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The Flavors of Fall — September 2018

The Flavors of Fall: Beers for Every Taste

Fight it as we might, summer is on its way out. Sure, we won’t let it go without a fair amount of kicking, screaming, and dragging out heels, but the inevitable change of seasons will soon be upon us. Thankfully though, with the change in seasons come a change in seasonal beers, too.

The bright, refreshing beers that call summer their home don’t leave us entirely, but they definitely make way for some bolder and more robust beers. Darker, stronger, and even spicier beers dominate the fall season and for good reason. The nights are starting to get cooler and the days shorter, meaning we all need a little something extra to make the transition into fall go a little more smoothly.

While autumnal beers seem to be known primarily as full of pumpkin and spice, that’s not all the beers of fall have to offer. You’ll find stouts, porters, brown ales, the quintessential pumpkin ales, Oktoberfest style beers, and even some pretty great IPAs and other beers you probably wouldn’t align with the fall.

We’ve done the hard work for you and rounded up some of our favorite fall beers that run the gamut of flavors, alcohol content, color, and style. Check out our list of fall beers for every taste and find your new favorite beer for this autumn.

Victory Brewing Co. Storm King Stout – Cooler weather loves darker beer. It’s a fact. Bigger, darker beers are the perfect companion to longer nights and lower temps. Storm King Stout from Victory Brewing Co. knows this fact and is here to help. The 9.1% ABV American imperial stout uses whole flower hops and three different varieties of hops to give you a big, hearty beer that has notes of espresso, dark chocolate, alcohol warmness, as well as an impressive dose of bitterness.

Otter Creek Brewing Co. Oktoberfest – In the beer world, one of the most notable times of year has to be the Oktoberfest celebration held annually in Munich, Germany. While you may not be able to make it to the yearly mecca of beer, you can celebrate in your own way with the variety of Oktoberfest-style beers that are typically easy to drink and love. Otter Creek’s Oktoberfest is a 5.5% ABV lager that relies heavily on the traditional varieties while bringing that special something that Otter Creek gives every one of their beers.

Stone Brewing Xocoveza – Don’t worry, I’ll help you out with the pronunciation of this amazing mocha stout so you’re ready to ask for it the next time you’re out. Pronounced “zo-co-VA(long A)-za, this 8.1% ABV beer is making its triumphant return to shelves this season thanks to countless fans requesting its return, and for good reason. This beer is Stone’s take on Mexican hot chocolate that’s brewed with cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. If you missed this beer the last time it was available, make sure to catch it while you can, you won’t be disappointed.

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy – Mostly thanks to Oskar Blues, the canned beer revolution has been a wild success, with breweries large and small producing every beer imaginable to be placed in the shiny aluminum vessel that we know as the almighty beer can. One of the biggest canned beers around is the impressive and aptly named Ten Fidy from Oskar Blues. This 10.5% ABV beer is a massive, indomitable imperial stout with big flavors of chocolate, caramel, coffee, and boozy deliciousness. Grab a can when you see this beast in hiding, you’ll be glad you did.

Heavy Seas Beer TreasureFest – It’s not often that you think of pirate ships and Oktoberfest-style beers in the same light, but the beer world is a weird, beautiful place so here we are. The always-impressive Heavy Seas Beer brews their TreasureFest Oktoberfest-style lager to be an American spin on the classic German style by dry-hopping with American hops to give this unique 6% ABV lager extra bitterness that’s both impressive and fresh in a…sea…of Oktoberfest lagers.

Anderson Valley Brewing Company Fall Hornin’ – With a brilliant, deep copper hue and creamy beige-colored head, AVBC’s Fall Hornin’ Pumpkin Ale has intense yet approachable aromas of caramelized malt and baking bread with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin and spices. The creamy mouthfeel and silky body solidify the sweet caramel flavors with just hint of hops that ends with a smooth, round finish. Coming in at 6% ABV, this beer is nearly perfectly rounded, balanced, and ready and waiting for you.

Bell’s Brewery Best Brown Ale – When it comes to fall beers it’s hard to find one that’s more universally loved that Bell’s Brewery Best Brown Ale. With hints of caramel and cocoa, this well-balanced 5.8% ABV beer has a deep malt body that’s balanced out nicely by the generous helping of American hops.

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Pumpkin – America’s Original Pumpkin Ale was first brewed in 1985 by…you guessed it…Buffalo Bill’s Brewery. Made with real pumpkin, this 6% ABV beer has a golden amber color, and the sweet aroma of pumpkin pie. This brew is perfect for Fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale is available from August through November so get this original while you can.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Punkin’ Ale – A full-bodied 7% ABV brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. Dogfish Head brews Punkin Ale with pumpkin meat, brown sugar and spices. As the season cools, this is the perfect beer to warm up with. A real classic in the pumpkin beer world, this is one gourd-based beer that’s worth your time and taste.

Heavy Seas Beer Greater Pumpkin – In the worthiest of pumpkin patches and during the silence of the midnight hour, the Greater Pumpkin rises up and pours a rich deep and orange color. Heady aromas of bourbon, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and clove linger over the thick white head of this giant brew. Its love at first sip with this 10% ABV beer as the full malt body, dominated by British crystal malt, brown sugar and pumpkin all vying for a front row seat and all winning out. Bourbon barrel aging rounds out the flavors with notes of oak, vanilla, and bourbon.

Lancaster Brewing Company Baked Pumpkin – Have your pie and drink it too! Bold flavor with a deep amber color, our big Baked Pumpkin Ale is sure to remind you of Grandma’s homemade pumpkin pie. Coming in at 7.3% ABV, it’ll pack a little more punch than Grandma could hope to bake into her pie, that’s for sure.

Lancaster Brewing Company Oktoberfest – This impressive take on the classic fall lager uses seven different malts and three varieties of imported and domestic hops, as well as authentic Bavarian lager yeast. Light in copper color, this 5.5% ABV beer is full-bodied with a nice malt sweetness.

North Country Brewing Company Late Night Pumpkin – For the fall season, North Country brews their Late Night Pumpkin with a healthy dose of pumpkin, spice, and of course this is all done late at night, when the pumpkins taste their best. Coming in at 6.1% ABV with a gold color and a nice spiced character, Late Night Pumpkin is a canned beer you definitely need to try, and at 6.1% ABV, it’s just about as perfect of a pumpkin beer as you could hope for.