Although pumpkin beers have been brewing since the English settled here a few centuries ago, the market for gourd-related grog took some time to achieve its current level of popularity.
Part of that pumpkin push is a result of Delaware's source of brewing pride, Dogfish Head. Their Punkin Ale was first produced as a home brew entrant for the annual World Championship Punkin Chunkin festival in Bridgeville.
We spoke with Sam Calagione, president and founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales, about his seasonal Punkin Ale and the ingredients that make for a good pumpkin beer. Keep reading for a sampling of the Dogfish version and five other tasties.
Since your Punkin Ale is a direct reference to the Punkin Chunkin contest, would you say this ale is very Delaware-centric?
"The name certainly speaks to the contest, which awarded us our first award as home brewers. It's also a subtle reference to punk rock music."
What is the key ingredient in your Punkin Ale?
"A lot of brewers might use pumpkin flavoring or artificial flavors, but we use real pumpkin meat, which we get from an outside source."
So, you don't cook your own pumpkins first and then have to worry about seeding them.
"Well, we used to cook all the pumpkins in our kitchen stove, but the demand got greater, so we had to switch to getting it from a supplier."
When do you add the "pumpkin meat" and when do you add the spices?
"The 100 pounds of meat is added during the mash, when the barley is heating up and the starches are converting into sugars. The spices are added at the end of the boil, because we want to keep that aroma of brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon."
And lastly, from one of our readers, why is the Punkin Ale only available in four-packs, rather than six?
"At 7 percent, it's a bigger beer, so you're getting the same amount of alcohol content in four as you would with six of a standard beer. The four-pack is a sort of subtle, almost subconscious reminder that this is a sipping beer."
In addition to Sam's Punkin ale, we also tried five other pumpkin ales at Avenue Spirits in Wilmington, where Brendan and Cindy helped us select a Halloween holiday six-pack of sorts. Below are our tasting notes and pricing info on each.
Southern Tier Pumking, $6.99 for one 22 oz. bottle • Yeah, the price is a bit high, but it's totally worth it. If you're looking for more spice than pumpkin, this is your best bet, with hints of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and even anise.
Saranac Pumpkin Ale, $6.99 for a six-pack of 12 oz. bottles • The great upstate New York brewery comes at you with another solid sipping beer, although the pumpkin flavor in this one tastes more like pumpkin spice than actual pumpkin meat or purée.
Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale, $7.49 for a six-pack of 12 oz. bottles • From the folks at Blue Moon, this beer is as approachable as all their others, with a hint of pumpkin for flavor. You might also pick up some faint clove, nutmeg and allspice if you're paying attention.
Southampton Pumpkin Ale, $7.99 for a six-pack of 12 oz. bottles • This pumpkin beer from near the Southern Fork of Long Island weighs in at a modest 5.5 percent, and comes off sweeter than most others, with a light vanilla aftertaste.
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, $7.99 for a four-pack of 12 oz. bottles • The overall Spark staff favorite, at 7 percent ABV, we like this one because its base is a brown ale, a perfectly robust and malty fall beer.
Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale, $6.99 for a six-pack of 12 oz. bottles • From the folks at Michelob, this is pretty much what you'd expect from a lighter beer with a hint of pumpkin. Nothing really special, but if you're a fan of the light lagers and want to ease into the pumpkin flavor, start here.
-- Rob
