A friend recently texted me to ask what would be a new beer he should try. I suggested that there were dozens of pumpkin ales as well as Oktoberfest lagers out now. He quickly replied that he liked neither: the taste of pumpkin was typically too odd and vegetable like, and that the fest beers tasted like more buttery macro brews. Fair enough.
He continued that the summer offerings had run their course, but where were all the fall releases? For the most part, beyond pumpkin and Marzen, that’s about it.
However, there has always been another trend which gets much less publicity than the gourd bevs and the amber German lagers. And this is partly due to the fact that no fall specific style of beer exists for the category of Autumn Ale.
I recall years ago, as my appetite for craft beer had reached ravenous levels, where I would try everything I could get my hands on, that a seasonal hit the shelves from Redhook which took just that name, Autumn Ale. I remember enjoying the beer, the flavors, hues and aromas were reminiscent of fall, I was sold.
In the years since, Redhook’s non-style September beer had vanished but numerous other breweries have released beers around the late year equinox. Some resemble the mild style from England; others fall into the category of amber or red ale here in the states. And even more that claim the title fall are basically brown ales in disguise.
These beers work well in the build up to fall due to higher levels of malt in the mix, although hops will often have a strong presence as well. Expect the deep, rich colors of autumn, and beers that tend toward the medium to medium-full body, as well as upping the alcohol levels to help fend off those evening breezes.
You likely remember Sierra Nevada’s Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale, a slightly silkier take on the style. Anchor Brewing also got into the game with BigLeaf Maple Autumn Ale, offering a hoppy red ale which takes the sweeter fall path with a maple syrup addition.
For years, Weyerbacher has released Autumn Fest, an amber ale with a nod to the Marzen style, employing Vienna and Munich malts but brewed at ale temps. Sort of a hybrid fest beer, this one seems to be the dryer, more down to earth yin to Weyerbacher’s super sweet and boozy Imperial Pumpkin Ale yang.
Possibly the best “Autumn Ale” around is Autumn Maple from The Bruery. Leaning closer to the pumpkin style, employing instead yams and seasonal spices, this one is a 10% brown ale which also mixes in maple syrup and molasses. A great fall-ternative!
My buddy ended up settling on the recent release from Avery Brewing Company, their Autumn release, Chai High, a spiced ale perfect for a slightly cooler night. I was intrigued, and sought out the beer myself.
Chai High is a classic American brown ale “with spiced chai tea added”, giving a tingling, zesty experience similar to what you might get with the exotic tea. At 5.2 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), this is a perfect little pre-fall beer to dig as the sun drops.
In the glass, Chai High is a darker brown color with cloudy elements when held to the light. Aromas of chai, of course, emit with every popping bubble on the surface, a warm and inviting smell of cinnamon and ginger spill forth from the beer. A first sip shows bready malt perched under a strong spiced flavor, dominated by ginger. Medium to medium-full in the mouth, this one drinks like a spicy brown ale.
This one is a bit nutty in the taste, and cinnamon also arrives after a time. I really enjoyed this beer a great deal, although I doubt that I would have had more than two at a sitting. However, I will grab another 6-pack of it before this one leaves the shelf. On the can, “Meditate on this transcendent, rich and robust spiced seasonal of a decidedly different sort.” Glad to! Enjoy the brews.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.

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