As Indian summer fades into the San Franciscso sunset, the cooler weather prompts us to reach for warmer gear and warming beers. We find ourselves bypassing the lighter, summer beer styles and stocking up on Harvest or Fall brews: maltier ales with a tad more alcohol and a bit of spice. And while pumpkin beers generally fall into this category - Almanac Beer Co. and 21st Amendment Brewery offer excellent local choices - we thought we would explore some squash-free beers that both celebrate and pair well with Autumn.
CellarMaker’s Imperial Coffee and Cigarettes
CellarMaker’s Brewmaster, Connor Casey just released an imperial version of his already dangerously drinkable Coffee and Cigarettes Porter. At 11% abv, it’s a smooth and heady fall sipper.
Sierra Nevada’s Oktoberfest beer
Surprisingly this is the first year Sierra released a German-style fest beer and included it in a package of other fall seasonals. Sierra beers normally lean to the hoppy side of life, so this fest brew and the others in the collection are fine choice for those who want to enjoy seasonal brews that have more bite.
Bradley Yarger, Beer Manager at the Castro Healthy Spirits recommended this fall seasonal version of Lagunitas’ pale wheat ale, Lil Sumpin’ Sumpin’. Lagunitas stoked the brew kettle with enough malts and hops to elevate this beer to IPA levels. They then fermented it with Westmalle Trappist yeast to create what might best be described as a Belgian IPA. The slightly creamy mouth-feel and apricot aroma from the Belgian yeast is balanced by the signature hoppiness of Lagunitas ales.
Yarger also suggested this maltier version of Sudwerk’s Märzen Amber Lager. Sudwerk in Davis has been at the forefront of redefining the American lagers so this one is in their wheelhouse. The fall seasonal was brewed with copious amounts of malts for a higher, more festive alcohol content but retains the mild bitterness of a Märzen. What sets this beer apart though is the extended lagering process. The brew is fermented and cold conditioned for eight weeks – twice as long as usual. “The extra lagering,” Lead Brewer Mike Hutson explained, “ adds subtle nuances and a clean, crisp finish,”
High Water Brewing, Campfire Stout
Beth Wathen, Co-Owner of City Beer Store, recommended this gold medal winner from 2014 Great American Beer Fest. Wathen describes the silky stout as a liquid version of s’mores, “Toasty marshmallow, chocolate malt, and pounds of graham crackers are sandwiched together to create a bottle suitable for a night by the fire indoors or out.”
Both Yarger and Wathen recommended this hearty, malty brew. Although the blood-red, Halloween-themed ale may look like a novelty beer, it’s seriously tasty. The sweet bready flavors of the caramel malts are nicely balanced with a bite of citrus hop and rounded out by a nip of orange peel.
Golden State Cider's Mighty Dry
This is the first year for Hunter Wade and Nils Reid's Mighty Dry Golden State Cider, a deeply aromatic blend pressed and fermented in stainless steel to preserve the bright acidity of the fruit.
Just in time to rescue determined hop heads from the heavier malt profiles of other fall seasonals, Bear Republic released their Double IPA, Racer X, a headier version of their flagship Racer V. This is the eleventh year Bear Republic has released this limited production brew. The recipe varies a little from year to year but traditionally highlights Cascade, Columbus, and Centennial hops. Master Brewer, Peter Kruger, explained, “This year's version is drier, and because of this, the hops really pop.”
