The Beer Road

The calendar says we have another few weeks. Judging by the temperatures around Roanoke yesterday, it doesn’t seem even that close. But it is the last day of August, and September does hold the official start to autumn within its grasp, on the 22nd . And though seasonal beer releases seem to stretch the traditional calendar further and further each year, a couple of styles which always help signal the changing of summer to fall have begun showing up on store shelves.  Yes, a fan of the fall season may be able to tell you the exact moment and place they see the first orange shaded leaf.  But fans of the beer styles synonymous with the season may quickly follow that up with something along the lines of, “yeah, but the Oktoberfest style lagers and Pumpkin Ales are here too!”. This weekend, those typically cool weather styles will be taking a couple spots on draft around Roanoke.

At Local Roots Restaurant on Grandin Road, DuClaw’s (MD) Mad Bishop Oktoberfest style beer has just been added to the selection.  Mad Bishop is a delicious beer, malty rich without being too much so, or too sweet.  Crisp and easy to drink, this was a personal favorite last season.  At Lucky in downtown, Shipyard Brewing’s Pumpkinhead Ale has been recently put on draft.  A wheat based ale brewed with light flavors of pumpkin and traditional fall like spices – nutmeg, cinnamon – this one is also easy to drink and very tasty.

This weekend, the temperatures and calendar may take exception, but the beer releases say otherwise.  Welcome fall a little early with these excellent seasonals – even if we can’t find a single changed leaf.  We’ll be happy to sip our beer, and wait.

~ by thebeerroad on August 31, 2012.

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