When it comes to fall flavors, there’s none as well-known and divisive as pumpkin spice. People who love the flavor can’t wait for its arrival at the end of the summer and early fall. Those who hate it avoid it like a gourd-spiced plague. It’s a flavor that’s either hated or loved. There seems to be no in between. The same can’t be said for cranberry flavor. Another popular fall flavor, it doesn’t seem to have the same divisiveness as pumpkin spice. That’s what makes it such a popular flavor for fall beers.
While pumpkin spice is almost always overpowering when used to flavor a stout, IPA, and other beer styles, cranberry is often more subtle. It’s used for its fruity, tangy, sometimes tart flavor profile and is found in a variety of beers, including lagers, fruit sours, wheat beers, IPAs, Gose-style beers, and more.
In my years of writing about alcohol, I haven’t encountered cranberry-flavored beers as often as pumpkin-spiced offerings. But I can tell you that I’m more often enamored with the tart berry-centric brews than the gourd-spiced beers.
The best beers for fans of cranberries
Now that you’ve learned a little bit about the appeal of cranberry-flavored beer, it’s time to find some to drink. Below, you’ll find some of our favorite examples that are perfect for fall tailgates, holiday meals, and more. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Cape May The Bog
With a name like “The Bog”, you should have a pretty good idea about what you’re going to get into when you crack open a can of this beer. This 3.9% shandy is a cranberry wheat beer blended with lemonade. Perfect any time of year, this refreshing brew is known for its flavors of sweet wheat, lemon peel, and tart, tangy cranberries. It’s the type of beer that’s just as delicious and balanced on a hot summer night as it is on a cool fall evening.
Perfect for: Sipping around the fall campfire.
Boulevard Cranberry Tank 7
Tank 7 is one of Boulevard’s most popular beers. This farmhouse ale is known for its flavors of fruit esters, yeast, pepper, and spices. For the colder months, the Kansas City-based brewery offers an 8.5% ABV cranberry-flavored limited-edition version. The result is a well-balanced American Saison that features the yeasty, spiced flavors of the original with the addition of fruity, cranberry tartness.
Perfect for: Pairing with Thanksgiving dinner.
Long Trail Cranberry Gose
This 5.2% ABV Gose-style beer from the folks at Vermont’s Long Trail is available year-round, but hits best in the autumn. This kettle-soured beer is flavored with Massachusetts-sourced cranberries, coriander, and sea salt. The result is a tart, tangy, salty beer with a nice mix of fruity cranberry, coriander, and sour flavors.
Perfect for: Adding a sour, tart, sweet element to your fall tailgates.
Jack’s Abby Cranberry Chaos
Released in November, this 4.5% ABV tart lager is brewed with wheat, cranberries, and orange peels. This results in a memorable tart, tangy, fruity beer you won’t soon forget. The fresh, tangy cranberry, tart orange, and overall fruity, citrusy flavor is a great choice for a respite from the winter months ahead.
Perfect for: Drinking on a colder-than-expected fall evening.
