Summer Brew: The Season Ends

Alas, the season for the Summer Brew has come to an end. If you're still finding Sam Adams Summer Ale on the shelf at your local store, see if they also have boiled peanuts and plug tobacky behind the counter. It's over.

But, if you're anything like me, you've had your fill. Enough with the citrusy notes. So long to crisp, clean, non-cloying cold ones. I don't want to slice another lime to balance off the lip of a Corona.

I want spice. I want heavy malts with caramel, cocoa, and coffee hinted at every sip. I want a seriously strong brew to keep me warm on those bone-chilling Florida nights. Good bye, Summer Brew! Hello, Oktoberfest! Hello, Samiclaus! Hello, Pumpkin Ales!

Here's three things I'm looking forward to in these coming cooler months:

1) Brewing outside the narrow alley of ales. I live in South Florida. My attempt at making a summer brew turned into a sour, gueuze-like concoction (still good, but not on par with the style I wanted). TOO HOT in the garage for my lager yeast. But now, I can turn back to the lagers as the temperatures drop into the low 70's. Very happy. Ales are pretty tolerant of the upper seventies and Belgian yeasts can be good into the mid-eighties. Fahrenheit.

2) Oktoberfest. Explanation shouldn't be necessary, but in case your head is still clouded by summer brew, this is the time of year that the perfectly balanced German Märzen beers come out to play. Sam Adams has a great entry in this market. Beck's does alright (odd for a native). Countless brewpubs have their own delicious home-baked versions (see here for a directory).

3) Strong beers. Now's the time of year that you can stomach a heavier beer. The summer brews are built to be light and refreshing. That usually means more water and less alcohol by volume. Hey, it gets hot out and you're going to be thirsty. You'll sweat out the water and keep more of the booziness. In Fall and Winter, this kind of brew will only lead to more bathroom breaks. Go for the higher-octane brews, like a Samiclaus -- an Austrian brew weighing in at a solid 14% ABV. Sam Adams has an impressive (of course) version of a Russian Imperial Stout. This is a hefty 9.2% ABV. And who can forget America's new favorite, the Pale Ale. A lot like an Imperial brew, its higher alcohol content makes good for keeping a beer tasting fresh, but it also keeps you warm as the leaves start to fall from the trees.

So, say "aloha" Summer Brew. Until we say "aloha" again.