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Fall was in the air during October with the Better on Draft team’s favorite beers. Check out them out after another month of the global pandemic. Beers are in alphabetical order based on brewery name.

Oktoberfest ~ Ed

Aberrant Ales (Howell, MI) | Märzen | 6%

“I was a little surprised to see a new Oktoberfest on draft in mid October. I ordered it knowing the head brewer of Aberrant Ales, Adam Stout, wasn’t going to leave me disappointed. He certainly didn’t. After a little bit of research, I found out that the Oktoberfest wasn’t ready for a traditional release around the Oktoberfest celebration; it needed a few more weeks. We all know you shouldn’t rush a good thing just because. Once I began drinking it I thought to myself damn, this could bring all the crispy bois to the yard. This Märzen was light and crispy, but still had a solid malt backbone that I love in Oktoberfest beers.”

Early Bird Breakfast Barley Wine ~ Bill

Cameron’s Brewing Company (Oakville, Ontario, CA) | Barleywine | 11.8%

“This month’s beer discovery is Early Bird Breakfast Barley Wine from Cameron’s Brewing of Oakville, Ontario, Canada. According to the can: ‘A burst of fresh air on a crisp winter morning invigorates the soul and warms the heart. Early Bird Breakfast Barley Wine is a strong ale that has been aged in bourbon barrels with two classic Canadian ingredients – Ontario maple syrup and cold steeped coffee. The result is an amalgamation of flavors that include molasses, caramelized sugar, toffee, white chocolate, and dark fruits that give our barley wine a long finish that is a perfect addition to your favorite breakfast.’

The above describes the beer’s taste correctly. It has a slightly lighter mouthfeel than other barley wines, a little less viscous but still decadent, and a touch sweeter than your typical barley wine. I really enjoyed this beer, but at 11.8% ABV I’d probably skip the ‘breakfast’ consumption and save it for later in the evening.

I found this beer at a party store in Bay City, Michigan, and the owner said it can be obtained through Griffin Distributing.”

Wendy Coffee Pumpkin Milkshake IPA ~ Wendy

Central Waters Brewing Co (Amherst, WI) | IPA – Milkshake | 7.2%

“I’m normally anti-pumpkin when it comes to beer. Not because I don’t like pumpkin, but because usually its more pumpkin spice than pumpkin flavor. When Central Waters Brewing Co came out with a beer named Wendy though, it went to the top of my must try list. An ale with pumpkin, coffee, and spices did not sound like a winner to me. To my surprise, the pumpkin and coffee flavors balanced nicely and the spices were understated enough to enhance the flavor rather than overpower it. The result? I was disappointed I didn’t ask for more! If you get your hands on it, I suggest you give it a try even if you aren’t a fan of pumpkin beers.”

Oktoberfest Marzen ~ Dani

Dragonmead Brewery (Warren, MI) | Märzen | 5.2%

“My beer of the month is Dragonmead Brewery‘s Oktoberfest Marzen! I already wrote about my love of this beer in a beer review of it, but it deserves to be said again: this is the best Oktoberfest I have ever tasted. None of the spicy bite I normally associate with märzens and instead, just a smooth and delicious autumn treat that I am already looking forward to in 2021!”

Bistro Grande Pumpkin Cheesecake ~ Rob

Energy City Brewing (Batavia, IL) | Sour – Fruited Berliner Weisse | 8%

Energy City Brewing‘s Bistro Grande Pumpkin Cheesecake tasted exactly as it is described. Pumpkin. Cheesecake. Right down to the graham cracker crust flavor coming in at the end. Very smooth and enjoyable!”

Cheers!


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Ed Norton

Edwin "Ed" Norton was first introduced to craft beer when his designated fraternity Big Brother Vince asked him if he knew anything about the topic. Ed admitted his ignorance and the rest is history as Ed and Vince would split six-packs of craft beers each week during Ed's probationary status. Ed is now a craft beer enthusiast who is always on the lookout for a beer he has not tried when bottle shopping or drinking at breweries and bars. In addition to drinking beer, this livelong Michigan resident enjoys a bunch of hobbies that he doubts you really care about, other than drinking beer and sounding off about it.

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