Skip to main content

9 best fall beers and autumnal releases to drink this year

Pumpkin brews, Oktoberfest ales, and a few more to celebrate the season

Holy schnitzel! It’s that time of year again. Step outside and you might notice a nip in the air (and a more than a bit of smoke if you’re in a Western state). Cooler temperatures and colorful leaves — the arrival of autumn means the reintroduction of heartier, fuller-bodied brews onto beverage menus, including seasonally specific favorites like Oktoberfest biers and brown ales.

To help wade through the glut of autumnal offerings now gracing grocery store shelves and local bar taps, we surveyed the best new beer releases from craft brewers to gather the best fall beer recommendations sprouting this fall season. And yes, this dynamic list of brews to snatch up before winter comes of course includes everyone’s seasonal favorite, pumpkin beers, alongside plenty of gourd-free options.

Best pumpkin beers

Thompson Island Brewing Company Boooo!!!! Pumpkin Ale

Thompson Island Brewing Company Boooo!!!! Pumpkin Ale
Thompson Island Brewing Company

That’s four ‘o’s and four exclamation points, if you’re keeping count. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware’s Thompson Island Brewing Company wants to stress how spooky this amber ale is, right down to the silhouetted ghost on the beer’s black can. Boooo!!!! is brewed with a “frightening” amount of real pumpkin and “eerie” spices, which include cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. The result is a refreshing, critically acclaimed ale; not too heavy on the pumpkin and not too light on the spice, a pleasing mix not too unlike buttery sweet squash.

New Belgium Brewing Company Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin Ale.
New Belgium Brewing Company

Speaking of spicy, New Belgium decided to take all the traditional Halloween herbs — allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon — and juice the pumpkin brew with habanero, aji, and árbol peppers. Your tongue better be ready, but New Belgium always puts out drinkable potables. This malty seasonal mix is, like its title suggests, a nice nuclear blast to the cool autumn season.

Fat Head’s Spooky Tooth

Fat Head's Spooky Tooth
Fat Head's Brewing Company

From spooky smooth to a spicy brew, we now move on to a full-bodied imperial ale, pumpkin style. The Fat Head brewery has been haunting Ohio since the last century, hailing all the way back to the halcyon days of 1992. Spooky Tooth is one of its stalwarts, a robust burst of pumpkin pie just as recognizable as its Fat Head logo sprouting vampire fangs. Do yourself a favor and bite into a glass. Just don’t get blood on your shirt.

Best Oktoberfest beers

Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen

Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Marzen
Hacker-Pschorr

Märzen is German for March beer. The name arose for Bavarian beer that had to be brewed during March for the Munich Oktoberfest given that stronger drink was not allowed to be made during summers. In concert with this process, and in consideration of the 1516 Beer Purity Law decreed by Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV (stipulating that only water, barley, and hops were allowed to be used as key ingredients for beer production), Hacker-Pschorr presents its ode to “Bavarian Heaven” with its Oktoberfest Märzen.

The resulting potent potable is a wonderful ode to the ancient, simple combination of beer ingredients — a medium-bodied, dark honey-colored lager that’s redolent of hearty breads and refreshing mineral water with a hint of caramel sweetness. If it’s hops you’re looking for, however, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Urban Chestnut Brewing Company Oachkatzlschwoaf Oktoberfest Lager

Oachkatzlschwoaf Oktoberfest Lager
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company

Speaking of Munich, if you’re in St. Louis, but you’re looking for a little German spirit this fall, all you have to do is track down a can of Oachkatzlschwoaf Oktoberfest. Brewed to Munich’s exacting standards, this regional lager from the Urban Chestnut Brewing Company is an Oktoberfest beer brewed right in the New World via Olde school methods.

Translating to tail of a squirrel (a word often used to determine the authenticity of native Tirolean, Upper German speakers), Oachkatzlshwoaf (O-Katz for non-Tirolean tongues) is a classic Oktoberfest brew: caramel colored with a medium body and a nice head offering a malty mouth, a hint of brown sugar and just a faint enough suggestion of hops to cut what could be a too sweet drink.

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Can
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Heading over to the other side of the Continental Divide, we find another well-balanced Oktober brew from Sierra Nevada. Even in the West, the Chico, California-based brewery is able to can the Continental spirit with a rich Märzen lager.

Featuring German malts, Sierra Nevada’s Oktoberfest wafts whiffs of honey and biscuits with tastes of caramel and graham cracker. Combine this with a beer cheese skillet, and you’ll be experiencing visions of buxom beer maids serving overflowing steins in sprawling beer tents.

