A Winning Lineup of Fall Beers

Say goodbye to the summer heat and hello to the colors of fall – and the copious selection of suds that accompany them. With this list of ice cold brews, you’ll spend less time contemplating your order and more time damning football refs for bad calls or hitting the fall festival circuit – with beer in hand, of course. FOR THE TAILGATER Bob’s 47 Oktoberfest, Boulevard Brewing Co. Oktoberfest types of medium-bodied, dark amber beer are considered the “ultimate tailgating beer,” by Jon Whitaker, manager at iTap in Chesterfield, especially as temperatures dip to nippy during morning pre-game partying. “Beers like Bob’s 47,” he said, “have a little more body to them, a little more alcohol to warm you up, and a nice biscuit-y, malt profile that goes really well with football food like hotdogs and brats.” Look for it in the bottle and on draft around town. FOR THE PUMPKIN-LOVER Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Southern Tier Pumking Brewing Co. With pumpkin beers out in full force, now’s the time to quaff on squash. This imperial pumpkin beer makes the list of top fall beers for Scott Snyder, Certified Cicerone. “[It’s] so rich and flavorful that each chewy sip is like drinking a freshly baked pumpkin bar, with a throat-warming bunch of alcohol to go with it,” he gushed. Find this spicy seasonal ale on tap and as a 22-ounce bomber. FOR THE HOP HEAD Founder’s Harvest Ale, Founders Brewing Co. For many a beer-lover, autumn means hop harvest and the arrival of hoppy, aromatic ales. “A lot of breweries are doing ‘fresh hop,’ ‘wet hop’ or ‘harvest ales’ in the fall,” said Whitaker. Among this category of brews, Whitaker and Snyder plan on drinking Founders’ super juicy ale. “It’s a big IPA that’s really floral and has a bunch of fresh citrus and pine on the nose and tongue,” said Whitaker. Look for this orange-and straw-colored brew by the bottle, on tap and – if you get lucky – on cask. – Ligaya Figueras