We have a long-standing dislike for pumpkin beers. (Here’s the proof.) Well, the good news for pumpkin haters is the majority of drinkers are starting to agree, as seen by a huge cut in production of the spiced mess of a drink. This free shelf space means more real estate for the beers we do want to drink. Don’t know what to hunt out this season? Here are 8 new beers to drink this fall, and there isn’t a pumpkin among them.
Deschutes Hopzeit Autumn IPA
This is a bit of a weird one. Deschutes, brewers of such fine beers as The Abyss, Black Butte Porter, and Fresh Squeezed IPA, have given us a new autumnal style. They took the sweet, malty goodness of a traditional Märzen and combined it with the hoppiness of an IPA. The result is Hopzeit Autumn IPA. And you know what? We kinda dig it. It packs that toffee backbone and brings in just enough pine and grapefruit to make it unique. Link
Hi-Wire Pink Drink
If you need a refreshing taste of summer to remind you of beach days, Hi-Wire brewing has just the thing. Pink Drink is a tart wheat ale that’s brewed with raspberries and lemongrass. Yes, it’s pink. Yes, it’s delicious. Long a taproom favorite, the colorful brew was just canned for the first time and we’d recommend getting it. Link
The Alchemist Harvest Ale
Since opening their new facility, The Alchemist has amped up the variety of beers you can purchase if you visit. (You used to only be able to Heady Topper at the old facility.) If you hurry up, you can snag their latest, Harvest Ale. The beer highlights the Vermont barley used in its creation. Those malts are complimented by German hops that impart an earthiness to the brew. It just tastes like fall. Link
Sixpoint Tesla
Tesla is Sixpoint’s new hoppy lager, and like the man it’s named after, it’s pretty smart. Crisp, clean lagers hopped with American varieties are usually a mess, but Sixpoint pulls off a beautiful balancing act, allowing the juicy hops to shine without taking away from the refreshingly crisp lager profile. Oh, and at 7.1% ABV, this isn’t your easy-drinking lager you knock back a 6-pack of. Link
Flat12 Bierworks Pinko!
Russian Imperial StoutThese cans were released in late summer but deserve a place on this list. First, because a RIS isn’t exactly a summertime brew. Second, because these cans are awesome. Flat12 Bierworks, out of Jefferson, Indiana, packaged their Russian Imperial Stout, Pinko!, in 8 oz. cans. Listen, some nights we’ll go with a tallboy of a heavy stout when we want to get a little nuts, but normally an 8-ouncer would be ideal. If you can still track down some cans, do so. Link
Stone 02.02.02 Vertical Epic Ale
To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Stone is releasing a handful of fan favorites that haven’t been seen in a while. Cue: 02.02.02 Vertical Epic Ale. Easily one of the most interesting beers the brewery has ever released, the Belgian-Style Strong Ale was originally released in 2002 as the first in what would become an 11-part vertical. Each year the beer was released again and, if you were diligent, you could then drink them all in 2012 to see how they differed. It was fun, but that fun ended a few years back. Now you can taste what all the hoopla was about with a special release of the prized beverage. Link
Good People Urban Farmer
There’s never a wrong time for a good saison. Sure they were originally intended to quench the thirst of hardworking farm hands during hot summer days, but the earthy brew also helps usher in a holiday season full of amped up spice. This fall make your saison of choice the latest offering from the good people at Good People. Urban Farmer blends notes of grapefruit and pineapple with the classic orange zest and yeast traditionally at the forefront of a good saison. Link
Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest
Last year, Sierra Nevada knocked it out of the park with their Oktoberfest beer. It was, simply put, the best American-made Oktoberfest we’ve ever had. This year, despite changing up the German brewery they collaborated with, they’ve done it again. This time they worked with Mahrs Bräu, a Bamberg-based brewery that has been around in one form or another since the 1600s. This year’s batch has a nice spiciness to it that plays well with the classic malt-forward body of a traditional Oktoberfest. Prost! Link