Other autumnal favorites

Boulevard Brewing Company Tank 7

Boulevard Brewing Tank 7 American Saison.
Boulevard Brewing Company

What is a good harvest without a quality farmhouse ale? Not good? Below average? No need to worry about poor descriptors here because Kansas City, Missouri’s Boulevard Brewing Company has got your back. Named after the fermentation tank it was brewed in, the Belgian imitator carries the characteristics of its progenitors — floral, citrusy, and yeasty notes on the nose and snappy grapefruit, peppercorn, and hops on the tongue. The American saison brings a light pop (and a hefty 8.5% ABV) to any party and pairs well with any heavy meal.

Dupont Foret Saison

Dupont Foret Saison
Brasserie Dupont

If you’re going for a Belgian farmhouse brew this season, why not go straight to the source? Dupont’s Foret Saison is an “organic” beer. In this case, this means that the fermented suds come straight from 100% organically grown hops and barley mixed in artesian well water at Brasserie Dupont in Tourpes, Belgium.

The result is a classic mix of blonde ale and seasonal spices to create an almost perfect fall beer — light, but not watery, a bit of citrus pop that’s calmed by warm allspice, cloves, and other autumn herbs.

Funky Buddha Brewery Sweet Potato Casserole Strong Ale

Funky Buddha Sweet Potato Casserole.
Funky Buddha Brewing Company

One could argue that a sweet potato ale could fall into the pumpkin category. One would be wrong. There’s little in common between the meaty gourd and the sweet, juicy tuber besides an orange color. Fortunately, Oakland Park, Florida’s Funky Buddha Brewery knows the difference as well.

One of the more unique seasonal offerings, Funky Buddha does the world (and family gatherings a favor) with this gooey, fully baked treat to bring in the changing of leaves. Careful not to over imbibe, though, as this ale brings forth a formidable 7.9% ABV.

If you’re planning to take advantage of the last of barbecue weather and taking the party outside, make sure to check out our shortlist of the best beverage coolers to keep your suds cool.

Editors' Recommendations

Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
Prepare for spring with these great bock beers
The best bock beers for spring
Bock beer

Originating in Germany, bock beers got their name because of a mispronunciation. Its history can be traced to Bavaria in the 14th century. When it began to gain in popularity and moved south to Munich in the 17th century, it was initially referred to as Einbeck (named after the city where it was invented).

But a mispronunciation led to it being mistakenly called “ein bock” which translates to “billy goat.” This is also why many bock beer bottles and cans are adorned with a goat image.

Read more
The best vodka and vodka mixers for no hangover
The best hangover cure is to never get one in the first place
Cold cocktail with lime, lemon, tonic, vodka and ice on vintage background

Hangover side effects are unpleasant in every sense of the word, leaving us feeling unproductive and even sick the night after drinking. Most of us know drinking too much will lead to a hangover, but did you know the type of alcohol you drink and the mixer used can also contribute to the severity of your hangover? Carefully selecting the type of liquor you consume and opting for specific mixers can help you feel your best after drinking. Here's why vodka might be the smartest choice for no hangover symptoms.

Why vodka is the best liquor choice to avoid hangovers
While a hangover is nearly impossible to avoid if you drink too much, even moderate or casual drinking can lead to hangovers, too. No matter what your alcohol drink preferences are, it might be worth considering a switch to high-quality vodka if you're looking to minimize hangover effects. All types of alcohol contain ethanol. However, the differing fermentation and distilling processes of every alcohol can leave every kind of liquor with different chemicals remaining. The substances created as a byproduct of the fermentation process are known as congeners.
What do congeners do to the body?
Unfortunately, however, some types of alcohol are left with more congeners than others, resulting in worsened next-day hangover symptoms. Like ethanol, your body must also work to break down the congeners in the drinks you consume. If you've ever noticed tequila seems to lead to a worse hangover, it might be because tequila is a type of alcohol that is higher in congeners. Our bodies are left trying to break down two substances at once, which makes each process less efficient. In turn, this is why consuming alcoholic drinks that are high in congeners can lead to a worsened hangover.
Which types of alcohol are lowest in congeners?
A comprehensive study performed in 2013 explored the amount of congeners in many types of alcohol, including all liquors. The results of this study found that vodka was the option that had the least congeners per serving. But this doesn't mean that vodka can't give you a hangover; instead, it just means that it is less likely. Furthermore, the more times it is distilled in the production process, the more congeners will be removed. For this reason, choosing a high-quality vodka brand can help you reduce your chances of a hangover even more.

Read more
The best sommelier-approved wine picks for date night
Need some wine recommendations for date night? We've got you
Hands toasting with red wine

Wine has captivated the senses for what seems like an eternity. And while a solid Sauvignon Blanc is great for everyday sipping, special occasions call for special pours.

We’ve assembled a list of great wines worthy of your special somebody, whether you’re on a date or celebrating your 10th anniversary. The options come courtesy of seasoned pros representing restaurants all over the nation.

Read more