced in small quantities using the best pumpkins and a minimum of spice for that added dimension of je ne sais quoi. Unfortunately, getting access to the real deal—the homebrewed pumpkin ale—is not an option for many of you, so you are stuck with these pale imitations.
The stereotypically disappointing commercial pumpkin ale is Shipyard Brewing Company’s Pumpkinhead Ale. The best thing about this beer is the label art—a bronze horse and rider with the head of a pumpkin and holding a pint of beer aloft. This beer tastes like it would if you removed the innertube from the rear tire of your ten-speed and tried to eat it. The aroma is a perfume of spice which doesn’t even suggest anything remotely like pumpkin—all I get is flowers and nutmeg. I was really disappointed in this one since I usually expect a good product from Shipyard. I really enjoy Shipyard’s IPA, so I would suggest that you not form your opinion of Shipyard’s line of beers by tasting the Pumpkinhead.
The other two pumpkin ales I selected were at least drinkable. The PostRoad Pumpkin Ale (5% ABV) has an annoying floral-spice aftertaste, but the beer itself is decent. My guess is that under the pumpkin spice there’s a really good pale ale; I can even taste the bittering hops in this beer. If you can get past the aftertaste, you’ll probably like this one. The PostRoad bottle doesn’t prominently advertise the brewer, but if you read the fine print you see that it was brewed by Brooklyn Brewery, Utica, New York. If that confuses you, take a look at my previous article on Brooklyn Brewery. Just about every brewery brews and bottles beer at a large remote facility (in this case the F.X. Matt Brewery, the brewery responsible for the Saranac line—and they also brew their own pumpkin ale with allspice, cloves, ginger, and vanilla).
By far the best of the lot is the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. In general I’ve been a little disappointed with the Dogfish Head beers. For my taste they are beers that are interesting to have one of and then move on to something else. The one possible exception is their 60 Minute IPA which is very drinkable. The Punkin Ale, while the best bottled example of pumpkin ale I’ve had this season, doesn’t encourage me to rush out and buy a six pack. The best aspect of this beer is that it is the least extreme of the beers (which I find surprising given Dogfish Head’s reputation). Perhaps it’s the higher alcohol content (7% ABV) that helps balance out the spice (brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg). The result is a pleasing beer that you’ll be able to sip and enjoy. So if you want celebrate Fall Harvest Festival Week with a beer, I’d suggest buying a single bottle of Dogfish Head Punkin Ale and toast the season.
Ahh, personally I’m a fan of pumpkin ales. Or pretty much anything pumpkin.
On a recent epsiode at Basic Brewing Radio, Pumpkin Ales were brought it. It seems many homebrewers and most micro/mega brews don’t even put pumpkin in the beer at all. Evidentally people have associated the spices with pumpkin flavor rather then pumpkin itself.