My Kind of Beer – Fall Into Beer

Chris Goddard

Folks who know me, know that I love beer. Sure, there are occasions that I prefer to drink a glass of red wine or a dram of single malt but nine times out of ten you will see me sipping (well maybe not sipping) on a barley pop. There is so much versatility to beer that you can always find the right “tool” for the job. Now that we are fully into Fall, there is no shortage of excellent beer drinking occasions. Practically every sport is on TV and there is still time for ad-hoc backyard bonfires before the snow flies – but what style of beer should you drink? I’m glad you asked.

Fall Sports – Whether your favourite MLB team is in the post season or your NHL team is just getting going, you are looking at roughly a 3-hour session of couch surfing. Your standard lager is a perfect beer for this occasion obviously, and if I was in the stands that is what I would go for but at home I reach for a nice session IPA. This style is lower in alcohol (usually around 3-4.5% ABV), lower in hops than your typical IPA, but it still packs a punch and is lower in calories which we can then spend on nachos. These beers are easy to drink but more interesting than a lager. They also pair beautifully with chilli when you are tailgating. Check out your local craft brewery and chances are high that they have a session IPA as part of their regular stable. A pale ale would work equally as good as this style is generally around 4.5% abv (though it can be north of 5%), has all the hops, but more balance versus an IPA and more body than a session IPA.

Backyard Bonfire – The afternoon was sunny and warm; you’ve raked up some leaves and even fired up the BBQ for dinner. The night is still perfect so why not light the fire pit and enjoy a few beers? You don’t need to be delicate here, you can dust off one of those big beers for the cellar that you have been waiting to drink. A big IPA would work here or a stout. If you are thinking of making smores over the fire you will want to pair those with a beer that has some sweetness to it as well. A Belgian Triple or Quad would be great. They have some sweetness to them from the residual candy sugar they use as well as some boozy warmth.