It’s no longer fashionable to rip on pumpkin beers, cozy-sweater-cocoa zombies or Nickelback. It’s been done. It’s worn out. Pumpkin spice is far too ubiquitous to fight any longer. The war’s been fought and to the victor go the gourd-flavored spoils. We’ve lost.

As hot girl summer slowly morphs into beer belly autumn, there are few activities more confusing to the aliens documenting our earthling lives than leaf-peeping.

But despite the fact that we’ve lost this culture war and our social media feeds are about to be swamped with beautiful yellow-and-brown leaf pictures for the next week, there’s still a way to rebel. And it’s the best kind of peaceful, nonviolent protest available: sitting on the couch, drinking beer. Here are six beers to drink this fall while the rest of the world goes to gawk at dying leaves.

LUKI Brewery | Grammy’s Pumpkin Pie

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by LUKI Brewery (@lukibrew)

LUKI Brewery in Arvada, Colorado brought back one of their fan-favorite fall beers, Grammy’s Pumpkin Pie. From their website: “We take the spice blend from an old family recipe and combine it with a light Brown Ale formula. The result is a fantastic fall beer that will melt in your mouth with the memories of Grandma’s awesome pies.”

If you’re not into spice beers, this one is still pretty balanced and manageable, and there are plenty of seats in the tap room this week since the rest of the state is hypnotized by falling foliage in the high country.

---

WeldWerks Brewing Co. | Smoke & Peaches

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by WeldWerks Brewing Co. (@weldwerksbrewing)

At the end of summer, one of Colorado’s few remaining lesser-known secrets — Palisade Peaches — make their way to farmer’s markets, grocery stores, and fruit stands across the state. Fortunately some of them also made their way into this unique German Style Smoked Lager.

This release picks up where last year’s Smoke & Pineapples left off, providing curious drinkers smooth, refreshing peach flavor, followed up by smoked malt.

---

New Image Brewing | Phanny Pack IPA

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by New Image Brewing Company (@nibrewing)

New Image has been doing some pretty cool things with thiolized IPAs and tons of different hop varieties lately, and Phanny Pack is the prime example of this.

A phan-favorite that earned its way into the year-round lineup, Phanny Pack is a tropical, smooth-drinking IPA, with flavors and aromas enhanced by the thiolized process (enhancing yeast’s ability to unleash tropical fruit-ish aromas and flavors from malt and hops).

---

Outer Range Brewing Co. | In the Steep IPA

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Outer Range Brewing Co. (@outerrangebrewingco)

Here’s a nod to the brewery that’s likely most overwhelmed with leafers right about now. Located in Frisco, Colorado, Outer Range Brewing Co. is smack-dab right in the middle of Summit County ski country. But until the last leaf falls off the aspens that line the mountains near Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, A-Basin and Keystone, this is heart of leaf country.

In the Steep is one of Outer Range’s core beers and earliest fan favorites. The current iteration is a DDH DIPA with Citra, Mosaic and Galaxy hops. It’s also the beer from Outer Range you’re most likely to find at your local beer shop — making it much easier to find and enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Hey, there are leaves changing in your backyard, too… which you’re going to have to rake up soon.

---

Karl Strauss Brewing Co. | Aurora Hoppyalis IPA

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Karl Strauss Brewing Company 🍻 (@karlstraussbeer)

Aurora Hoppyalis from Karl Strauss in San Diego feels like a summer beer. Questionable choice for a fall beer, until you remember that San Diego doesn’t have much in the way of dramatic changing seasons. It’s also not likely to be what most people think of when they think of leaf-peeping locations.

Of course, there are no aurora borealis in San Diego either. So they compensate with this self-proclaimed San Diego-style IPA, brewed with Simcoe, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Citra hops. The beer’s only available in San Diego and the surrounding area, so while everyone’s shivering in an earth-tone sweater at 10,000 feet, why not schedule a beach vacation?

---

Ska Brewing | Oktoberfest

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ska Brewing Co. (@skabrewing)

As the story goes, the team at Ska almost missed out on a GABF gold medal, because they sold out of this German-Style Lager before they could hold any back to ship for judging. They ran to a local liquor store to buy one of the few six packs remaining so they had something to send. That bit of last-minute liquor store luck turned into GABF gold in 2018.

Enjoy this seasonal, malty Lager at home while hundreds of schmucks get suckered into an intense leaf session to impress a first date.

And then look at everyone’s pictures on Instagram and think to yourself “maybe I should go do that next year.”

---

Can't visit the site everyday like us? Bummer! No worries, we've got you covered. Submit your email below to receive our monthlyish newsletter on reviews, tours, events and more!

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you're human: