Tastes change with the advent of fall.
Absent the blast furnace of summer, we become more finicky, less willing to shotgun can after can from 18-packs that dip below 10 bucks when the temperature shoots past 90 degrees and humidity strains our ability to do anything except, well, drink beer. In July, we care only that what we consume is cold, but come September, we gain a certain civility and discretion, both in manner and palate, that only deepens as the air grows crisp and we head inexorably toward the stouts of winter, abandoning the hearty bonfires of autumn for the glow of Yule logs and joys of Yorkshire puddings.
And then there is Zombie Monkie. Brewed in that bastion of Bavarian New World tradition known as Kansas, Zombie Monkie, produced especially for the fall since 2007, is a distinctly American porter that comes in cans. Not just any cans, mind you, but generous 16-ounce containers, aka pounders, that have a textured surface, slightly rough, as if sandblasted and left unfinished. The brewer dubs this invention the Tactical Grip Can, which was created “to prevent slippage while fleeing.” Presumably, they mean fleeing undead primates, but this is not made clear on labels that feature depictions of a creature that resembles a ferret on a bad hair day. No matter. It makes more sense, really, than cans that turn color when your beer is cold, as if your sense of touch is insufficient. And a tactical grip can is great for throwing at umpires or preventing untimely drops when you have consumed more beer than you should.
As luck would have it, Zombie Monkie was the 31 st beer consumed by our tasting panel charged with determining the best beers of autumn, and everyone agreed that this last beer of the evening was freakin’ excellent. After last year’s test, we had resolved to reduce the number of contestants on the theory that all beer starts tasting the same after the 18 th five-ounce glass. That, of course, is a silly theory, and there being so many beers in this world and beer distributors that gave us umpteen cases for free, we decided to, again, have as many candidates as there are days in October.
We established just one firm rule: no beverages brewed with pumpkin. Drinking free beer is more work than one might imagine, and one pumpkin-based elixir after another doesn’t make it any easier. Pumpkin beer is truly horrid stuff, very much appropriate for Halloween, and so we suggest filling the washtub with pumpkin beer in lieu of water for your next apple bobbing contest. We still have a few bottles from last year’s tasting hiding in the back of our refrigerator, behind jars of moldy salsa and homemade pickles that someone-or-other brought over eons ago that we won’t throw out because we don’t want to appear rude. It is unconscionable, really, to throw away beer, however bad it may be, and pumpkin beer certainly fits the bill. Inmates make better stuff from potato peelings stuffed into plastic bags with a bit of sugar and water.
Our taste test was blind, with beers coming from throughout the region and around the world. We saw no point in publicly panning the less than satisfactory and so don’t look for the name of the lowestscoring swill that one judge called “strikingly different” and a few others thought tasted like a cigarette.
The beers here are listed in no particular order. We did not declare a winner, but the listed beers, which won top scores, are likely to please a wide variety of palates, given that our tasting panel ranged from beer connoisseurs who know what “mouthfeel” means to people who really like beer, except for that dark stuff that hardly has any bubbles.
Experts might cringe at our methodology.
There are those who might suggest that we tried too many beers with not enough beer snobs. But we do not pretend to be experts. We only know that we like beer, and so drink up.
Contact Bruce Rushton at [email protected].
SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
One of a number of Oktoberfest, or Märzen, beers that delighted the panel. “Goes down like pop,” enthused one judge on his score sheet. “I’d drink this regularly,” wrote another whose tastes tended toward the lighter side. Unfortunately, Oktoberfest brews are available only in the fall. This one truly screams autumn, with a classic deep gold color and a head that leaves bubbly laces on the side of your glass. Not, perhaps, the best choice when the chill gets serious, but perfect for pre-Thanksgiving evenings.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6 PERCENT.
