One For Fall: 7 local breweries break out newest autumn beers

It’s the return of the holy trifecta of F’s: football, fall, and Festbiers. As the seasons change in the Capital City, brewers are also changing up what’s on tap and on shelves for our consumption. Here is a look at what they’ve been working on for autumn.

SEVENTH SON BREWING COMPANY | 1101 N FOURTH ST.

Seventh Son has made a name for itself by consistently producing high-quality craft brews and this fall is the return of one of its more popular annual styles, the Chester Copperpot.

“This fall we’ll be releasing Chester Copperpot in cans for the first time,” explained Colin Vent, brewmaster at Seventh Son. “We’ve brewed this beer off and on over the last five years, sometimes as a draft only and sometimes released in large format bottles. This will be the first time we’ve canned it. Its o official style would be a Doppelsticke Rauch Altbier. Which is German for a strong, dark, smoky ale.”

There’s also a few more beers on draft at the taproom which Vent says will be great for the autumn season.

“We’re also releasing our first Oktoberfest, draft only,” Vent said. “Our brown ale, Stone Fort, has all the flavors one would look for in the fall, even though it’s a year-round offering from us.”

PLATFORM BEER CO. | 408 N 6TH ST.

While many people will be raving over all the new pumpkin style beers coming out in the fall, Platform is taking a different approach with sweet potatoes. It might sound a bit daunting, but this Platform Yammy Yammy is a sweet potato ale featuring a slightly spiced taste thanks to flavorings like nutmeg plus a subtle caramel flavor with a smooth finish. It also helps that this medium-bodied ale packs a punch with an ABV of 7.7%—something we can all use more of in the fall.

COLUMBUS BREWING CO. | COLUMBUSBREWING.COM

If you haven’t noticed by now, it’s Oktoberfest season and CBC is here to get in on the action as well. This 5.3% ABV brew is slightly more potent than a typical lager, and it pays homage to the German beers that came before it. The brewers at CBC import specialty malts to help create a medium-bodied brew, and the amber appearance of the Oktoberfest signals the malty flavors to be expected while sipping. Be warned, though—this beer is only available until October, so don’t miss out!

PARSONS NORTH BREWING COMPANY | 685 PARSONS AVE.

Standing as one of the newer breweries on the block is Parsons North Brewing Company. Just like Seventh Son, it will be releasing its very own Oktoberfest-style beer which will be available mid- September in the taproom.

“We have our Festbier lagering away, currently, and it will be ready by mid-September, just in time for Germany’s Oktoberfest,” said Seth Draeger, owner and brewmaster at Parsons North Brewing Company.

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And if you prefer the insanely-high ABV that comes with bourbon barrel brews, Parsons North and Watershed have collaborated to satisfy your cravings. But that’s not all that’s brewing up at Parsons.

“In the wings, we also have our Watershed Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout (Release Party TBA), a fresh batch of Belgian Dubbel, getting ready to come back on, as well as a Doppelbock planned to be brewed, soon! And of course our smooth American Stout is still on tap!”

NOCTERRA BREWING | 41 DEPOT ST.

Teaming up with a local coffee roaster, Terra Java, Nocterra currently has their Baltic Porter boasting an ABV of around 8% on draft in the taproom, but that’s not that’s all in store for the brew. In the fall, they will be adding some variation to the beer with coconut and vanilla, said James Knott, partner and director of marketing for Nocterra. The beer will be available on draft as well as in bottles inside the taproom for anyone looking to take the porter home.

“The coffee blends so well with the porter, and it has a rich baltic flavor that blends with it,” Knott said. “This is the very first beer we brewed at Nocterra—on our very first brew day, we brewed this.”

It helps to have two former home brewers—Bruce Vivian and Brian Duncan—in the back bringing experience and expertise to the table.

Additionally, Nocterra will be adding a Festbier to its taps in celebration of the event, Noctoberfest on the weekend of October 26. It’s a 4.5% ABV brew, but instead of being a lager Oktoberfest, it will be an ale.

“Because this is a festival-type atmosphere that we are going for, we wanted it to be a little lower in alcohol so everybody can consume it and be able to hang out for a while,” Knott explained.

WOLF’S RIDGE BREWING | 215 N FOURTH ST.

Keeping things in the Oktoberfest theme, Wolf’s Ridge will also have their very own Oktoberfest Marzen Lager in bottles on shelves. This brew features an amber color with hints of caramel and malt. While refreshing, it still has a toasty finish, making it the perfect beer to sip while by a camp re or on the nearest patio. The timing of this beer pairs nicely with Wolf’s Ridge’s Oktoberfest taking place at the taproom on Sept. 14. Here you’ll find the aforementioned Oktoberfest Marzen Lager, German food, and live music to keep you entertained throughout the night.

LAND-GRANT BREWING CO. | 424 W TOWN ST.

Let’s take a break from the Oktoberfest beers for a second—trust us, there are more to come. Land-Grant is known and loved for its beers which are great for kicking back as you watch Buckeye football kick off, and this Blackberry Jamble is no different. While many of the beers on this list are featuring a more “beer-forward” flavors, this is definitely a fruit-forward flavor. The blackberries used in this sweet and slightly tart brew call back to the season we are now slowly shifting out of. So long, summer!

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