Tempe-based Four Peaks Brewing Company is releasing its fall-inspired beer, the Pumpkin Porter. (Photo by Vince Dwyer)The temperature doesn't reach 110 degrees, CVS is starting to sell Halloween candy and you are panicking about which costume(s) you should choose. Thank goodness there's seasonal beer.
Arizona is home to breweries like the Four Peaks Brewing Company, SanTan Brewing Company and Sleepy Dog Brewery. All of these fine companies produce fall-inspired beers that can be found in local bars and grocery stores across Arizona.
Tempe-based Four Peaks Brewing Company is releasing Pumpkin Porter, a beer so syndicated it has received its own release announcement. The “legendary seasonal … will be released at 11 a.m. at both the original Tempe 8th Street location and the Scottsdale Grill & Tap and at 2 p.m. at The Tasting Room on Wilson,” according to the company's announcement.
Chandler based SanTan Brewing Company has a few seasonal beers coming to taps soon, including its Oktober Fest Lager and a porter called, appropriately, Sex Panther.
“Oktoberfest is known for its toasty strong malt profile with clean and crisp lager flavor,” SanTan Brewing Company’s Oktober Fest profile states, noting that the “traditional German Lager” will be available on draft and in cans in Arizona, California and Texas.
Sex Panther, a Double Chocolate Porter, packs a punch at 6.9 percent alcohol by volume, making it the heaviest hitter on our fall list. Sex Panther has a “huge chocolaty flavor combined with hints of truffle and molasses,” according to the beer’s profile. It sounds like adult hot chocolate, straight from the tap. The SanTan Brewery’s profile also states this Double Chocolate Porter will be available on draft and in cans in Arizona, California and Texas.
Another local seasonal to anticipate is Max’s Holiday Spice by Sleepy Dog Brewery. The Tempe-based brewery describes the beer as, “a smooth drinking Baltic Style Porter with all the traditional flavors and aromas that are reminiscent of the holiday’s,” suggesting the porter be enjoyed with holiday desserts.
Fans of domestic beer are also in luck, as a number of major domestic brewers are releasing seasonal beers soon as well.
Samuel Adams’ seasonal beers include OctoberFest, a lager with a “smooth flavor with notes of caramel” at only 187 calories per serving.
Both Blue Moon Brewing Company and Samuel Adams offer a Harvest Pumpkin Ale, both with 5.7 percent alcohol by volume and similarly highlighting holiday spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
Caramel Apple Spiced Ale is another Blue Moon Brewing Company seasonal offer, featuring “a seasonal blend of spice and caramel malts that highlight the crisp apple taste,” according to the beverages taste profile. The beer is now available in their Fall Sample Pack.
Leinenkugel’s has a few seasonal beers on the menu, notably an Oktoberfest Marzen-style beer, and the Snowdrift Vanilla Porter. The Oktoberfest is available from August till October, while the Snowdrift Vanilla Porter rounds out the holiday season, hitting shelves in November and ending in December.
Reach the reporter at Samantha.Shotzbarger@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @SShotzbarger
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Correction: An earlier version of this article included an infographic with incorrect information about San Tan Brewing Company's Oktoberfest Lager. The Oktoberfest Lager contains 5.5 percent alcohol by volume.