HOFBRÄUHAUS MÜNCHEN GERMANY
OK, non-Märzen lagers are, perhaps, not the style one thinks of come October, but Hofbrau was popular with the judges, three of whom detected a most unbeerlike scent to this beer brewed year-round in Munich (the home of Oktoberfest) by a brewery that got its start in 1589. “This smells like an outstanding hybrid I enjoyed on my last trip to Colorado,” wrote one, summing up the feelings of two other judges who detected an herblike odor. “Weedy but delicious.” Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Hofbrau was the 27th beer tasted during the course of the evening, but, in the end, our panel could not be fooled. Hofbrau, with a crisp taste and bright appearance, consistently rates high among beer connoisseurs, and it certainly did with this set of judges. “All-season beer,” declared one judge. “Eins, zwei g’suffa!”
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 5.1 PERCENT.
SCHLAFLY MISSOURI, UNITED STATES
“Light, bright with a touch of malt and a touch of hops,” wrote one judge. Another described the taste as “laid back, relaxed.” A lingering head drew praise, as did the golden color. While some beers drew dramatically different reactions (consider a marzen that one judge declared “tastes of German beer halls” while another wrote, “The jerk store called and they are not even close to running out of this beer”), Schlafly’s Oktoberfest rated high across the board. You’d be safe serving this to just about anyone. A perfect beverage for those tipping-point days between summer and winter.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 5.5 PERCENT.
WIDMER BROTHERS BREWING CO. OREGON, UNITED STATES
Call this one an Oktoberfest in disguise. It is an ale, not a lager, as is the case with true Oktoberfest brews. Its copper hue was a bit darker than Oktoberfests on our sampling menu and was deemed on the malty side. But it was appealing in the same ways as the best Oktoberfests, which is to say, you can serve it to zillions of people in beer tents and everyone will be happy. “It is hard to pick up particular flavors, but the balance of flavors is very pleasant,” decreed one judge. Another judge called it “an easy sippin’ autumn beer.” A third judge, unimpressed with a slight musty smell, raved about the taste: “Sweet, malty without being overpowering. Fresh and crisp fall beer.”
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 5.3 PERCENT.
GOOSE ISLAND BEER CO. – ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES
The judges were near unanimous. Goose Autumn Ale is liquid autumn. “Halloween in a bottle,” wrote one taster. With a deep copper tone, it looks like it tastes, a tad bitter offset with the slightest hint of clove. The judges raved about the appearance and lingering head. “The color of gently falling autumn leaves,” one declared. “Hoppy but with good balance – tastes the same all the way down,” another judge decreed. “It’s a nice beer. Very drinkable.” It also has a bit of a kick, with a higher alcohol volume than most others we tried.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6.7 PERCENT.
BOULEVARD BREWING CO. – MISSOURI, UNITED STATES
India pale ales did not fare well with the judges. They decreed, rightly, that this is a style best reserved for the spring or searing heat of summer. After all, do they carve jack-o-lanterns or go trick-or-treating in India? Didn’t think so. The Calling IPA, however, stood out. Fruity notes to the aroma stood out. “Excited to try,” wrote one judge after getting a whiff. Another wasn’t quite sure what to expect after inhaling deeply. “Smells kind of moldy, but also aromatic,” she wrote. Once down the hatch, the verdict for this judge was clear. “Very floral, delicious,” she concluded, while finding it a bit too carbonated for her taste. “I really enjoy this – light, soft, delicate and lovely.” Another found the flavor overly hoppy but still pleasant and robust, which are nice adjectives considering the relatively high alcohol content. While some might eschew IPAs for the fall, they do have their fans. And if you’re an IPA fan, you can do a whole lot worse than The Calling.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 8.5 PERCENT.
