12 Beers to Savor During the Fall

November 1, 2010 By Rick Lyke

Brooklyn Oktoberfest: Thick, rocky head. Dark amber color. Malty notes at the start, roasty touches and a nice hop note in the finish. A very well built beer and a classic example of the best of this style.

Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale: This North Carolina ale has plenty of spice throughout. The pumpkin is in the background of this very flavorful brew. Perfect for a crisp fall evening tailgate party.

Dogfish Head Pumpkin Ale: This 7 percent ABV ale from Delaware is richly flavored with pumpkin, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and brown sugar. A lavish drink for the holiday table.

Fassla Bämbergator: You will have to travel to Bamberg, Germany, for this 8.5 percent ABV doppelbock, but it is worth the trip. The beer is amber brown, with a slightly fruity sweet flavor. There is a clear hint of alcohol and a clear roasted note to the finish of the brew.

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest: Nice mahogany color with a malty nose. The beer is made with 100 percent imported German hops and malt. Nicely balanced, with a good solid malt base.

Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale: Brewed under the Michelob banner, this ale is slightly fizzy. The label says the brewer used cinnamon, ginger and clove. The cinnamon delivers a subdued base flavor note.

Mash House Restaurant & Brewery Oktoberfest: This North Carolina beer is a hazy orange color with clear malty notes and a hint of roasted grain. Smooth and lingering flavor.

New South Oktoberfest: A reddish brown lager with mellow flavor notes from a South Carolina brewery. Good malt and hop balance.

Olde Mecklenburg Mecktoberfest: The beer is a nice copper color with a creamy off-white foam top. Nice malty aroma and caramelized flavor profile. The hops show themselves well in this beer and give it just a touch of citrus to balance the sweet maltiness.

Samuel Adams Octoberfest: Light amber color and a small, but constant head of foam. The brew features five types of malt, which are balanced by a good amount of hops. Smooth and drinkable.

Saranac Pumpkin Ale: This brew from Utica, NY, uses pumpkin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger and vanilla in a 5.4 percent ABV ale. Even with all of those ingredients, this is a fairly smooth and mellow beer as pumpkins go.

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale: Nice rich golden color with a very lively head. The beer has a firm citrus and pine nose that is also delivered in your first sip. Good malt character in the background, but hops are the star with this beer.