Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

Classic, hearty autumnal beer styles without the pumpkin spice

Count me among beer drinkers who don’t get on board with pumpkin beers when they bombard shelves and taps every fall.

I mean, don’t we get enough pumpkin in other areas of our lives starting every September and seemingly hanging on through Thanksgiving? Pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin candy. Pumpkin spice Cheerios. Yes, they even make pumpkin spice Cheerios. Pretty sure I saw an ad for pumpkin spice sweat socks (might want to double check me on that one, though, as I might have been hallucinating).

In other words, pumpkin everything.

Not for me, thanks. There’s beer and then there’s pumpkins, and I don’t see any reason to get the two involved together, even if it’s only once a year. But that’s just me. And while an Oktoberfest beer, particularly the Hansa Brewery Oktoberfest, which won double gold in the 2019 NY International Beer Competition, is a fine choice for autumn, it has nothing to do with pumpkins.

Therefore, here’s a list of alternative beer styles, all plenty flavorful and autumnal, that aren’t pumpkin.

Flanders Red

Rodenbach Grand Cru is a classic flanders ale from Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V. The standard Grand Cru is available all year from this Belgian brewery, but this blended brew is aged for two years in oak foeders for a rich flavor laid over a medium body. This reddish-brown beer bursts with tart, red fruit on the nose and in its complex flavor profile.

The mixed-fermentation process at the root of this beer give it an intriguing blend of sour and sweet with a hint of acidity, and while it feels perfect on an autumn evening, it checks in at about 6 percent alcohol by volume, so you can happily enjoy more than one.

Grand Cru is a fine example of a beer style that literally can be traced back to the Middle Ages.

photo by Kevin Gibson

Another favorite in this style is the venerable Duchesse de Bourgogne. Can’t go wrong with a Flanders Red.

Fresh Hop Harvest Brews

There’s nothing quite like the aroma of a newly-poured fresh hop ale. Hops are harvested in the fall, and while most get pelletized for preservation and shipping purposes, many breweries acquire fresh, or wet, hops during harvest and brew beers with them.

Lagunitas Born Yesterday Pale Ale is one of those beers, although there are many fine examples, and many are regional, so you may have to look a bit. What I always get from a well-made fresh hop ale is a sense of standing in the hop field, opening up a flower and pressing it close to my nose and mouth. In the flavor, you’ll not only taste the hop, but nuances of the terroir itself.

This year’s version is brewed with a blend of Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic and Indigenous Catawampus from the Yakima region in Washington. You can only find these beers in the fall (you’re probably in luck if you live in the Pacific Northwest), and they don’t stay fresh for long, so enjoy them soon. Or miss out. Or for an Indiana, New England Style version, try Mother’s Harvest from Upland Brewing Co.

Brown Ale

An American brown ale is welcome any time of year, but Bell’s Best Brown Ale just seems particularly autumn-like, right down to the distinctive label design depicting a long-eared owl in a barren forest.

The artwork is based on a similar painting by Michigan artist Kent Elliott, who said the original work was inspired by evenings “when the beautiful autumn light rakes across the woods, lighting up a slight fog in the air.” The beer itself checks in at just under 6% ABV, so it isn’t like a big, boozy winter warmer. Rather, it’s a smooth ale with a toasty nuttiness surrounded by notes of chocolate and caramel.

Other classics in this style include Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Brooklyn Brown Ale or even the English brown made by Kaweah Brewing Co., which won silver in the 2019 NY International Beer Competition. Any of these brews will pair well with a spicy bowl of chili and a football game.

Schwarzbier and Black Lager

Check out your local bottle shop for this classic style of beer that makes an ideal fall companion to a big juicy steak or a hearty stew dish. Also called a “black beer,” the traditional Schwarzbier is sort of a German version of a stout—in other words, a dark lager instead of a dark ale.

Like many stouts, a Schwarzbier carries roasty and chocolaty notes, Monchshof Schwarzbier in particular is surprisingly dry and drinkable, dark and rich, which is nice for cooler weather and bigger food companions, but also easy to drink. Look for an ever-so-slight bitterness on the finish, then sit back and enjoy as you watch the leaves fall. Best of all, these beers typically check in at around 5% ABV. And this particular one is just so, so mild and approachable. Mmmm.

This one comes to America courtesy of the Shelton Brothers (thanks, guys!), but there are other options for Schwarzbiers and black lagers, from Uinta Baba to Suarez Family Brewery Bones, Hansa Brewery makes one of those too, and won a silver medal winner in the 2019 NYIBC for it, or go the classic ABK Schwar z, which won bronze. Get ’em while it’s cool.

photo by Kevin Gibson

Porter

Smuttynose Baltic Porter is a bit bigger in character than many of the others on the list. This one is a deep brown color, thick and creamy. The key difference here is the depth of flavors that go along with the body, which exhibits toffee, caramel, dark chocolate and a notable bready quality.

Dig deeper and you’ll find hints of smoke and coffee, along with fruitiness that may include berries or plums. However, this beer is boasts a robust 8.7% alcohol by volume. It will still pair well with your steak, but you might want to stop at one or two rather than three or four.

Other options include the Coffee Baltic Porter from Crooked Stave, the Framinghammer from Jack’s Abby, the Brown Porter from Mayflower Brewing Co. (which Brown Porter won gold in the 2019 NYISC), or the high-octane porter from Żywiec Brewery in Poland, which won silver in the Baltic Style Porter category in the 2019 NYIBC. For an even more robust seasonal warmer, try the original classic Bourbon Barrel Porter from Innis & Gunn, gold medal winner in the Hearty Brown Porter category in the 2019 NYIBC.

(Editor’s note, if you do need recommendations for pumpkin beer, a history and list of delicious ones we like can be found here!)