The Top 10 Beers for Fall

​To everything there is a season -- a phrase that applies especially to beer. Take a hint from nature. As the leaves begin their annual shift from gold and green to deeper hues, so should your drink. Fall is the season of maerzens, oktoberfests, harvest ales and pumpkin beers, and the ones on this list are the best you can get.

Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen

The Oktoberfest celebration began in 1810 with the marriage of Princess Theresa to Prince Ludwig. The party lasted for days, and was such a success that it became an annual 16-day celebration in Munich as well as in many other parts of the world. Ayinger's 5.6% ABV Oktoberfest is one of the oldest and most classic examples of the style -- deep amber-gold with a strong malt backbone and a hint of sweetness. 

​Four Peaks Pumpkin Porter
Call us homers if you want, but for denizens of the perennial heat of Phoenix, fall hasn't officially arrived until Four Peaks' gourd-based porter goes on tap. This will be the brewery's ninth year doing Pumpkin Porter in some form or another and every year varies slightly. Originally, Pumpkin Porter was heavy on pumpkin and light on spice, but over the years people have requested more and more spice, and Four Peaks, brewers for the masses, acquiesced. This year's version tastes like really good pumpkin pie with a slightly charred crust (just like Mom's). Oh, and it's around 5.5% alcohol (not like Mom's).

Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale
As the nights grow cool, the leaves on the valley oaks begin to turn and fall. Sierra Nevada honors this yearly dance with Tumbler. To capture a smooth roasted character, the brewery uses malt within days of roasting to get it at the peak of flavor. Notes of sweet toffee and some woody pine in this 5.5% ABV ale almost remind us of pecan pie.