Favorite New England fall beer

Their Kolsch was far too hoppy as well, which as you said, isn't really what they do. I've never been a HUGE Von Trapp guy, their beers are good but they're definitely not one of my top US German-style breweries.

I think they started decoction mashing for their Oktoberfest last year. But to be honest I think my favorite year was two years ago, the year before they started canning.

Locally, I think I remember Smutty's being solid, I'll have to see if I can find that this year as well.

 

I think I WANT to be a huge Von Trapp guy. I do still like them, especially what they're about. I buy the helles a bunch and love their trostenbier winter seasonal. The Okto was an extra disappointment because that's one domestic brewery that I want to nail it.

Yeah I don't recall when exactly they started decoction mashing, but I love that they now do. I think my favorite Copper Legend was actually last year.

 

Anyone have a verdict on Notch's Festbier? With his experience, focus on decoction mashing, etc, I have a lot of confidence that Chris could nail the style as well as anyone.

 

I love von trapp beers. I think they are a world class brewery. However, there octoberfest was too hoppy for me.

 

We're on the same page for all of these beers. The "somewhere between pretty good and great" and "just plain bad the first year" is exactly how I've felt. Their Sunny Ridge has followed a similar path for me. I thought Red Tape was great in the 16.9 oz. bottle and then was still good when it made a return in cans.

I also really want to like Von Trapp, but they're just an ok brewery for me with some of their styles. I'm a sucker for breweries with these types of themes, but I'm also a very harsh critic. Their Helles may be their best, or at least one of their better ones, but I still have other US brewed Helles I'd take over it I think. Definitely dig Trosten.

I would like to see Smutty do a Helles, curious how they'd do. For the most part Vunderbar Pils is solid, although I feel like they can be somewhat inconsistent overall. And to bring it back to the subject...

I had a 10.5 oz. pour of Smutty's Pumpkin last week, it tasted awesome. I need to grab a few bottles so I can have it on a fresh palate.

 

Get you some Schlenkerla! Don't even have to wait for the seasons

 

Oh Shlenkerla is a common guest in my fridge. But I want a good rauch available in something more economical than single bottles. I wish I liked Fort Hill's version because they nail format and price.

 

Only had George from Hill Farmstead once but that would fit the bill
same with Bear/Ma from Treehouse

Only pumpkin beer that I ever had and liked was Southern Tier Pumking

saw a lot of people saying Smuttynose Pumpkin and my coworkers actually bought me a 6 pack of that that I was going to pawn off on my wife but on y'all suggesting it, Im going to give one a try!

 

You and I should start a list of breweries we want to like, but wish were better.

I only had one can admittedly, but I didn't care for Fort Hill's either. Schlenkerla's nice, but due to price (as you mentioned) and more importantly a lack of dating on the bottles, that's a rare purchase for me.

I did enjoy their Marzen on draft at Rosebud this past Saturday, it blended well in between Oktoberfests. Of course, the price is also an issue on draft, oftentimes it's $9+ for a draft.

 

No born-on date on the Spaten bottle but the expiry date is 07.2018. Not sure how old this makes the bottle I drank.

I had the Von Trapp last night and really enjoyed it. Scent was of toasted crust... so nice... and the flavor went from a nice full malt profile over to balanced bitterness that, given the malty nature of the beer, I kinda convinced myself it was analogous to the bite of blackened toast. The bitterness wasn't too much for the style, IMO, and even grew more subdued as the beer warmed some. On the negative, I felt the carb was a little over-the-top, but not so much to substantially negatively affect the overall experience of consuming the beer. I enjoyed this beer a good deal more than the Spaten, but to each their own.

 

Spaten uses a one year best by date. So that was bottled this July, not old at all (I think that may be the date for all Spaten in our area, as I think I have the same date as well. I can check later tonight). Of course it still is entirely possible it's somewhat skunked being in a green bottle.

But, I wasn't as nuts about this years as year's prior, still enjoyable though. We all have different palates...I'll be grabbing the Von Trapp soon out of curiosity.

 

Big fan of Fort Hill's Red Prince.

 

Revisited Geary's out of nostalgia a few weeks ago, Pale Ale and HSA. They're under new ownership. I've seen a couple new cans, a lager a DIPA and an IPA. Haven't tried the lager or double but the IPA was middle of the road.

 

Looks like their "Autumn Ale" (a brown ) which I liked is gone and has been replaced by a "Brown Ale". I have it on the shopping list this week.

 

I'm a fan of Brown's, let us know how it is. Did HSA becoming year round replace the Autumn Ale or is it part of remarketing?

 

HSA became year round years ago.

 

Boston.com clickbait listicle on this subject today asking a few local brewers and other brewery workers about this subject: https://www.boston.com/culture/beer...-fall-brews-theyre-most-excited-for-this-year

Their list:
Samuel Adams’s OctoberFest
Bunker Brewing Co.’s Bunktoberfest
Wormtown Brewery’s Norm’s Chocolate Coconut Stout
Berkshire Brewing Company’s Life On Märzen
Oxbow Brewery’s Oxtoberfest
Zero Gravity’s Oktoberfest
Harpoon Brewery’s Flannel Friday
Allagash Brewing Company’s Interlude
Rising Tide Brewing Company’s Harkness

 

I really liked that Oktoberfest collaboration too. CBC Newton had 6-packs when I picked some up a few weeks ago, so they're around.