How To Properly Serve Your Autumnal Brews

You want your beer to taste as crisp as the weather outside. While you can enjoy your beers straight from the bottle or can, you deserve better than that! Your beers deserve better! Bring out the complex flavors and aromas when you drink your beer straight from the tap. Plus, you will get the perfect foamy head and rich carbonation that will elevate the beer's flavors. You don't need to head to the bar or brewery to get that draft beer taste. All you need is your very own kegerator. A kegerator is an investment but it is well worth it and it doesn't have to cost you a ton! A kegerator is a draft beer dispenser, the very same that you can find at your local bar but on a smaller scale. You can find freestanding kegerators or built-in kegerators that can be seamlessly built into your counter spaces or any other bar space in your home. Check out our Top 10 Best Kegerators article to see kegerators we recommend and read about the pros vs. cons of various types of kegerators here. If you're on a budget, you may want to consider building your own kegerator with a kegerator conversion kit. This option is much more affordable but it will require you to put in a little more work and you will need to find your own refrigerated cabinet. Dispensing your beer from the keg will deliver you the freshest and truest flavor. We also highly recommend selecting the proper glassware for the beer or beers you'll be serving. Your glassware will greatly affect how the beer will pour into your glass, how it will carry the aromas to your nose, head retention, and how the beer pours onto your palate as you're drinking it. This will change your whole beer drinking experience. We have a complete guide to help you choose the perfect beer glass here. Finally, make sure your beer is at the right temperature. The only way to guarantee the temperature of your beer is perfect is to store and dispense it through a kegerator. Beers stored in a refrigerator can vary in temperature depending on the shelf you're storing it on and on how much your refrigerator fluctuates in temperature. A kegerator provides an accurate beer temperature into your glass and therefore, minimizes foam and maximizes flavor!

Seasonal Beer Styles

The mark of the autumnal season is the start of Oktoberfest and that brings in some seasonal beers with malty flavors, bold hops, and crisp finishes. Seasonal beer style availability will depend on your area but you can also always order beer styles direct from breweries.

Marzen

This lager is rich in malt with a balance of clean, hop bitterness. It has a noticeable toasted bread or biscuit-like malt aroma and flavor. It has a fuller body and a sweeter hoppy flavor. This is a very easy-to-drink beer and pairs great with richly flavored Gouda and Alpine cheeses like Gruyère, Fontina, and Comté.

German-Style Bock

This German beer brings on all the malt and is high in malt sweetness. The malt character is a toasty and nutty flavor. This lager has a deep amber color a very light hoppiness. This beer has a very smooth mouthfeel and low carbonation. Bocks pair well with strong cheeses such as Gruyère, Emmental, and Swiss cheeses. It also pairs well with cajun foods, jerk chicken, beef, and sausage, and seared foods.

Maibock

This lager is also sometimes called "Hellerbock." This light beer has a distinct balance between toasty malts and a spicy or peppery taste from the hops. This beer is lighter in color to traditional bocks, less malty, and has a drier finish. For those who are looking for a lighter alternative to a traditional bock, this beer style is refreshing and enjoyable. This beer has similar pairings to German-style Bocks.

Schwarzbier

This beer has a rich dark brown color with a flash of ruby. It has a lightly roasted flavor with a very clean finish and nuanced hints of caramel with light wafts of a coffee aroma. This beer has moderately high carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel with no harshness. This roasty beer style is light-bodied and finishes mostly dry with a good dose of hop bitterness. This beer pairs best with smoky cheeses like German Bruder Basil or a simple smoked Gouda or creamy, cranberry-blended cheese.

English Style Pale Ale

This beer has a medium to full body with quite a strong bitterness. Characterized by fruity, floral, earthy, and herbal flavors, these beers help balance out bold spices and strong flavors. It pairs beautifully with Indian food.

Amber Ale

The warm amber color is just made for the autumnal season. This beer has medium-to-high maltiness with a light caramel flavor. This beer has a medium to full body and contains the presence of caramel and crystal malts bringing a toasted and toffee flavor. It has a medium to medium-high bitterness and pairs well with grilled meat, complementing the smokey and rich flavors of the meat.

Red Ale

This medium-bodied style has a balance between malt sweetness with hop bitterness. American brewed red ales have citrus, pine, and grassy aromas due to the strain fo hops used. You will sometimes be able to detect biscuity and toasted notes from roasted malts. It pairs well with cheeses like Gruyère and mild Derby Cheddar.

Brown Ale

The most prominent flavors in this beer are roasted malt, bread, caramel, chocolate, nuts, and raisins. All of these warm and comforting aromas are much desired in the autumn and winter seasons. It has a relatively mild bitterness and a hoppy flavor in the background. These beers tend to go well with roast pork, smoked sausage, and game birds.

Dunkelweizen

This beer style is a darker and more malty version of a medium-bodied wheat beer. This beer has a sweet maltiness and chocolate flavors, also, aromas and flavors of banana, bubble gum, clove, and yeasty esters common to Hefeweizen. This beer pairs well with smoked ham, bacon, American-style BBQ meats, German sausages, roast chicken, or roast pork.

Cool Weather and Even Cooler Beers

Welcome in the cooler weather, fallen leaves, and warm flavors with these seasonal autumnal brews. While the beers may be popular only during this seasonal time, a kegerator or beer dispenser is timeless. A kegerator can be used year-round to dispense all your favorite seasonal and non-seasonal beers! They can also be used to dispense a wide range of beverages for you to enjoy throughout the year. Let our team of experts help you choose the perfect brew and serving equipment for your autumn and winter celebrations. Contact our team at 800-710-9939.