I don't normally go for the spiced pumpkin-based ales that come out at this time each year (I'm an old-fashioned malt & hops kind of guy), but Dogfish Head's offering caught my attention. First, it's Dogfish Head, which is practically synonymous with a quality beer experience. And second...it was 7.0% ABV. That appealed to me not just because of the alcohol content, but alcohol content is frequently related to body. Indeed, the label describes the beer as "A full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg." The addition of the brown sugar might have cut the body some, but I trusted the full-bodied description.

I was not disappointed. The beer has a lovely orange-copper color. The nose is mostly allspice. The body is indeed full, and the palate is sweet, with the spice coming through stronger (but not overpowering) shortly after. Allspice again is the most notable of the spices, followed by the nutmeg. The cinnamon comes through more in the finish.

Overall, the spice does not dominate the beer. As a result, I enjoyed this beer more than I typically enjoy spice beers. I believe it would make an excellent complement to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

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