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10 New England fall beers to enjoy right now
There's something here for pumpkin lovers and haters alike.
There may not be a better season in which to drink beer than fall.
Fall beers offer variety, from crisp, German-style lagers to syrupy stouts to brews made with all manner of pumpkin pie ingredients.
New England’s reputation as a place for all things fall is warranted, and true to the region’s character, breweries here make some killer fall beers. Here are some of the best fall beers brewed by New England breweries for 2024.
Harpoon x L.L.Bean Harvest Lager, Harpoon Brewery
Brewed for the first time this year, this collab between the Boston brewery and Maine’s iconic outdoor brand is made for getting out there. Brewed with Maine-grown malt, the refreshing amber lager is available for a limited time.
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And don’t worry, Flannel Friday fans, that beer, a cross between a brown ale and a red IPA, is still available too. 5.0 percent ABV.
New England Road Trip, Untold Brewing
Untold releases a new hazy IPA each season as part of its “Trip Series” that salutes quintessential New England getaways. This once-a-year beer is made with with El Dorado, Mosaic, and Strata hops, and bursts with big tropical notes of sumo orange, sweet papaya and passionfruit. Those waiting for an even bigger Untold IPA can look forward to Scare Tactic, another double-IPA to be released on October 15. 7 percent ABV
Copper Legend, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
When you think early fall in New England, you think Copper Legend. This Oktoberfest-inspired brew is a marriage of sweet and toasty, with the ease of drinking you’d come to expect from the style. Jack’s Abby specializes in lagers, and this is right in their wheelhouse. 5.7 percent ABV
Haunted House, Allagash Brewing
Billed as a “fall hoppy dark ale,” Allagash’s seasonal is inspired by pitch-black porters and Allagash’s house beer. Brewed with roasted barley and Cascade, Nugget, and Northern Brewer hops, the brew has all the complexity and nuance we’ve come to expect from Allagash. 6.66 percent ABV
Pursuit of Sappiness Maple Brown Ale, Mayflower Brewing Co.
According to Mayflower founder Drew Brosseau: “The addition of a little Vermont maple syrup puts a New England twist on our classic brown ale. The beer is rich and full-bodied with flavors of caramel, toffee, chocolate, molasses, and of course, maple syrup.” 7 percent ABV
Five Leaves Left, True North Ale Company
You’ll have to wait a month or so for this one, but your patience will be rewarded with a beer that provides subtle flavors and aromas of currant, honey, and smoky black pepper. This beer is made with fresh apple cider from nearby Russell Orchard, and drinks with a crisp finish. 7 percent ABV
Fest, Narragansett Brewing Co.
Another Oktoberfest brew inspired by the Munich beer tents, Fest has a toasty base but enough hop bite to keep things balanced. For old school Gansett’ fans, this brew is based on the “Bavarian” style beer the company used to brew in the 1960s and 70s. 5.5 percent ABV
David S. Pumpkins, Lamplighter Brewing Co.
Can pumpkin beer be simultaneously overrated and underrated? Count us as unabashed fans of the style, and Lamplighter’s, a golden-hued ale brewed with fall spices, features notes of toffee, maple, and of course pumpkin. 6.2 percent ABV
Oktoberfest, Trillium Brewing Co.
Märzens were first brewed more than 200 years ago as a “March” beer, lagered through the summer months to be ready in time to celebrate the original Oktoberfest in the fall. Trillium’s Märzen is bright amber in appearance and uses three German malts and noble Hallertau Mittelfruh hops “to achieve rich, toasted bread character with subdued floral hop aromatics,” according to Trillium’s Matt Gartska. 5.5 percent ABV
Pumpkin Piescraper, Night Shift Brewing Co.
Night Shift’s best-selling beer all year is this liquid version of pumpkin pie, made with pumpkin as well as vanilla beans, cinnamon, maple syrup, and lactose. It’s sweet in all the right ways you’d want a decadent brew like this to be. 6 percent ABV
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