Bars are changing their tap lines to get you in your fall feels. It’s time to say goodbye to the summer ales and fruity goses, and pick up a fall brew! 

Fall craft beer is more than pumpkin spice flavors and Oktoberfest varietals. Although there’s nothing wrong with a gourd-inspired beer, this is the season for complex, slightly darker ‘winter warmer’ beers ideal for chilly weather, layers and fire pits.  

#FrayLife rounded up some of the best local and national craft beers that pair perfectly with crisp air, fall foliage, football, scarves and flannels to help you get into the spirit of autumn.

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Dunley Place Double IPA
Aslin Beer Company

This double IPA, released just this month, is a complex brew using Galaxy and Nelson hops. According to Aslin Brewing’s website, this beer features gooseberry, crushed grapes and a juicy combination of peach, passionfruit and mango.

#FrayLife Tip: Aslin Beer releases are typically first come, first served. Give them a call before making the trek to Alexandria to make sure the cans you want are in stock.

Festbier German-style Lager
Atlas Brew Works

In seasonal Oktoberfest fashion, Atlas has come out with their take on a traditional German-style Festbier. Their version is lighter in body and therefore more drinkable than your usual Oktoberfest beer. Atlas Brew Works describes it as having “sweet bread notes from the malt, orange blossom aromas from the hops and a clean yeast profile.”

Diamonds Are Forever Hazy Pale Ale
3 Stars Brewing Co.

This ale was released last spring but is a great addition to the fall months. 3 Stars recommends pairing it with hearty fares like stews and roasts, but it goes equally well with grilled chicken or fish. It’s a pale ale made for easy drinking.

Smoked & Oaked Bacon IPS, Bardo Cider and more
Bardo Brewing

Stop by DC’s favorite beer garden and see what seasonal beers are listed on their board. There’s usually something for every kind of beer drinker, and the outdoor location by the Potomac River is the perfect setting to enjoy a fall-themed drink. You can bring your furry friends as well!

Champurrada Spiced Brown Ale
Saints Row Brewing

Saints Row Brewing is a nanobrewery (a small brewery that produces less than 15,000 barrels a year) in Rockville. This fall, they are releasing “Champurrada,” a non-barrel aged spiced double brown ale conditioned with orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. With cold brew coffee added to the mix, this fall beer would be ideal for a crisp autumn afternoon.

Barrel-Aged Stand & Deliver
DC Brau

Brewmaster Jeff Hancock made this IPA in Jameson casks and drew inspiration from English and American IPAs and barleywines. Clocking in at 11 percent ABV, Barrel-Aged Stand & Deliver promises a strong malt backbone and herbal, spicy aromas.

What are your favorite breweries for fall? Let us know by tagging us on social using  #DCFray and #FrayLife

Want other awesome bars in DC? Here are 5 where you can drink in secret.

View More Articles By Anna Jacoby