When the weather cools down and fireplaces heat up, that can only mean one thing: It’s time for autumn spiced beers.
Pumpkin spice beers may be polarizing among drinkers, but love them or hate them, they’re taking over the seasonal aisle. While not all are created equal, the ones featured here are worth trying and several go beyond the classic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
A note to drinkers: The flavors will be muted when you sip these beers chilled; however, as they warm up, the array of sweet and spicy ingredients will become more pronounced in the aroma and taste.
Here are five festive beers to sample in October, plus two to pair with football season.
Eddyline Brewery’s Pumpkin Patch Ale
Some beers in the “fall seasonal” category tend to be pungent like potpourri. Not Eddyline Brewery’s Pumpkin Patch Ale, an amber-colored beer that boasts squashy aromas and clocks in at a sessionable 5% ABV. In addition to pumpkin and spices, the beer is brewed with honey, giving it an apple cider-like sweetness with subtle notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. This mild-mannered ale is bound to be a crowd-pleaser.
Now available in six-packs of 16-ounce cans.
New Belgium Brewing Co.’s Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin
New Belgium Brewing Co. is known for reinventing its Voodoo Ranger India pale ale to match the seasons, and autumn is no different. A whiff of the Atomic Pumpkin version conjures the sweet essence of a pumpkin pie, but don’t be fooled: The flavor is far more savory and spicy than you’d expect, thanks to a heaping dose of cinnamon and habañero peppers. The heat lingers in the finish, so this 6.4% ABV brew is not for the faint of palate.
Now available in six-packs of 12-ounce cans.
4 Noses Brewing Co.’s Pump Action
4 Noses Brewing Co.’s imperial pumpkin ale will give you a warm fuzzy feeling, in part because of its nearly 8% alcohol content. This medium-bodied beer is subtle with its use of spices both in the aroma and the flavor, leaving just a spicy tingle on the tongue after each sip. Instead, you’ll get a caramel-like sweetness that begs you to go back for more.
Now available on draft and in six-packs of 12-ounce cans.
New Terrain Brewing Co.’s Punky Masala
Looking for a different spice palate in your fall beer? Try New Terrain Brewing Co.’s Punky Masala, which spotlights Indian flavors such as cardamom and curry. Expect savory, earthy tones that give way to vegetal pumpkin flavors. This beer is less sweet than the others on this list, which allows the pumpkin to shine in all its gourd-eousness.
Now available on draft at the brewery and in four-packs of 16-ounce cans.
Left Hand Brewing Co.’s Peanut Butter Milk Stout
There’s no shame in drinking your Halloween candy, especially when it’s the Peanut Butter Milk Stout from Left Hand Brewing Co. This full-bodied beer tastes like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in liquid form, with sweet chocolate and nutty aromas and rich chocolatey, peanut buttery and toasted marshmallow flavors. This bold dessert brew finishes with a bitter bite from the malts, similar to coffee. If only they sold it in king size.
Now available on draft and nitro draft, as well as in six-packs of 12-ounce cans.
Bonus: Beers to pair with football watching
October is peak football season, and Colorado’s home teams have beverages to win the day, no matter the score.
Broncos Country, brewed by Breckenridge Brewery, is a hoppy pale ale created with ingredients sourced exclusively from the Centennial State. The slightly toasted malt profile supports a healthy helping of earthy and citrusy hops that provide a sturdy bitterness in the aftertaste. Feed your whole watch party with the 15-pack of cans.
University of Colorado fans should stock the fridge with Sko Buff Gold Beer, a crushable light lager from Boulder Beer Co. It’s so refreshingly crisp it drinks almost as easily as water. Find it in six-packs of 12-ounce cans.
