10 Beers You Have To Try This Fall

Is there any better taste in the world than the first sip of a cold beer on a crisp autumn day? I don’t know about you, but I’ve been ready for that taste for the past couple of months. With so many beers being released in August and September, there seems to be an endless list of fall beers you have to try this season.

I have to admit something… I might be a bit of a pumpkin beer enthusiast. I move from one to the next, throwing caution to the wind with every pumpkin-packed sip. Last year, I finally learned the error of my ways when I tasted a pumpkin beer so sweet, I thought I was drinking a glass of syrup. YUCK.

Now I know, just because a beer says “pumpkin,” this does not mean it’s the only fall beer I should be ordering at the tap house down the street. Narrowing down the list of fall releases to just my top 10 favorites was one of the most difficult tasks I’ve ever taken on. I managed to pull together a list that will appeal to any beer fanatic, from the IPA lovers to the pumpkin beer fans like myself. These are the beers you absolutely have to try this fall.

1. Imperial Pumpkin — Dry Dock Brewing Co.

Let’s kick things off with a pumpkin beer shall we? The Imperial Pumpkin is the classic pumpkin beer you crave every fall. It packs a punch of pumpkin and spices that make you want to wrap up in a wool blanket in the middle of an orange and red forest. What? You don’t fantasize about these things when you drink a beer?

2. Oktoberfest – Santa Fe Brewing Company

The fall lager, Oktoberfest, will have you doning lederhosen and dancing to polka music after the first sip. The crisp taste is everything you expect out of a classic German beer, instantly transporting you to the Oktoberfest celebration.

3. Ichabod Pumpkin Ale — New Holland Brewing

The scent of Ichabod Pumpkin Ale will hit you the moment you pour it into a glass. Pumpkin spice lingers in the air, and the scent translates exactly to taste. It’s a delightful pumpkin beer that doesn’t skimp on the spices, making it a great pairing for fall desserts.

4. Roadsmary’s Baby – Two Roads Brewing Company

Though Roadsmary’s Baby is a pumpkin ale, the big differentiator is that the beer is aged in rum barrels, which brings a whole other level of flavor to the party. You can taste that hint of rum in addition to the pumpkin and spices, making it smooth and satisfying.

5. Autumn Maple – The Bruery

The Autumn Maple beer has been one of my fall favorites that I actively look forward to for the past couple of years. Though it’s not brand new to the beer scene this year, I had to include it in this list. It’s my no-fail option that I inevitably bring bottles of to Thanksgiving dinner (the perfect pairing with turkey!). Made with yams instead of pumpkin, and brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup, it screams Thanksgiving in a bottle.

6. Punk’in Drublic — Coronado Brewing Company

I’ll be honest; I first picked up this beer solely because of its name. I was pleasantly surprised that the California beer has a touch of sweetness to balance out the pumpkin spice without completely overpowering it. Plus, there’s a little boozy kick at the end to begin warming you up right away.

7. Pumpkinfest — Terrapin Beer Co.

If you love spices at the forefront of a pumpkin beer, this is the pumpkin beer for you. Pumpkinfest has an abundance of cinnamon, allspice, and clove to keep this beer fun and lively with just a subtle hint of pumpkin.

8. 19th Anniversary Thunderstruck IPA — Stone Brewing Co.

If you are going to drink an IPA this fall, I have to call the 19th Anniversary Thunderstruck IPA to your attention. The double IPA packs in the hops, and brings your senses to life with every taste. Though I tend to shy away from IPAs this time of year, I love the hint of peach flavor that signals the end of summer giving way to fall.

9. Pumpkin Tart — Brewery Vivant

Pumpkin Tart is exactly what the name says it is — a tart pumpkin beer that becomes wickedly addictive after the first glass is drained. The scent boasts typical pumpkin ale flavors, but the surprise of tartness at the end lingers on your tongue like a welcome friend.

10. Post Road Pumpkin Ale — Brooklyn Brewery

I know there are some of you looking for a more restrained pumpkin beer that doesn’t taste like you are eating a piece of pumpkin pie. The Post Road Pumpkin Ale is the fall beer for you. The flavors of a classic pumpkin beer are there, but they are substantially less upfront for the less pumpkin-obsessed beer drinker.

Grab a pint, wrap up in a wool blanket, and start watching those leaves change… Cheers!

For more fall entertaining ideas, check out Bustle on YouTube.

Images: Dry Dock Brewing; Santa Fe Brewing Company; Metal Chris, Mike Mozart, Four Brewers, Hungry Dudes, Charlie Essers/Flickr; Coronado Brewing Co; Terrapin Beer Co; Brooklyn Brewery