Tuesday Tasting: Punk'in Drublic

From time to time I get my hands on a pair of beers that is just begging to be drunk side by side. This is one such pair:

Coronado made a pumpkin beer called Punk'in Drublic  which they then Barrel Aged. Both of these beauties made it to Japan where the regular retailed for 691 ¥ and the BA Variant went for a hefty 1944¥ for 375ml. Surprisingly, both are the same 8% ABV.

So this begs the question, is the barrel aging worth the premium price? Does it enhance the beer?

Let's start with the regular:

Coronado Punk'in Drublic 8%

Pouring a an orange-amber-brown that brings to mind a luscious barleywine.

The aroma is sweet pumpkin flesh, cinnamon & nutmeg - it smells very sweet and inviting.

Medium bodied with a slightly scratchy carbonation that announces to your tastebuds: beer is here.

The taste gives you a sweet hit that is reminiscent of molasses which I am guessing comes from the brown sugar & honey. Mixed in with that are cinnamon & nutmeg as well as nutty pumpkin flesh.

A solid all around pumpkin beer but I find the heat & ABV makes it a bit boozy. I preferred the Great Pumpkin as far as Imperial Pumpkin Ales go.

Coronado Collection Barrel-Aged Punk'in Drublic 8% 

It may be infinitesimally darker than the regular Punk'in Drublic but to my eye is virtually indistinguishable. It's the same orange-amber-brown. Nice looking. 

The aroma is oak, brandy & malt(or is that the honey/sugar?) sweetness. I don't get any of the pumpkin spicing you'd expect but I do get a plum-like character from the brandy. 

Medium bodied but the carbonation has smooth out somewhat making for a mildly more pleasant mouthfeel.

The taste remains boozy but it is complemented by oak, brandy, vanilla. That booziness fits a barrel-aged beer like a glove. After that you get sweetness, fruitiness and just hints of spicing in the finish. The barrel completely overpowered anything really pumpkin like.

It's a beautiful barrel-aged beer, very well balanced barrel character but it is a shame you don't really get anything pumpkin from it. 

As a beer I prefer the BA but as a pumpkin beer I prefer the regular Punk'in Drublic.

I'd buy the BA again but for a pumpkin beer is from Nagano Trading Co., Ltd I'd probably choose the New Belgium Pumpkick next time.