It might seem like the summer — with its lazy afternoons and beverage-demanding heat — is the perfect season for beer. But while it’s tough to beat a refreshing IPAs, pale ale, or wheat beer on a steamy summer day, we believe fall is the best time to throw down a few pints. The changing of the seasons means some days the weather is crisp and cold and other days it’s almost unseasonably warm. Plus there’s more beer in season, from piney IPAs to rich brown ales to deep, chocolaty stouts to crisp sour ales to malt-heavy Scotch ales.
Simply take a look out your window and pair your day with the right beer. Or, better yet — drink what you want, when you want.
To help you find fall beers that haven’t hit your radar yet, we listed eight of our favorites below. Seek them out and enjoy autumn filled with new brews and (hopefully) a few romps through the leaves.
Bearded Iris Fresh on Fresh
ABV: 7.5%
Tasting Notes:
If you haven’t had a few already, this beer will prove to you that fall is a great time for wet-hopped IPAs. These super fresh beers should be enjoyed immediately, as they don’t have much shelf life.
Bearded Iris Fresh on Fresh is filled with the aromas of citrus. From the first sip, you’ll be met with Citra, Simcoe, and fresh, piney Mosiac hops. It’s bright, full of energy, and heavy on the tangerine, grapefruit, and mango sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This beer is fresh, vibrant and should be enjoyed pretty much as soon as you buy it. Sit on a porch or patio before the weather turns any further and taste one last bit of summer in beer form.
North Coast Brother Thelonious
ABV: 9%
Tasting Notes:
Fall is prime time for Belgian-style abbey ales like North Coast Brother Thelonious. Named both for the style of beer as well as jazz legend Thelonious Monk, this beer is rich, malty, and filled with caramel sweetness perfectly suited for chilly fall nights.
Bottom Line:
Throw on some jazz and warm yourself from inside out with this pick — it’s the perfect fall beer.
Silver City Magnificent Bastard
ABV: 9.2%
Tasting Notes:
While not a beer you’ll find everywhere, you’d be remiss if you didn’t at least try to seek out a Scotch ale this fall. One of the best is from Silver City’s Magnificent Bastard. This complex brew is well-balanced with Nugget and Cascade hops as well as Munich, Caramel, Peated, NW Pale, and Black malts.
It’s subtly smoky and filled with sweet vanilla, toasted caramel, and subtly bitter hop notes.
Tasting Notes:
Save this one for a cool night. Pour yourself a pint and feel the whisky-like caramel flavors warm you through and through.
Three Floyds Broo Doo
ABV: 7%
Tasting Notes:
Another wet-hopped IPA, Three Floyds Broo Doo is truly a special fall experience. Before taking a sip, you’ll be struck with a mixture of floral, citrus, and candied fruit flavors.
This beer screams “fresh!” with hints of papaya, mango, and clementines.
Bottom Line:
This pick is perfect for the warmer fall nights but still stands up as the weather grows colder.
Jack’s Abby Shipping Out of Boston
ABV: 5.3%
Tasting Notes:
The name references two things. First the manufacturing history of Boston as well as being a play on the popular Dropkick Murphy’s anthem, “Shipping up to Boston.” The flavor is as rich as the city’s history. Made in the German-style, this amber lager is a great combination of resinous hops and sweet, caramel, and toffee malts.
Bottom Line:
It’s a great beer to pick up after you’re done drinking Jack’s Abby Copper Legend this fall.
Upland Paw Paw
ABV: 6.5%
Tasting Notes:
Proving that fall is the perfect time to branch out into different styles, Upland’s Paw Paw is a barrel-aged fruited sour ale that you’ll want to stock up on for the coming winter. This golden sour ale began as a sour blonde ale that was aged with pawpaw fruit — which tastes like a combination of mango and banana.
The beer itself is tangy, tart, and filled with tropical fruit flavors.
Bottom Line:
Sip it like a wine spritzer — making you dream of warm days in the future while being tart enough to always bring you back to the present.
Night Shift Darkling
ABV: 12.9%
Tasting Notes:
Technically this is a beer brewed for Halloween, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying it for the rest of fall. It’s subtly smoky and filled with hints of espresso, bitter dark chocolate, and a nice kick of creamy vanilla.
Bottom Line:
It’s high in alcohol, luxurious, and warming on a cold, fall night.
Troegs Hop Knife
ABV: 6.2%
Tasting Notes:
A reference to the act of harvesting hops, Hop Knife is a fall seasonal beer filled with both regular hops and dry hops. With the likes of Cascade, Chinook, El Dorado, Centennial, Citra, and Columbus hops, this fresh, crisp brew is filled with hints of orange, grapefruit, tangerine, and juicy pineapple.
Bottom Line:
It’s not your average heavy, malty fall beer and that makes it a perfect respite from the usual.