HACKER-PSCHORR – GERMANY
Hacker-Pschorr is a relatively new brewery, having been created in 1972 when two Munich breweries, Hacker and Pschorr, merged. Hacker, however, had been around since 1417, nearly a century before the German beer purity law was enacted, and so it isn’t surprising that this beer, a cornerstone of Munich’s annual Oktoberfest celebration, rated highly with judges who raved about its clarity and deep tan color. Not everyone, however, was a fan. While some found the aroma and taste sweet in all the right ways, one declared it overly bitter and astringent. “Bleh!” she concluded. Others, however, rated it one of the best beers of the night on score sheets. “Full bodied with fruity undertones,” one wrote. “Nice Oktoberfest,” wrote another who found that this one hit all the right marks. “I’d say from Germany.” Yet another praised its balance. “Perfect fall beer color and great clarity,” the judge wrote. “Light hop bitterness and low hop aroma – great malt character.”
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 5.8 PERCENT.
TALLGRASS BREWING COMPANY – KANSAS, UNITED STATES
The only beer that came in a can, Zombie Monkie, brewed in Manhattan, Kansas, divided the panel. Everyone thought it was good, but some found it inappropriate for fall. “Save it for winter,” declared one. “Burnt like a pile of leaves immediately outside the city limits,” wrote another who nonetheless declared it one of the top beers of the night. Then there was the judge prone to German references, particularly as the evening wore on: “It ain’t heavy, it’s my dunkel.” The label doesn’t lie. This is, most certainly, a robust brew, nearly black in color that comes with a substantive creamy tan head that won’t disappear anytime soon. One judge declared it “dark and moody – the moon through the trees.” This is, perhaps, a bit over the top. In the light of day, Zombie Monkie is true to the porter ethic, heavier than most of the beers we tried, but short of a winter stout. The aroma is evocative of coffee, as is the flavor. Best saved for cooler late afternoons and fall evenings.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6.2 PERCENT.
WARSTEINER BRAUEREI GERMANY
A bit light for fall, both in flavor and color. As one judge put it, “good, just not autumnal.” Another judge boiled it down to two words: “yum, yum.” This is a beer that will appeal to drinkers who swear by Bud Light as well as those who might otherwise enjoy a Hefewizen, which we deem too summery to drink after Labor Day. Anyone confronted with the challenge of picking music for a party attended by both baby boomers and millennials would appreciate how this beer satisfies. It is the Michael Jackson of beers, and everyone likes Michael Jackson. Don’t stop till you get enough.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 4.8 PERCENT
ENGRAINED BREWING COMPANY ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES
Our panel convened shortly before Engrained and Obed and Isaac’s, the only pubs in Springfield that brew on premises, debuted their fall beers. The freshest beer is generally the best beer, and so we cannot, in good conscience, not mention beverages that travel all of 50 feet or so from brew vat to glass, nor could we with straight faces decide whether shandy or such is a good beer for autumn. And so a judging panel of one, the author, sampled widely from the offerings at both establishments. Oatmeal stout was the clear winner from Engrained. As its makers state, it has a roasted flavor with notes of chocolate, but it has a certain fizziness and is much less heavy than a typical stout, which makes it great for the season. Gives Zombie Monkie a run for its money.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6.5 PERCENT
OBED AND ISAAC’S MICROBREWERY AND EATERY ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES
When Obed and Isaac’s opened in 2012, there was a school of thought that an establishment lacking Miller or Budweiser couldn’t possibly succeed. That, of course, was wrong, and Springfield’s first microbrewery has proven enormously popular. Still, there is an issue: pale ale. We enjoy pale ale as much as anyone, but a recent visit to Obed and Isaac’s left us yearning for more variety. They had American pale ale, India pale ale and a Belgian style IPA, plus the ever-popular Ditzy Blonde ale and a cider. No lagers, no porters and no ales (aside from Ditzy Blonde, which we prefer in July) that didn’t have hops as the front-and-center main attraction. Our kingdom for a stout! We settled for Long Nine Black IPA, the heartiest on tap both in taste and appearance. We, perhaps, quibble too much, as Long Nine is an outstanding beer, near black in color with a creamy, lingering head. It has a roasted flavor with hints of citrus. We weren’t quite sure how to describe it after one glass, so we had two. We were glad that we did.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6.9 PERCENT.