Forget Pumpkin Beer! Philly Experts Say These Fall Beers Are the Best
Tired of pumpkin beer? Here's what local brewers and beer experts are drinking this fall and where to find it.
Evil Genius’s “Is Butter a Carb”” Oktoberfest-style lager / Photograph courtesy of Evil Genius
It’s decorative gourd season again, which means it’s time for pumpkin spice’s tyrannical reign over all things fall. The autumnal spice blend has become so pervasive — so synonymous with the season — that it’s the general assumption that adding pumpkin and/or pumpkin spice to something automatically makes it fall-themed. Take pumpkin beer, for instance. Though fun at first sip, the overpowering flavor quickly grows tiresome as the season progresses.
Local brewers and beer experts feel the same way — pumpkin beers are fine, but the novelty is wearing off. I stopped by a few local breweries to see what they’re concocting this fall, and it seems most are returning to the old-world styles and traditional brewing practices. Don’t get me wrong: There are still worthy pumpkin beers amongst us, but this year, it’s all about the German-style beers, dusted off, revived, and ready for a very festive fall. Here’s what to look out for this season and where to get it.
Human Robot
Human Robot co-owner Chris Roller simply rolled his eyes and chuckled at the mention of pumpkin beer. Instead, he’s more excited for their September 21st Oktoberfest event and a very special dual-barrel tapping. Human Robot will be pouring their Festbier and Märzen-style beers from pitch-lined barrels.
“This is a traditional Bavarian process dating back to the 1800s,” Roller says. “We get the pitch from a violin maker, light it on fire to liquify it, and pour it into the barrels. We then roll them every which way to coat the inside and form a seal. Once dry, the barrels are filled and stored for tapping at Oktoberfest. The pitch adds a barely detectable piney characteristic to the beer, but most people wouldn’t perceive it.” My palate is very intrigued!
The event will also feature a fun play on USA versus the World, pitting Oktoberfest-style beers against each other, with participating brewers from the United States (Forest & Main, Brewery ARS, Second District, et al.), Germany, and Austria.
If you can’t make Human Robot’s Oktoberfest event, the Festbier and Märzen will still be on tap as long as supplies last.
Evil Genius
Evil Genius is flexing its creativity this season by bringing us two fall-themed brews. First up, “Is Butter a Carb?” is a crisp Oktoberfest-style lager brewed with malt, hops, and soft pretzels for an extra dose of rich flavor. The only thing better than pretzels and beer is pretzels in beer.
But if you really insist on having a pumpkin beer this season, the only one worth seeking out is their “Trick or Treat Porter,” a chocolate-pumpkin porter that’s dark and roasty with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and, of course, chocolate. Both beers are available now, at the brewery or in six-packs of 12-ounce cans.
Savor these silly, sippable beers at their Evil Genius Oktoberfest on September 21st (where they will be releasing the Oktoberfest brew) and the Evil Genius Fall Family Fest on October 12th. Both events promise family-friendly fun with music, games, and general frivolity.
Two Locals Brewing
When pressed on his thoughts about pumpkin beer, co-owner Richard Koilor says, “Not for this Black-owned brewery.” He’s looking forward to a sweet potato beer coming on tap around the winter holidays, where they will be adding roasted sweets and baking spices to the brewing mash.
But if you’re looking for something to enjoy in the near future, his recommendation for fall beers is “bigger beers with a greater ABV, and darker beers.” Their Oktoberfest Festbeir, brewed in the traditional style, offers up an enhanced malt profile using a double mashing technique that results in more body and richness without sacrificing drinkability. Another option? Their Double Dutch Double IPA.
As for their “darker beers,” they’ve got a Win Win Coffee Cold Brew collaboration, and a Stout collab with Gun Hill Brewing from the Bronx, both on deck for later this season.
Weather permitting, you can enjoy these beers at Two Locals’ beer garden, across the street from the brewery (open Thursday and Fridays). Bonus: They’ll have activities for the entire family leading up to Halloween.
Attic Brewing’s Märzen Funktoberfest and Schwarzbier-Saturnine Feline / Photograph courtesy of Attic Brewing
Attic Brewing
When asked about pumpkin beers, Laura Lacy, co-owner of Attic Brewing, responded with a polite “nope,” but swiftly followed up with, “We like to keep it traditional.” And by “traditional,” she means their Märzen Funktoberfest and Schwarzbier-Saturnine Feline.
The Funktoberfest is a well-balanced, rich, malty lager with notes of toasted biscuit and vanilla. The Schwarzbier-Saturnine Feline, on the other hand, is a creative collaboration with local metal band Crypt Sermon. It’s a super-duper dark German-style lager that is smooth, clean, and roasty with pops of dark chocolate and caramel.
Both beers will be featured at their annual Funktoberfest on September 28th, a free event with 10 live music acts as well as a bunch of vendors and activities.
Can’t make Funktoberfest? Stay tuned for their mid-October fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, featuring a special lager release. And if you can’t make either, both beers are on tap around the city right now.
Brauhaus Schmitz
Doug Hager, owner of Brauhaus Schmitz, knows a thing or two about good fall beers. But what about pumpkin beer? “I’m a lager purist,” he says. “I appreciate creativity and ingenuity, but you’ll never see a pumpkin beer in Germany.” Oh yeah, the Reinheitsgebot, or the German Beer Purity Law, only allows for beer to be made with barley, hops, yeast, and water. If anything more is added to the mix, it’s not considered a proper German beer.
This fall, 12 to 15 taps will be dedicated to German-style fall beers. But right now, he recommends trying the Ayinger Oktoberfest Märzen and Weihenstephaner Festbier. The Ayinger Oktoberfest is his favorite. This beer comes out only once a year, and Brauhaus buys the bulk of it (meaning, you can only get it here, on draft). It’s an amber, malty beer with a 5.8 percent ABV (a slightly higher ABV than your average German beer, which is usually between 4.7 percent and 5.4 percent). The Weihenstephaner Festbier, brewed in the world’s oldest brewery, which started making beer around 1040, is an excellent example of the style. Clean, crisp, and an easy sipper.
You can enjoy both at Brauhaus Schmitz’s 16th annual Oktoberfest on September 21st. This is a free event with some limited VIP tickets available for advanced purchase. (Pro tip: The tickets are well worth it for the bathroom access.) “We’ll have enough sausage to stuff your lederhosen,” Hager says, in addition to oompah music, pig roasts, and pretzels.
If you miss the South Street festivities, catch Brauhaus at the Armory on October 11th and 12th for a truly Oktoberfest feel.
Mainstay Independent Brewing Company
When it comes to fall beers, William Reed, owner of Standard Tap and Johnny Brenda’s, says the Oktoberfest styles are his favorite seasonal variety. “Perfectly balanced for fall with subtle hopping and beautiful malt notes,” he says, adding that he believes Philly has some of the best lager breweries in America. His favorite at the moment is Mainstay’s Oktoberfest Lager, which is brewed with Munich malt and Hallertau hops, making for a medium-bodied, balanced, and malty brew.
Reed advises us to check out Fishtown’s Feastivale on September 28th to see that quality beer in action.
