With summer winding down, brewers from four iconic American breweries look ahead to the splendor of fall.
By: Jerard Fagerberg
Fall is not just the dawn of a new season, but the sunset of summer – the end of vacations, barbecues, boat rides, and beach days. It’s a bittersweet transition, but one that’s made easier by the autumn traditions of seasonal beer.
Blonde ales and light lagers trade out for festbiers and pumpkin ales. Our tastes grow deeper and more complex as the days shorten and the temperature drops. To help ease the seasonal changeover, we talked to four brewers from stalwart breweries across the country about the gifts fall brings for craft beer lovers.
Brian Grossman
Vice President, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
eagerly anticipates the annual return of Oktoberfest.
Signature fall seasonal: Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest
What do you look for in a fall beer? Maltiness is elevated during the fall season. I describe beers in terms of how long it takes people to drink them. During the summer, you may drink lighter, citrus beers that might be 5 or 10-minute beers. When you transition into the cooler months, you open up those 30 to 45-minute beers.
Jason Perkins
Brewmaster, Allagash Brewing
whenever the fall weather hits.
Signature fall seasonal: Allagash Haunted House
What do you look for in a fall beer? For me, it’s something that has a roasted character to it. We use a variety of kilned malts in Haunted House, which gives it these nicely balanced notes of cocoa and coffee, while the yeast adds some depth to it.
Hopped with Nugget, Cascade, and Northern Brewer, its flavor is filled
with hauntingly balanced notes of coffee, malt, and a devilish hint of hops.
Luke Bowen
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Evil Genius Beer Company
goes all-out every fall.
Signature fall seasonal: Evil Genius Trick or Treat Chocolate Pumpkin Porter
What do you look for in a fall beer? Pumpkin is number one, that’s the biggest thing. But pumpkin doesn’t really taste like much. It’s a benign, almost aromatic flavor. With Trick or Treat, we wanted a full-bodied, robust porter, so we add 55-gallon drums of pumpkin puree, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and a little brown sugar to give it that pumpkin pie vibe, without it tasting like a candle.
Hugh Sisson
CEO and Founder, Heavy Seas Beer
this autumn.
Signature fall seasonal: Heavy Seas The Great’er Pumpkin
What do you look for in a fall beer? It should be comforting – like a comfort food in the beer cycle. It should have just a little bit more oomph, sort of a low-key pat on the back that says, “wrap your lips around this one, and maybe grab a grilled sausage.”
Heavy Seas The Great’er Pumpkin, a complex, barrel-aged pumpkin beer.
About the Author: Jerard Fagerberg is a freelance drinks writer and product manager based in Kittery, Maine. His name is not Jared, but lotsa folks get that wrong.