The Best Beers of Fall 2016

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, the beginning though, not the end. The beautiful leaves changing, pumpkin picking, sweaters, getting cozy on the couch… not the part with the short-ass days, brown leaves and baron trees. So let’s focus on the beauty right now. This season makes me want pumpkin beers, Oktoberfest beers, anything with an amber or reddish hue. Sometimes I want a reminder of summer, so I sink into an IPA. Either way here is a compilation of the best beers I drank so fat this Autumn season. 

Ballast Point Dead Ringer

Hands down my favorite domestic  Oktoberfest beer (aka Marzen). Its malt forward, so that gives it a nice copper color and caramel sweetness. I could drink this beer for days on end. In fact, last year I shifted my focus on pumpkin beers and this was a welcome change. The color and crisp flavor awakens the feeling of walking over those fallen leaves on the sidewalk after a day at school when you were a kid… and just as comforting. 

Flavor profile – sweet, notes of caramel with color to match.

Where to find it- This beer is easy to find at any distributor in your area. 

Great South Bay Mango Pale Ale

Are you not ready to admit it’s fall? This may be the best bet for you! If you read my blog you know that I’m obsessed with all things mango. Side note – thanks target Joe’s for this year’s mango explosion over the summer. Well apparently GSB’s Brewers have been sending secret psychic spies around and pulled this beer outta my head. I love a mango beer, the Ballast Point mango even keel was decent, but I’m not a huge fan of wheat beers they have this sour/ skunk quality at times. Well, this is a beautifully balanced pale ale with a nice hop character and just the right amount of mango. So thanks guys for giving me the last sip of summer I needed. 

Flavor Profile- Citrusy pale ale with the sweet additional of mango. Mango can be smelled and tasted.

Where to find it- Only available at Great South Bay Brewery at the tasting room. (Come on guys… Please bottle or can this next year!)

Almanac Madarina

As you can guess from the name theres some mandarin in this farmhouse beer. Here’s what I like, the Mandarin balances out the funky farmhouse flavor you can get from the style. It’s made for sunny days according to the website, but I think it works well for the sunny days of fall. With citrus hops and citrus juice or peel, this beer is crisp AF. Great for a day of pumpkin picking in the kinda day you need a sweater, but in the sun you’re very warm. 

Flavor Profile- Citrusy AF, sweet and tart. 

Where to find it- Should still be available at a distributor near you. There is a chance it could be sold out in your location. 

New Belgium Pumpkick 

Okay guys, here is a pumpkin beer… See I wouldn’t leave them out! Well this was our first year getting New Belgium beer here in NY and thus pumpkin beer was a welcome addition to the line up! You smell all the spices, you taste them and there is an unexpected kick… Hence the name. The kick comes from cranberry and lemongrass! It gives what New Belgium  calls a tart note, but I would say it brightens things up a bit. So that kick makes this the perfect compliment for your Thanksgiving meal! Grab them a couple six packs while they last! 

Flavor Profile- spice (cinnamon clove and nutmeg) , crisp from cranberry with a nice malty backbone. 

Where to find- At any distributor near you, of not already sold out. 

Flying Dog Gourd Standard 

What sets this pumpkin beer apart is that it’s an IPA. I never thought an IPA would work as a pumpkin beer, but I was wrong. With a nice lingering pumpkin flavor that lingers, it’s way more actual pumpkin flavor than spice. It’s a fresh take on the overdone pumpkin genre. Fear not it’s not overly bitter so this IPA would work for anyone. It’s a great bridge between dinner and autumn. It’s my first year drinking this beer and I’m in love! I even bought it more than once, that’s how you know I really like it. (Since I don’t really believe in beer monogamy.)

Flavor Profile- fresh pumpkin with a citrusy forward hop flavor.

Where to find it- At any distributor near you, unless it’s already sold out. 

Avery Rumpkin

This is the king of all pumpkin beers- Pumpking has been dethroned! Hail to the new king baby… It’s a whopping 15% ABV (alcohol by volume), so this beer packs a wallop. It’s sweet as you would expect from a double digit alcohol beer, but not sickening sweet. It’s definitely to be sipped and savored. It has a pumpkin spice flavor as well as lots if the rum barrel flavor. The rum almost hits you over the head, but I like bold flavor! It’s expensive, for a regular 12 oz bottle you’ll pay about $15.99, but this beer is no trick, it’s definitely a treat!

Flavor profile- Heavy rum barrel flavor with candied pumpkin and some cinnamon sugar rim. (Don’t ruin this beer with a rim, tooooo sweet)

Where to find it- At any distributor near you, unless it’s already sold out

Jungle Boogie, Marz Brewing 

After drinking this beer or occurred to me that more pale ales need the addition of tea! This pale ale has rooibos tea added to it and it’s amazing. The tea plays of the herb flavor from this hoppy pale ale, intensifying that herb flavor… But somehow it’s not bitter. If you close you eyes you would swear you are drinking a fizzy iced tea with lemon. So refreshing and oh so good – I will definitely be drinking this again! 

Flavor profile- tea with lemon and maybe a hint of orange too.

Where to find it- At any distributor near you, unless it’s already sold out

Boulevard Funky Pumpkin 

This is the second pumpkin sour I’ve had, but the first that comes in a six pack! Have you ever heard of sour beers? Well they’ve grown in popularity in the last year. A sour beer is not a style of beer, more like an archetype that many styles fall under. With a variety of flavors you can get from sours, this beet is of the tart variety and a good intro to the style. It almost has a flavor similar to a dry cider. Very accessible and crisp! With a fresh pumpkin flavor and basically no spice. I’d you usually sink white wine with Thanksgiving dinner consider trying this in its place. It has a very similar profile. 

Flavor profile- fresh pumpkin, dry cider, white wine. 

Where to find it- At any distributor near you, unless it’s already sold out.

Hacker- Pschorr Oktoberfest