The topic of this month’s Session (hosted by The Barley Blog) is “Happy Anniversary.” The idea is to talk about a special beer that you normally only drink once a year, whether it’s for a special occasion, or just because it’s a limited release from your favorite brewery.

The beer that immediately comes to mind is Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale. In fact, it’s the only beer that comes to mind that fits this topic for me, which is unfortunate, because I already mentioned it in my post for last month’s Session.

But screw it, I’m gonna write about it anyway!

As I’m sure y’all know, Punkin Ale only comes out once a year in September. As soon as it comes out, I always buy a case and make it last through the fall (and then some). It’s most definitely my favorite pumpkin ale.

I love the fall. Punkin Ale transitions me out of summertime and carries me through those first brisk days of the new season. It reminds me of grilling, tailgating, and sweatshirts.

The first thing I think of when I take a sip of Punkin Ale is UD homecoming. It never fails — my first beer of the day at homecoming is always Punkin Ale. Trust me, it tastes great at 8:00 in the morning. Sweet, nice and spicy… it’s like breakfast!

It also reminds me of Punkin Chunkin. If you’ve never experienced this ridiculous event, make it a point to go. Especially if you’re an engineer, or even if you just like watching pumpkins being hurled through the air by obscenely enormous contraptions. Punkin Ale is the perfect beer for tailgating this event, not just because it’s made from pumpkins, but because it also happens to be brewed in the same state as Punkin Chunkin… Good ol’ Slower Lower!

I scavenged my fridge to see if I had any leftover Punkin Ale hiding in a corner… No such luck. Looks like I’ll have to wait another month before I can enjoy this beer again. And I’m okay with that… I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to summer yet.