Great time of year for craft beer

Autumn doesn't officially begin until September 23rd, but we can all feel the change of seasons approaching. The other morning, I went out for a bike ride before work and had to wear pants and long sleeves to keep warm in the chilly dawn air. (I realized shortly after leaving home that I should have worn gloves, as well.) Then, of course, we have yesterday's high of 59° as a good indicator of the fall weather to come.

I know many people who dread the coming of fall. To them, it's only an indicator of the impending doom of another Minnesota winter. I, on the other hand, really enjoy it for many reasons. First, there's the cool, crisp air that makes outdoor activities more refreshing and assists in my appreciation of the sun's warming rays. Next, we have all the beautiful landscapes enhanced by the changing colors of the trees' leaves. Then, of course, there's the start of another NFL season (which almost didn't happen this year). Last, but definitely not least; it's a great time for good craft beer.

I love grilling amongst the orange foliage around my deck with a tasty saison in hand, as well as sitting by the fire on a cool evening while sipping a warming imperial stout. And those brews aren't even fall seasonals! That's right folks, we have many autumn-specific beers that are awaiting us at the liquor stores, with more still to come!

Oh, where to begin...

• the classic lager of fall, Oktoberfest Märzen, available from many different breweries
• many iterations of "Harvest" ales - some floral and fruity, some malty sweet
• spicy and delicious pumpkin beers
• fresh/wet hop brews, made with hop cones picked straight from the bine

My mouth is starting to water just thinking of all the options...

I'm also happy to be attending the Autumn Brew Review for my first time this Saturday, which is big event put on by the Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild. There will be many tasty beers to sample in my favorite kind of weather. If your interested, check out the details here. They still have tickets available for Session 1, which starts at 10am.

Fall, I'm ready for you. Let's make it a good one.

Cheers.