Dogfish Head Punkin' Ale

So we're a full week into October and I have yet to review one single seasonal pumpkin beer on my dreaded Drunken Jackos Rating Scale. Time to correct that...

Every October, I grab a few new and different pumpkin beers from the local market and review each on my super highly scientific Drunken Jackos rating scale. More fun than anything, plus I'm always down to sip on a pumpkin beer throughout the Halloween season. So let's get to it.

As I said, I'm always reviewing new pumpkin beers each season. Until today. This one was one of my first beer reviews, and I believe it still holds the highest Jacko rating I've ever given. I have always been a big fan of Dogfish Head's Punkin' Ale. Although in my quest to find something new and different, this one has fallen off a bit and it's been a couple of years since I've had one.

This past week, I was searching the shelves and noticed the Punkin' Ale on the shelf. Only now it was a six pack (up from a 4) and it was in cans (instead of bottles). I decided to give it another go, based on my previous experience, and put it in the cart.

Today, I finally cracked open a can, and... well...

Upon opening the can and on first pour, I noticed the absence of any distinctive aromatic note. I really had to search to find a subtle earthy, vegetal aroma. Although the beer did pour a very nice medium amber hue with a strong, lasting head. It really did look great in the glass.

Unfortunately upon first taste, I actually found it quite muted from the memories of the wonderful nutty, spice flavors from previous years. I really had to search to find a true, distinct flavor. It finally arrived in the aftertaste, leaving a nutty, caramel flavor in the mouth.

Overall, I was quite underwhelmed with this version of Punkin Ale. I'm not sure if anything was changed in moving to a six pack of cans, but it really left me longing for that distinctive earthy, nutty flavor that really set it apart from the other sweet pumpkin beers on the shelves.

It's still drinkable as is, but it really is a shell of its former self, and because of that, (this version) of Dogfish Head's Punkin' Ale gets 2 out of 5 Drunken Jackos.