Five beers to warm your autumn nights

I will confess, my love of beer only just began over the summer. Since that first blush with a floral ale, I’ve delighted in sampling lagers, stouts, and wits. Now, a new season welcomes a new array of brews. Here are some of my favourite autumn bevs, to keep warm on chilly October nights.

Storm Brewing – Vanilla whiskey stout. I actually tried this beer over the summer, but it seems best-suited to fall and winter. It’s spicy and dark, and the whiskey undertones keep the vanilla from becoming a saccharine sweet. If, like me, you’re not a fan of hop-heavy beer, this might be a good intro to the dark side.

Phillips Beer – ”Crooked Tooth.” Of course there’s at least one pumpkin beer on this list. This ale is light and a little spicy, but not heavy on the nutmeg and cinnamon. Phillips generally makes solid brews, so if you like this one be sure to check out the “Toothless” and “Crookeder Tooth” versions.

Steamworks – Pumpkin ale. In case the last pumpkin ale wasn’t enough, here’s another gourd-geous option. This one struck me as a wee bit softer and warmer than the Phillips Beer version, but both are very drinkable. Neither is too heavy, so you can drink either one — or both — all night without feeling like you’re stowing an actual pumpkin in your belly.

Postmark  — ”Oktoberfest.” I’m a sucker for floral beer, and for beautiful packaging. Postmark’s “Oktoberfest” has both going for it. This one isn’t spicy or pumpkin-infused, but it’s a light lager that goes down easily. If you’re looking for a darker option, Postmark’s stout was the 2016 Gold Medal Winner of the Canadian Brewery Awards, and it also has a highly Instagrammable label. You know, if that matters to you too.

Raven – Cream ale. I’m not always a fan of chocolate beer. It never really tastes like chocolate, which is more of a betrayal than my tastebuds can bear. The worst chocolate beer that I ever had tasted like fancy hand soap. This beer — a cream ale with notes of chocolate — is the perfect take. It’s not trying to be a chocolate bar; it’s just nutty with a hint of sweetness.