Everything changes when the seasons change, but I feel like nothing hits you like the transition from Summer into Fall. One day you’re wearing shorts and a t-shirt and surrounded by green and before you know it you’re in a cardigan and jeans and your entire world becomes red, yellow and brown. I don’t know about you but I can’t even touch a Corona or a Landshark once September 1st hits. As soon as Sam Adams puts away the Summer Ale and breaks out the Oktoberfest, you know it’s time to start drinking Fall Beer. What constitutes Fall Beer? Here’s 5 of my favorites to get you going.
Sam Adams Irish Red
Everyone knows the typical Sam Adams varieties: the lager, the ale, the seasonals. Mr. Adams brews a huge multitude of different Beers, and as much as I love their Oktoberfest, their Irish Red is even better. If you’ve had Killians before, you already know what an Irish Red is supposed to taste like. Sam’s Irish Red, like Killians, is just a couple of steps towards the darker end of the spectrum, which is perfect for the Fall. It’s sweet and caramelly while still maintaining the bitter, sharp flavors that make beer taste like beer. It might be harder to find than your every day Sam Adams Lager, but if you happpen to stumble across it at the distributor, I would suggest picking up a 6 pack. 12 if you can.
Brooklyn Pennant Ale
I’m not sure how to describe Pennant Ale, or why it fits so well with Baseball, but somehow they just captured the entire atmosphere of the sport in one pint of beer. I live in New York, so I imagine Brooklyns are harder to come by in other states, but if you can get your hands on some Pennant Ale, It will make you forget about Coronas on the beach in a heartbeat. It’s copper colored like an Irish Red, and has the feel of an English Beer like Sam Smith or New Castle. It manages to be sweet without being overly heavy, so you can still have 6 or 7 on a Saturday night. What better way to end off Baseball Season with the Beer that was brewed just for it?
Pete’s Wicked Ale
Pete’s is brewed in Texas so it’s bound to be available anywhere in the states. Pete’s considers itself an English style Brown Ale, which means it’s going to be on the darker side, and very much on the sweet side. Personally, I like a Beer with some body and that’s why Brown Ales are my favorite. They take some getting used too, but once you get over the fact that it doesn’t go down like Bud Light, guarantee you will be hooked. Pete’s Wicked Ale is sweet and malty on the finish, but earthy and bitter going down. The transition isn’t subtle (much like Summer into Fall) but I enjoy that in a Beer because it keeps you just a little off balance. Wouldn’t bring it to a party but pair it with some burgers or a steak and you’ll feel like a frickin man.
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale
I know what you’re thinking: is he really recommending me a pumpkin flavored Beer? Normally, I try to stay happy with the flavors of malts and hops alone, but there’s something about Pumpkin that compliments a Beer so well that when I see it on tap, I just can’t resist. Besides, if any Beer company is going to give you something cheesy, it wont be Dogfish Head. Punkin Ale won 1st prize in the Punkin Chunkin Recipe Contest, 6 months before Dogfish even opened for business. They brew it every Fall, and like everything pumpkin, it’s the perfect compliment to the season. Remember though, this isn’t cheesecake, it’s frickin beer. It tastes like beer, goes down like beer, and will get you drunk like beer. All the subtle flavors of pumpkin and brown sugar will do is enhance the Fall Beer experience.
Paulaner Oktoberfest
Last but not least, the ultimate Fall Beer coming to you straight from Germany. German Oktoberfest is the biggest Beer-related festival in the world. It’s a 16 day stuff-show dedicated to commemorating the harvest season and ingesting all the beer, sausage and pretzels you can stomach. We do it in America too, but it’s nothing like the way the Germans do it, and that’s why I chose an authentic German Oktoberfest to rep the Beer variety. The cool thing about Oktoberfests is that the basic recipe was designed so that a normal human being could incessantly drink it for 16 days straight and still be wasted. It’s light enough to not fill you up but it has enough Alcohol to make you believe you’re actually in Germany and not the bar down the street that calls itself an Irish Pub every other day of the year. Paulaner was ranked #1 on a number of different websites. Personally I think some of the American versions are just as good, but Oktoberfests are some of my favorites so I could basically drink any of them. If you’re looking for real authentic though, go with either Paulaner or Spaten, both great beers, both great breweries. Pour yourself a mug or a boot and celebrate Beer.
