3 Fall Beers You Should Be Trying In 2026

If there’s one season we could confidently say should be dedicated to beer, it’s fall. We have red wine winters and summertime spritzes, but when the leaves start to change color and football comes back on the TV, there’s nothing left to do but crack open a cold one. Of the fall beers on the market this year, these are our top three recommendations to ensure your satisfaction with simple twists on the flavors we already know and love.

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Jack-O Sam Adams

Having a list of suggestions stacked with different pumpkin or apple-flavored beers isn’t what we’re trying to do here. Honestly, it’d be redundant and leave you sick and tired of the autumn flavor monotony. So, we’ll just leave you with one that we know is delicious, satisfying, and easy to get your hands on.

Everyone knows the Sam Adams Oktberfest, but they’ve made it a real point to expand their fall collection. From Non-Alcoholic Oktoberfest to Apple Crisp, they’re not pinned down to just a plain ol’ lager. This Jack-O is a pretty idyllic version of a pumpkin brew with that same high-quality finish as their Oktoberfest. It’s got a taste of that true pumpkin purée flavor, and just a touch of spice to whisper the words of fall across your palate. My personal recommendation is to turn this into a Shandy of sorts using this Jack-O Sam Adams and apple cider. For early autumn days, before the weather really starts to turn, it’s a refreshing take on the classic fall flavors.

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest

If you’re looking for an American company selling Oktoberfest that isn’t just the same old Sam Adams you already know, then this Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest would be a good next step. It’s available at most spirit stores, included ABCs, and yet it’s a truly authentically made Oktoberfest. Sierra Nevada teams up with the Bavarian brewer Hoppebräu to make this beer, including the utilization of German hopps. Their site notes that this year’s brew has a “hint of floral character,” but is still rich with that malty Munich Oktoberfest flavor.

Paulaner Oktoberfest

If you’re looking for a truly classic flavor for your Oktoberfest beer this year, then it doesn’t get much more classic than Paulaner’s Oktoberfest. They are one of only six approved biers to be served at the Munich Oktoberfest, and they’ve not only been running the Oktoberfest bier game for longer than any of us have been alive, but they’re also one of the easiest of the official Munich Oktoberfest biers to source here in the States.

Plus, Paulaner has made an explicit attempt to reach out to their American audience this year through their Paul vs. Sam campaign. It encouraged shoppers and Oktoberfest goers to step away from the comfort and familiarity of Sam Adams Oktoberfest and try out tradition for a change. Their goal of the campaign is to welcome Americans into the world of the long celebrated German tradition with more authenticity.