Seven Delicious Fall Beers to Celebrate Oktoberfest (and Beyond)
What rosé is to summer, beer is to fall. The crisp, refreshing drink is the perfect compliment to cooling temperatures – especially when combined with seasonal flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon and coffee. Whether you’re hosting an Oktoberfest party at home or are looking for an exciting new flavor to try the next time you go out, read on for our top recommendations for fall brews to try right now, including two from The Bronx Brewery in Hudson Yards.
Bronx Brewery: Tattooed Pumpkin IPA
This brew from Bronx Brewery tastes like fall in a can. According to head brewer, Manuel Salvatori, "Tattooed Pumpkin has a HUGE pumpkin pie aroma, soft mouthfeel and a mild carb. The hop blend ranges from earthy to citrus/fruity. There is essentially no bitterness and for the ABV, this is dangerously crushable!"
Bronx Brewery: Escapism 2
This limited edition beer is only available in October so it’s best to make sure you grab a taste while you can. According to Salvatori, it has a "slightly malty but subtle IPA with notes of citrus and a hint of bubble gum. The muscat grape aroma is very prominent and also lends a wine and stone fruity sweetness to create a balance with the higher bitterness than our typical IPAs."
Dogfish Head: Punkin Ale
You can’t go wrong with a classic, which is exactly how we’d describe this brew, which has been around since 1994. Founder and owner Sam Calagione has called it a “big, bold beer” whose ingredients include everything we want in the fall: organic brown sugar, pumpkin meat and fresh spices like cinnamon, allspice.
Maine Beer Company: Fall
The name of this beer leaves no ambiguity about what season it’s intended for. And while we are absolutely in love with pumpkin beer, we also appreciate that this brew features different flavors, in particular coffee given that it’s made with cold brew. Other notes include dark chocolate and molasses.
Weihenstephaner: Festbier
Dating back to 1040, Weihenstephaner in Bavaria claims to be the world’s oldest brewery. And so no surprise, they know how to make a killer fall beer and this refreshing Festbier is exactly what you want to be drinking at any fall festivities. To really enhance the flavor, they recommend pairing with simple but cozy fall dishes like a flavorful rich cheese or a roast chicken.
One Tree Hard Cider: Caramel Cinnamon
Yes, cider is not a beer, but we feel it would be a real miss not to include one on this list. In particular, one as delicious and cozy as this, which the brewers promise carries a “comforting sweetness that will bring back childhood memories.” We love a tinge of nostalgia in the fall (in particular when it doesn’t mean we actually have to go back to school).
Funky Buddha: Maple Bacon Coffee Porter
While this is not a fall beer per se (it’s actually made in January), we love the idea of a rich bacon-y taste to fortify us against the chill. This “manifestation of a diner-style breakfast in a glass” offers up notes of roast coffee, smoky bacon and – of course – maple syrup. As for what to pair it with? No surprise, they recommend maple syrup-drenched pancakes.
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