12 Beers to Drink This Fall

September — the month of autumn and Oktoberfest — is here and fall seasonals have been gracing our shelves for weeks now. (How early they’re released isn’t my favorite thing, but that’s neither here nor there.)

With its rich German history, there’s no surprise Zinzinnati loves its Oktoberfest and Märzen beers — lagers that are full-bodied, malty, rich, and toasty. I really enjoy the taste of Oktoberfest beer, but I especially love fall beer because it serves as a nice segue to dark beer season. Here is a list of ideas* for seasonal beers — from Oktoberfests to hoppier harvest ale varieties — to drink as cooler weather approaches from breweries in greater Cincinnati:

Bad Tom Smith Brewing
Cheating the Gallows Pumpkin Ale
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice infused brown ale

Braxton Brewing Company 
Oktober Fuel (Oktoberfest/Märzen)
Traditional Oktoberfest lager with noble hops

Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. 
Das Über (Oktoberfest/Märzen)
Traditional Oktoberfest lager with a dry finish

Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. 
Fifth & Vine Oktoberfest (Oktoberfest/Märzen)
Traditional Oktoberfest lager

DogBerry Brewing
Hosen (Oktoberfest/Märzen)
Traditional Oktoberfest lager

Listermann Brewery
Oktoberfest
Traditional Oktoberfest lager

MadTree Brewing
Pilgrim
Fall pale ale with Pilgrim hops, cranberry, vanilla, and walnuts

Mt. Carmel Brewing Company
Harvest Ale
Dry-hopped ESB

Paradise Brewing
Leapin’ Lederhosen Oktoberfest
Traditional Oktoberfest lager

Rhinegeist Brewery
Franz (Oktoberfest/Märzen)
Oktoberfest ale with Munich and Vienna malt flavors

Taft’s Ale House
Masskrug (Oktoberfest/Märzen)
Traditional Oktoberfest lager with authentic German malt and hops

The Woodburn Brewery and Taproom
Oktoberfest
Traditional Oktoberfest lager with a slight hop bitterness

One positive about summer being unofficially over this weekend (autumnal equinox takes place on Friday, September 22) is that Oktoberfest is soon and dark beer season will follow soon thereafter.

Join in on the Gemütlichkeit this fall with all of Zinzinnati’s delicious seasonal beer. Prost!

Know of another beer I haven’t included, or that is new in 2017? Please share!

*This list only includes local beers that I have had at the time of writing this post. All fall-style beers included above are available as of 9/1/2017, or presumed to be available in the near future. Fibonacci Pepo Acer, Fifty West Blaketoberfest, and Hudepohl-Schoenling Oktoberfest Bier don’t appear to be currently available but may still be released this season, and I’ve yet to try a couple of seasonals from Brink, FigLeaf, Municipal, and Streetside.