Last call for fall beers
As autumn enters its final month, a look at some Atlanta seasonal brews to try now (before it's too late!)
In this spirit, we spoke to some of Atlanta’s top local breweries about this year’s seasonal offerings, and the trend of fall beers in general — why some embrace the annual emergence and others would rather spend the month hibernating than hear the words “pumpkin spice” one more time.
Orpheus Brewing
The seasonal brew: Sykophantes, 7.5%
Brewmaster Jason Pellett elaborated on the creation and direction of this fall offering, noting the warm combination of toasty Marzen malt and dark fruits. “Sykophantes was inspired by the combination of rich, dark figs drizzled with balsamic vinegar,” he says. “It starts with a malty base reminiscent of a Belgian dubbel, but it's soured before being fermented with Belgian yeast. It has the rich, dark fruit warmth that I wanted for a fall beer, but also the brightness from the acidity to keep it from seeming heavy.”
On fall beers: “I don't actually think people hate the trend of fall beers in general, just the preponderance of pumpkin beers, which was kind of a weird thing to get so big,” Pellett argues. “Even people who don't like pumpkin beers like to drink with the seasons though, and what I think people are really looking for in the fall are warm flavors. Though the baking spices in most pumpkin beers are an obvious choice, they're far from the only choice.”
1440 Dutch Valley Place N.E. orpheusbrewing.com
Reformation Brewery
The seasonal brew: 95 Munich Lager, 4.7%
A dunkel by style, 95 has a mild, bread-like aroma and a smooth dry finish. Its release celebrated Reformation’s three year anniversary last month, and references the brewery founders’ love for church history (the Protestant Reformation, in this case). As the brewery’s CEO and co-founder Spencer Nix likes to say: “Luther had 95 problems, but thank God beer wasn’t one.”
On fall beers: “True beer lovers understand that a great beer transcends seasons. It's more about the moment and what experience you're after than a hard and fast rule,” says Reformation’s market coordinator, Jessica Miller. “Fall is a time of change and transition. Of letting go of old patterns to make way for something new.”
Fall beers epitomize more than just autumnal, complementary flavors, she says. “It's a long tradition that goes back to the days before refrigeration, when unpredictable warmer temps put beer at risk of spoiling. So many styles that people reach for in the colder months are in a way a sort of time travel, connecting the present moment to the origins of beer's past.”
500 Arnold Mill Way, Suite A, Woodstock. (678) 341-0828. reformationbrewery.com
No value assignedEventide Brewing
The seasonal brews: Red Headed Haley, 5.3%; Highlander, 8.2%
Eventide’s brewmaster Geoffrey Williams explains the inspirations behind each of his fall beers. “Red Headed Haley was created in an attempt to make a beer for Haley Cowan, our director of sales,” he says. “At the time, the only craft style she enjoyed was amber/red ale, particularly the Belgian style. The result was a light, crisp red ale that is very easy to drink and perfect for early fall in Georgia.”
The Highlander, on the other hand, emerged from the greatest of all motivators: necessity. “After brewing multiple batches, I was left with an abundance of small amounts of grain," says Williams. "Wanting to brew, but being homebound because of the first Snowpocalypse, I built a strong scotch ale recipe out of the ingredients I had on hand. The result was a magnificent 8.2 percent beer with deep rich complexity that is great fresh and aged. Be on the lookout for an oak aged variant in the coming weeks for our one-off-Thursdays, where we release a special brew in the tasting room only.”
On fall beers: “To start, the season in beer begins way too early,” says Williams. “There is absolutely no good reason for Oktoberfest and pumpkin styles to drop into stores at the end of July. There's also the focus on pumpkin itself. This style has the same love/hate relationship with its drinkers as does a similar coffee beverage. Personally, I’m not a big fan of pumpkin beers. I'll drink one or two during the fall (Southern Tier's Warlock is a particular favorite), but I prefer to both create and drink beers that showcase the wide spectrum of flavors that hops, malt, and yeast can produce. My suggestion, and challenge, is to find a fall beer you like, then seek out similar offerings from around the world.”
