Jack's Pumpkin Spice /Dogfish Head Punkin (MO/DE)

Two pumpkin ales from different sides of the track.

Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale: This is from A-B, specifically Michelob (the bottle is etched with the Michelob name), which is turning into A-B's ambassador to the craft beer world. 5.5% ABV. It pours clear copper with a head that doesn't last. The smells reminds me of a pumpkin candle or something. It doesn't taste like real pumpkin, but what does? What we perceive as pumpkin is probably mostly about the complementary spices. In this case, cinnamon comes through the strongest against a caramel, amber ale body. I like the dry finish and the malty aftertaste; I don't like the light, fizzy body, which isn't rich enough for fall.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale: This one is a bit more red in color and slightly hazy. The aroma is sweeter with a touch of vanilla, but that doesn't come through in the taste. Instead, it's malty, spicy (more allspice and nutmeg than cinnamon), and rummy. Like Jack's, it doesn't taste to me much like real pumpkin, and if you told me it was a Rum Raisin beer I might have believed you. But Punkin (7% ABV) still has a lot going on, and a nice medium-full body.

It isn't fair comparing these two, as the DFH costs at least 50% more. Is it worth the extra dollars? I'd rather drink one of it than two of Jack's, but I'd bet most civilian beer drinkers would prefer Jack's. I don't like either any more than Pumpking, but I'd gladly pay for DFH Punkin again.

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale (DE)

It took me a while to figure out that the "Indian" here is a reference to India Pale Ale, and that this is a combination of an IPA and a Brown Ale (as well as a Scotch Ale, according to the brewer).

It's a pretty hefty beer. It pours very dark brown, nearly opaque, and is medium-to-full bodied. Toss in soft carbonation, and you have a nicely creamy brew. The aroma and flavor are quite rich, with aspects of chocolate and brown sugar, mostly. I sensed some nuttiness as well. What I didn't get much of, however, was the IPA style hoppiness. This clocks in at 50 IBUs, but most of it seems to be buried beneath the malts. I am normally wary of how US brewers feel compelled to load Northwestern hops into beers of any style. In this case, however, I think they could have been more aggressive. As is, the beer skews a hair's too much toward the sweet and malty side, but this is a minor criticism of a very tasty beer.

It's over 7% ABV, but doesn't taste it. What might keep me from knocking back a sixer is the general richness of it, as well as the price (I paid $2.50 for one). It's available year-round, but I think now is the best season for it, as it plays out more like a porter or stout than a mild ale.