At the Table

Fall Beers to Pregame Your Thanksgiving Feast

By: The Local Palate

Saisons, stouts, sours, and other seasonal fall beers we’re sipping for Turkey Day

Thanksgiving Day rituals go well beyond the feast. There’s game day, frying the turkey, dodging your uncle asking if you’re STILL single, and the obligatory walk after the meal. You need a delicious cold one to accompany it all—the question is, what are we drinking?

Every Thanksgiving encourages us to aspire to our most gourmet selves, and that extends to our beer selection as well. We rounded up seasonal ales, stouts, pilsners, and sours from craft breweries around the South. With these festive fall beers in hand, you’ll be ready to take on whatever the day brings:

Fall Beers to Crush While the Turkey Cooks

Blackberry Farm Brewery Brett Saison

For a beer to sip during appetizer hour, this rustic farmhouse ale is funky and bright, and has a subtle oakiness to ensure smooth drinking. Enjoy this while grazing on the holiday cheese board.

6.3% ABV

Hand holding a stemmed glass of fall beer
Image courtesy of Vino Volta

Blue Mountain Brewery Lights Out

A deep malty flavor and notes of baking spice combine with rolled oats in this holiday ale from the Virginia-based brewery. The resulting medium-bodied ale is reminiscent of a warm oatmeal cookie that’s all grown up.

7% ABV

Six-pack of Lights Out, one of the fall beers from Blue Mountain Brewery
Image courtesy of Blue Mountain Brewery

Burial Beer Co. Houtenhamer Double Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

Those who REALLY want to unwind can turn to this boozy imperial stout. Aged in bourbon barrels and blended, this fall beer has notes of bourbon, brown butter, and chocolate that feel just right for chess pie time.

15% ABV

Houtenhamer Double Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Athena Paradiso with Blackberries & Black Currant

This fruited berliner weisse is loaded with black fruit flavors, similar to a jammy pie filling. But don’t worry, the black currant’s tart notes keep this fall beer balanced.

4.5% ABV

Creature Comforts Athena Paradiso Berliner Weisse 12 ounce can
Image courtesy of Creature Comforts Bre

Crooked Hammock Brewery Jav-O-Lantern

This pumpkin coffee ale offers a cooler, evening-ready adaptation of the classic PSL. Pumpkin purée, fall spice blend, and freshly ground coffee channel harvest flavors to match the chilly temps.

7.4% ABV

Javo lantern
Image courtesy of Biltmore Wines

Edmund’s Oast Brewery Warming Glow

Pour this deep and woodsy dark ale and curl up by the fire. Although flavors of brown sugar and toasted walnuts evoke snacks like spiced nuts or even pie, you’ll be surprised to learn that this fall beer is not spiced during the brewing process.

8.2% ABV

Warming Glow
Image courtesy of Wölffer Estate Vineyard

Fairhope Brewing Company Apple Pie Sour

Bursting with tart apple flavors and warming cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, this spiced sour ale is for those who prefer dessert first. You can find it on tap and available for retail at the brewery and at bars and restaurants around southern Alabama.

5.5% ABV

Fairhope Brewing Co. Sour Apple Pie Ale in a 16 oz can, stuck into an apple pie
Image courtesy of Fairhope Brewing Company

Fullsteam Brewery Carver Sweet Potato Lager

With toasty aromas of malty caramel, this Durham-brewed beer makes you feel like you just pulled a sweet potato casserole from the oven. Brewed with hundreds of local sweet potatoes, the lager’s spiced, earthy flavor is balanced by light hops and fruity yeast.

5.5% ABV

Full Steam beers including the Full Steam Carver, a sweet potato lager and one of our favorite fall beers
Image courtesy of Fullsteam Brewery
Date Published: 11.11.22
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