You might not like it, but autumn is right around the corner. When you’re floating on an innertube in a lake or large pond on a hot, sunny day, it might feel like summer is going to last forever. Sadly, this isn’t the case. Fall with the crisp, crunch of leaves underfoot and long pants and heavy sweaters will be here before you can say, “What is pumpkin spice, anyway?”
Instead of feeling bummed about this, I’m going to embrace the coming of autumn for everything it has to offer. Specifically, the iconic fall beer. But this brings me to one important question. What exactly is a fall beer?
What is a fall beer?
While summer beers are known for their light, crisp, refreshing flavor profile and feature beers like light lagers, pilsners, and well-balanced IPAs, fall beers are a different hop-fueled animal altogether. Often released at the end of August through the autumnal months, fall beers are often maltier, richer, have more depth, and are usually higher in alcohol than their summer counterparts.
Fall beers, like summer beers, aren’t an actual style per se. Instead, they are a grouping of seasonal beers. This includes Oktoberfest-style beers, darker lagers, brown ales, harvest ales, bocks, and even pumpkin ales.
A great fall beer should be able to fill the gap between the warmth of summer and the crisp, cool weather of fall. It doesn’t need to be heavy and high in alcohol content like a winter beer, but it should be balanced, malty, and pleasantly warming.
How I pick my fall beers
Picking my yearly fall beers isn’t very different from any other season. That said, fall might be the most diverse and exciting season for beer drinkers. I look for well-balanced, flavorful beers. They shouldn’t be too heavy or too light. Fall is a season with varying weather conditions from hot and humid to cold, windy, and even rainy. You need to select beers for all occasions. On top of that, I don’t want to drink only one style. I pick from Oktoberfest beers, IPAs, brown ales, amber ales, and more.
Classic beers to drink this autumn
Now that you’ve learned a little about what makes a fall beer, it’s time to find some to add to your refrigerator for the impending cool weather ahead. Keep scrolling to see some of my favorite classic beers.
Jack’s Abby Copper Legend
Available from August through October, Jack’s Abby Copper Legend is a great example of an American take on the classic Oktoberfest-style beer. This 5.7% ABV Oktoberfest lager is brewed with simple ingredients like malted barley, lager yeast, and Noble hops. The result is a sublimely smooth, easy-drinking fall lager filled with flavors like caramelized sugar, bready malts, and herbal, earthy, floral hops. It’s a balanced, memorable start to the autumn season.
Harpoon Flannel Friday
With a name like Flannel Friday, you should have a decent idea of what you’re going to get into when you crack open one of these bad boys. This 5.7% ABV hoppy amber ale is brewed with 2-row Pale, Weyermann Special W, and a handful of other specialty malts. It’s hopped with a smattering of Simcoe, Citra, and Cascade hops. The result is a balanced beer highlighted by flavors like toasted bread, caramel malts, citrus peels, floral, earthy, piney hops, and a gently bitter finish.
Allagash Haunted House
There’s no confusion about what season Allagash Haunted House is supposed to be enjoyed in. This 6.6% ABV hoppy dark ale is brewed with Allagash’s proprietary 2-row malted barley blend along with Victory and Carapils malts. It’s rounded out with raw wheat and roasted barley Blackprinz. It gets its hop aroma and flavor from the liberal use of Nugget, Cascade, and Northern Brewer hops. This results in a unique, flavorful fall beer that features flavors like sweet chocolate, ripe fruit, bitter coffee, and gentle, piney hops.
Tröegs Hop Knife Harvest IPA
This 6.2% IPA is a fall staple. Brewed with ale yeast, along with Crystal, Pilsner, and Vienna malts. It’s hopped with El Dorado, Cascade, and Chinook hops before being dry-hopped with Centennial, Citra, and Columbus hops. At the end of fermentation, this IPA flows through the brewery’s HopCyclone. The result is a complex, balanced beer featuring flavors like orange peels, caramelized pineapple, mango, honey, and gentle piney, earthy hops.
Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown
If you’re looking for something richer and bolder but still reasonably light on a warm fall day, look no further than the classic Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown. This English-made classic 5% ABV nut brown ale is made with well water, barley malt, yeast, and aromatic hops. The result is a timeless fall beer featuring flavors like caramel malts, candied nuts, and a memorable dry finish that will leave you craving more.
Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest
There are few American-made Oktoberfest beers more eagerly awaited than Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest. This is because each year, the California-based brewery collaborates with a well-known German brewery to release this fall seasonal brew. This year, it partnered with Störtebeker. It’s brewed with Bonlander, Caramel Munich, Pale, and Pilsner malts as well as lager yeast and Opal, Perle, Spalter Select, and Tradition hops. This 6% festbier is centered on flavors like bready malts, caramel, honey, and herbal, earthy, Noble hops.
Southern Tier Harvest Autumn IPA
Who doesn’t love a fresh, flavorful IPA during the early fall days? The folks at Southern Tier have one of the best with their aptly named Harvest Autumn
Bell’s Amber Ale
While available all year long, fall might be the perfect season to enjoy Bell’s Amber Ale. This 5.8% ABV amber ale features selected malts, house ale yeast, and a mix of hops. Possibly the best fall gateway beer on this list, it features flavors like sweet caramel, toasted malts, orange peels, and herbal, earthy, lightly piney hops. The finish is pleasantly bitter and perfect for a warm fall night.
