Now that we’re well into August, it’s OK to start looking toward fall. Fear not, you still have time for days spent lounging on an inner tube in a lake or pond. But autumn is coming and there’s no way you can stop it even if you cover yourself with more SPF than is remotely healthy and attempt to hide under a dock or beneath a pool floatie.
Don’t worry though, it’s not so bad. The return of the autumnal season means that you’ll soon be imbibing fall beers. It’s a great season to be a beer fan as you have your pick of Oktoberfest-style beers, pumpkin ales, brown ales, Vienna lagers, and all manner of bolder, richer, maltier brews. Keep reading to see our list of the best fall beers.
The best fall beers for your favorite autumn activities
Fall is a time for outdoor activities like hiking, tailgating, campfires, and end-of-the-season camping. In our opinion, these are all activities that are made even better with the addition of autumnal beers. Fear not, you don’t have to find these Oktoberfest-style beers, brown ales, and pumpkin ales on your own. We did the work for you. Below, you’ll find the best fall beers to drink while you participate in your favorite autumn activities. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Jack’s Abby Copper Legend
When fall rolls around, there are a few beers we eagerly await more than others. One beer is Jack’s Abby Copper Legend. Available August through October, this seasonal Oktoberfest-style beer is beloved for its mix of toasted malts, caramel sweetness, and gentle, floral hops. It’s a great balance of crisp and sweet malty flavors. There’s a reason it’s called a “legend.”
Wychwood Hobgoblin Ruby Beer
With a name like Wychwood Hobgoblin, you better believe this is an appropriate beer for fall imbibing. This brown ale is brewed with Pale, Crystal, and Chocolate malt and hopped with Fuggles, Styrians, and Goldings hops. The result is a rich, balanced, complex beer with a sweet toffee, malty backbone, hints of fruit, and a lightly floral, hoppy finish.
Southern Tier Pumking
Pumpkin beer might be the most divisive beer style. At least among fall beers. It’s either great or tastes like an overly sweet pumpkin spice explosion. There’s no in-between. Southern Tier Pumking is an example of the former and not the latter. This imperial pumpkin ale is available from August through October and is known for its mix of vanilla, pie crust, cinnamon candy, pumpkin, and seasonal spices.
Deschutes Black Butte Porter
While you might not feel ready for darker, maltier beers in the early fall, there’s a good chance you’ll have at least a few unseasonably cool nights. That’s a great time for a porter like Deschutes Black Butte. It’s brewed with 2-Row, Chocolate, Crystal, Carapils malts, wheat, Tettnang, and Cascade hops. The result is a creamy, sweet porter loaded with notes of dark chocolate, toffee, roasted barley, and lightly floral, piney hops.
Devils Backbone Vienna Lager
Another great beer style for fall is the classic Vienna lager. A great example of the style is Devils Backbone Vienna Lager. It’s brewed with Vienna, Pilsner, Dark Munich, CaraAmber malts, as well as Saaz and Northern Brewer hops. This creates a complex, memorable fall beer with notes of toasted malts, caramel, dried fruits, and gentle hops. It’s a great complementary beer to campfires and every other fall activity.
Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest
You can’t have a fall beer list without at least one Märzen from Germany. While there are many to choose from, we love Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest. Brewed following the German Beer Purity Law, this classic Oktoberfest-style beer is known for its balanced flavor profile featuring toasted malts, brown sugar, toffee, raisins, caramel, and gentle, floral hops. It’s a classic fall beer that belongs on your table all season long.
Alaskan Amber
This popular, 5.3% ABV amber ale is a great choice for fall. Brewed with glacier-fed water, a mix of Pacific Northwest and European hops as well as 2-row, and specialty malts, it’s an epic beer for the season. Well known for its palate of caramel, bready malts, dried fruits, and floral hops, it pairs well with all fall outdoor activities.
Bottom line
As you can see from the above beers, autumn is a great time to be a beer drinker. There are many different styles and flavors to choose from. If you’re asking our opinion, we suggest trying them all. But at the very least grab one or two. One (or both) of the Oktoberfest beers is probably a good choice.
