I recently worked on two fall beer guides for craft beer novices and not-obsessed-but-interested drinkers. The first, published in Rally by Eventbrite, is a guide to popular beer styles that show up this time of year, along with specific suggestions of easy-to-find beers that also happen to be a few of my (approachable) favorites. The other, published in The Mash by Brooklyn Brew Shop, is a quick list for homebrew hopefuls who are looking to get their feet wet (or their brew boots wet, if they’re so experienced) with a few small batches this season.

In “Your Fall Beer Flavor Guide: Sip, Drink, Chug (No One’s Here to Judge)” AKA “Why You’re a Sucker if You Don’t Drink Spice Beer,” I walk through five craft beer styles that tend to hit the shelves as the summer transitions into leaf-falling, apple picking, hanging-out-in-bars-without-feeling-your-face-melt-off season:

• Oktoberfest and Festbier
• Pumpkin Beer
• Harvest Ale
• Herb and Spice Beer
• Hard Cider (not beer, but see explanation in the post)

And since they’re psyched to spice up the season DIY-style, this Brooklyn Brew Shop list of “5 Fall Beers to Make Now” includes beer making kits and mixes that are perfect for fall imbibing:

• Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ace
• Rye-PA (Limited Edition)
• Blackberry Red Ale (Limited Edition)
• Chestnut Brown Ale
• Chocolate Maple Porter

Of course, these are all great beers to drink or brew any time, but it’s always fun to get festive when the options are as vast as they are!