1015 Grant St. S.E. (404) 907-4543. eventidebrewing.com
Wild Heaven Craft Beers
The seasonal brew: Autumn Defense, 5.5%
Wild Heaven president Nick Purdy says their new beer hearkens to the tradition of German fall and Oktoberfest beers. “We use classic German malts and European hops and this year, being the American craft beer makers we are, we added an experimental hop called Mandarina Bavaria that adds an interesting citrusy note. It’s our third year making it and we’ve evolved it a bit each year, and this year canned it for the first time.”
On fall beers: "Fall beers are not really a trend — they’ve been a big part of autumn with the tradition of Oktoberfest going back to the 1800s," explains Purdy. "Pumpkin and spice beers are a big trend that’s actually now looking to be past its peak (thankfully). Autumn is a perfect time for beer — excellent weather yields lots of outdoor socializing and relaxing, festivals, parades, etc."
135B Maple St., Decatur. (404) 997-8589. wildheavencraftbeers.com
No value assignedArches Brewing
The seasonal brews: This fall, Arches offers many new brews to choose from, as they release more beers during this time of year than any other season. First there was Festbier, signifying the changing of the seasons and the beginning of Oktoberfest. Next was Milk Porter, built to be a much richer, full-bodied, complex fall style. Their newest offering is smoked Scotch Ale (an obligatory fireside beer), and once their German Pilsner rotates out, Munich Dünkel, their next seasonal lager, will be released. A dark lager historically brewed in Germany, it delivers a very smooth malty flavor, which complements the cooler temperatures and outdoor activities.
On fall beers: Arches co-founder Ryan Fogelgren says that fall beers have always been a big part of the brewery's rotating portfolio because “it’s a quintessential time of year. It’s a time where people come together to celebrate family, sports, and several holidays. We believe that fall beers have a certain allure about them that bring people closer together.”
3361 Dogwood Drive, Hapeville. (678) 653-2739. archesbrewing.com
Three Taverns Brewery
The seasonal brew: Cranberry Sauced, 5%
Last year, Three Taverns initiated the Sour Asylum series, deciding to release a new brew every four to six weeks. Coincidentally, the second installment occurred during Thanksgiving, so they opted to release a lacto-fermented sour ale spiced with cranberry juice, cinnamon, and clove. A good answer to the onslaught of pumpkin beers, consumers rave that it tastes like Thanksgiving in a glass. The consistently requested drink returns this year and is now available on draft, with limited canned six packs available now.
On fall beers: Founder Brian Purcell has a few pumpkin beers he enjoys, but also reflects on a time when there were only one or two on the market to choose from. “What’s happened is the consumers are buying the pumpkin beers sooner, and therefore they’re being launched sooner,” he says. “To me, it’s way too early to be thinking about pumpkin and Halloween. They’re hitting the market at the end of July, beginning of August. If you look at the trend in sales, those sales really spike then and start to decline towards Halloween. So I don’t think the world needs another pumpkin beer, definitely not from us.”
121 New St., Decatur. (404) 600-3355. threetavernsbrewery.com
No value assignedSweetwater Brewing Company
The seasonal brew: Hash Brown, 6.2%
Hash Brown is a hop hash infused India brown ale packed with resiny, citrusy hops that spice up rich chocolate and caramel notes from the malt mix. What’s hop hash? SweetWater’s head brewer Nick Nock explains: “Hop hash is the leftover resin that escaped from the hop cones going through the pelletizer, which is all too often ignored and left unused. We’ve created some killer brew recipes using this sticky and potent ingredient; it’s been a blast to experiment with, and delivers the biggest hit of hop flavor possible.”
On fall beers: Sweetwater's director of public relations, Tucker Berta Sarkisian, maintains there’s seasonality in beer drinking. “What you drank on the boat dock all summer was likely a lighter beer than what you crave while tailgating on a chilly Saturday," she says. "But there are no rules — you want to crush a porter in July? Go for it. You want to snuggle up by the fire with a pineapple IPA? You do you.”
195 Ottley Drive. (404) 691-2537. sweetwaterbrew.com