Classic Fall Beers Paired With Classic Fall Movies

When it comes to fall beer, you can’t go wrong with a harvest ale, brown ale, porter, imperial IPA, Vienna lager, Oktoberfest beer, or even a well-balanced pumpkin ale. All of these beer styles pair perfectly with the iconic films of autumn. We’re talking about sports, love stories, comedy, and even spooky Halloween-centric films. Keep scrolling to see the best fall beer and movie pairings so you can plan your next half dozen weekends accordingly.

When it comes to iconic romantic comedies, it’s difficult to beat the appeal of When Harry Met Sally. Perfect for fall, the film is centered on Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) who share a long car ride together where they argue about whether men and woman can be friends. They meet again ten years later and put that idea to the test. Since most of the movie takes place in New York, it only makes sense to pair it with a popular New York City-centric fall beer like The Bronx Brewery Tattooed Pumpkin. This seasonal gourd-based beer is actually an IPA featuring flavors like pumpkin, caramel, cinnamon, and allspice, balanced out with floral, piney hops.

Set in a fictional boys’ boarding school in Vermont in 1959, the film is centered around a new English teacher named John Keating (played by Robin Williams) who makes it his goal to inspire his students to “seize the day” and learn to blaze their own trail. A Vermont-based film deserves a Vermont fall seasonal. A great choice is Long Trail Harvest. This 4.4% brown ale is brewed with pure Vermont maple syrup, giving it flavors of toasted malts, vanilla beans, toffee, and maple candy. It’s warming, balanced, and perfect for a cool fall day.

There might not be a better, more nostalgic fall movie than The Goonies. This classic 1980s film is part adventure and part coming of age story. Mikey, his brother Brand, and his friends are in danger of losing their homes on the Oregon coast. They follow an old pirate map in hopes of finding One-Eyed Wily’s treasure and maybe saving their homes. Pair this classic 80s movie with a warming, balanced Deschutes Black Butter Porter. This Oregon-made beer is known for its complex flavor profile featuring hints of dark chocolate, toasted barley, coffee, and vanilla.

Good Will Hunting is the story of Will Hunting (played by Matt Damon), a genius who works as a janitor at MIT. When he solves a seemingly impossible math problem, the professor decides to help him. He’s arrested and the professor gets the court to allow him to receive therapy instead of jail time from a man named Sean Maguire (played by Robin Williams). Taking place in Boston, this film is best paired with a classic Samuel Adams Octoberfest with its flavors of toasted, bready malts, candied nuts, caramel, and lightly bitter, floral, crisp finish.

Fall is a time for Friday night football games, and when it comes to uplifting sports movies, it’s difficult to beat the appeal of Remember the Titans. In 1971, the local school board in Alexandria, Virginia forced the integration of an all-black and all-white school. The football team combined as well. The film centers on the challenges and triumphs of the newly integrated team, its coaches, and community around it. A Virginia-based movie deserves a Virginia-made beer. Devils Backbone Vienna Lager with its 5.2% ABV, easy-drinking, lightly sweet, full-bodied flavor profile featuring notes of toffee, toasted malts, vanilla, and a nice kick of gently bitter, floral hops at the finish.

What’s better than fall in New England? Well, it’s not as fun when you die in an accident and end up trapped in your house. If you try to leave, you’re transported to a nightmarish world of giant, hungry sandworms. Stuck haunting their rural Connecticut home, the Maitlands (played by Alex Baldwin and Geena Davis) try in vain to scare away the new family who moves in before calling on a creep character named Beetlejuice for help. Pair this spooky film with Two Roads Roadsmary’s Baby. This pumpkin ale is a brewed with seasonal spices and aged in rum barrels with vanilla beans. What’s not to love?

Probably the best Thanksgiving movie ever made, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is the story of Neal (played by Steve Martin). He just wants to get home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving dinner with his family. When a snowstorm reroutes his flight to Wichita, he begins an infuriating journey home alongside the gratingly nice, over-the-top Del (played by John Candy). Since this movie ends in the Windy City, it makes sense to pair it with a 5.7% ABV Revolution Oktoberfest with its notes of bready malts, caramel, honey, and floral, gently bitter Noble hops.