August is winding down and summer is almost over. And I only got to go skinny dipping ONCE this year. Where did the time go?

With summer ending, the time for summer ales and heffe-weizens are almost done. Fall’s the time for stronger brews, beers that can take some chills off your bones (at least here in upstate NY it is). Fortunately for us, it just so happens that many of these fall seasonal offerings are great candidates for cellaring.

So here’s a list of 10 American craft beers being released this fall that I’ll be picking up (or trying to pick up) for my cellar. This is by no means a comprehensive list, just some brews I’m looking forward to.

September Releases

• Victory Brewing - Moonglow Weizenbock - You might already be able to find this fall seasonal. This is a traditional weizenbock, a dark amber wheat beer, very fruity. At 8.7% ABV, it should age gracefully.
• Great Lakes Brewing Co - Nosferatu - A highly hopped ale that weighs in at 8.0% ABV. It will be interesting to see how this one behaves in the cellar, will fading hops ruin it?
• Weyerbacher - Imperial Pumpkin Ale - Weyerbacher calls this beer the mother of all pumpkin ales, and at 8.0% ABV, they just may be right!

October Releases

• Great Lakes Brewing Co. - Christmas Ale - Highly spiced with honey, it should do well for a year or more.
• Stone Brewing Co. - Double Bastard Ale - This monster ale weighing in at 10% should not be missed! Previous releases of this seasonal have been stellar cellar performers.

November Releases

• Dogfish Head - Olde School Barleywine - Hefty even for a barleywine (15% ABV), this brew should be improving for years.
• Jolly Pumpkin - Maracaibo Especial - A unique take on a Belgian brown ale, brewed with cacao, cinnamon, and orange peel. A unique take on a fall seasonal, I am looking forward to this one in a few years.
• Weyerbacher - Insanity - This beer is actually their Blithering Idiot barleywine that has been aged in oak casks. Has all the hallmarks of a great cellar beer.
• Bell’s Brewery - Expedition Stout - This massive stout comes in at 10.5% ABV and should have a nice long life in your cellar.
• Bell’s Brewery - Third Coast Old Ale - Bell’s take on a barleywine will undoubtedly be great for years to come.

If anybody else has some other suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

Jason

jason@brewbasement.com