As the crisp autumn air settles in and winter lurks around the corner, there’s nothing quite like a heartier brew in front of the fire – and no, we’re not talking about tea! Question is: what beers are you cracking open?

We’ve put together a list of our favourite autumnal beer styles to help get you started. Check them out below!

Oktoberfest Beers

Ahhh Oktoberfest. Arguably the best festival of the year for beer lovers, right?!

If you’re not familiar, Oktoberfest is the ultimate celebration of beer and Bavarian culture. It takes place in early autumn and is packed with oompah music, bratwurst, and lots (and lots) of beer.

Traditional Oktoberfest beers (like Marzen or Festbier) are brewed in March, lagered through the summer, and ready to enjoy by autumn. They’re typically malty, smooth, and uber drinkable. And we get very excited about them!

While the official Oktoberfest might be over for 2024, there’s no need to put away the steins just yet. Many breweries (including ours) continue to offer festive Oktoberfest biers and other German-inspired brews well into the colder months.

We bloody love Oktoberfest like we bloody love lager. So, we celebrate it with a brewery bash every year. And guess what? We’ve still got a few beers to prove it.

So, grab a 1-litre Maβ (as the Germans call it), a couple of tinnies, and enjoy a taste of the festival at home. Here’s what we’ve got available (all vegan and gluten-free beers too):

• El Hefe: 5.4% Hoppy Hefeweizen

  • Our non-traditional German wheat beer.
  • Banana. Coconut. Tropical.
  • Hazy from suspended yeast.
  • Brewed & dry-hopped super-early to allow maximum bio-transformation.
  • Super-fruity aromas from Citra, Simcoe, Sabro & Perle.
  • Medium-bodied with low bitterness.
  • High carbonation, and a creamy mouthfeel.
  • Vegan and gluten-free.

• Vienna: 4.8% Vienna Lager

  • Malty. Crisp. Refreshing.
  • A Vienna-style lager made with just Vienna & Munich malts, Sheffield water, and Habsburg hops: Saaz, Mittelfruh, and Celeia.
  • Perfectly balanced.
  • Vegan and gluten-free.

• Helles: 4.1% Session Lager

  • Clean. Crisp. Refreshing.
  • Vegan and gluten-free lager inspired by the easy-drinking beers of Munich.
  • A traditional German-styled pale lager that’s bright, clear, and refreshing.
  • Lighter in strength but with just enough flavour.
  • From our core range. So, an ideal festive brew or an all-year-round favourite.

Stouts and Imperial Porters

If you’ve ever heard a beer lover talk about "stout season," they’re probably referring to autumn and winter. Sure, any season can be stout season if you really love them. But, with rich flavours of coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt, porters & stouts are the perfect beery companion for the colder months.

Porters came first and were the first beers brewed in large scale. They’re full-bodied brews layered with toasted malt and chocolate flavours. Whereas Stout (originally meaning ‘strong porter’) tends to have more roast and coffee-like flavours. Who knew?

Imperial porters tend to be higher in ABV, should you want to get a little merry at Christmas time, with all those flavours dialled up to max.

Let’s be honest – nobody craves a heavy dark beer on a sunny day, but when the cold rolls around, a cosy pint of stout or porter is the crème de la crème.

• Veneto: 4.7% Tiramisu Stout

  • Creamy. Cocoa. Coffee.
  • Gluten-free session stout.
  • Named after the birthplace of everyone’s favourite Italian pud - tiramisu.
  • Brewed with Alturra Arabica coffee beans, Marsala wine and cocoa.

• Luxe: 7.6% Imperial Porter

  • Decadent. Silky. Chocolate.
  • Brewed with Ecuadorian cacao nibs (from our pals at Bullion Craft Chocolate in Sheffield) and Madagascan vanilla.
  • Strong. But, super smooth with sumptuously rich flavours.
  • Vegan and gluten-free.

• Luxe Salted Caramel: 7.6% Imperial Porter

  • Smooth. Caramel. Chocolate.
  • Think Luxe - with an addition of salted caramel.
  • Super limited-edition, so grab it while you can!

Ruby Ale

Ruby ales are a middle ground between light and dark beers. Reflecting the colour of autumn leaves with their deep amber to red hues. Combine that with a rich, malty sweetness and fruity aroma, and you’ve got a beer that offers the warmth and comfort you need when it’s baltic outside.

Whether it’s at home by the bonfire or at your favourite taproom, if you want a beer that combines the richness of darker brews whilst staying refreshing, a ruby ale is a pretty good shout!

• Rosso: 7.6% Ruby Ale

  • Toasted. Marmalade. Berries.
  • Gluten-free imperial ruby ale.
  • Loaded with toasted and roasted barley, oat, and wheat malts.

• Rosso: 8.5% Whisky Barrel-Aged Ruby Ale

  • Toasted. Berries. Whisky.
  • Whisky barrel-aged Imperial American Ruby ale.
  • Six months in barrel has bumped up the alcohol.

Cheers!

#TheBeerComesFirst