Autumn is a great time of year to be a Michigander. I really dig the milder temperatures, the rich golden hues the sun bathes everything in, the gentle breezes rustling the multicolored leaves of the trees.   And I get to pull out the sweatshirts and jeans from the closet. Not that I don’t absolutely love the summer months, however, as my past posts will attest. But there is something to be said about fall. When I was a kid, I would run out to the nearby farmer’s freshly–harvested fields after school with my kite and about a thousand feet of string and wile away the afternoon watching the clouds, daydreaming about flying, anticipating Halloween. It never failed, though. At least once every fall, my attention to the high-flying kite would waver and I would end up chasing after a bouncing spool across the empty field until it sailed up into the sky, while my neighbors undoubtedly snickered as they watched me stumble past.

   So chasing after kites has over the years given way to questing after good beer.  And Autumn is a great time to carry on such a pursuit, I believe, as the lighter and fruity beers of summer give way to the heavier and maltier beers of fall. Oktoberfest Bier immediately comes to mind, and Old Boys’ has its Oktoberfest Lager on tap right now. Now, I usually make three or four lagers every year. For the past few, I made a Dunkel to follow the Oktoberfest, but this year I am going to make something different, namely a black lager. Traditionally called a Schwartzbier—or Black Beer—the beer style is of German origin and is similar in some ways to the Dunkel, but has more hop bitterness, is usually darker and offers more chocolate and roasted flavors than the Dunkel. Look for it sometime in November. Also look for our Apple Harvest Ale to be on tap by October 8, the day of the second annual Vanderfest. If you did not attend last year’s festival, then by all means try and make it this year. More brews and ciders, more great food, more great music. I mean, what could possibly be better than more of a great thing, right? Looking a bit farther ahead, you can expect another barrel-aged beer due to be launched by the time the holiday season rolls around. And even farther up the road, I think an Imperial Oatmeal Stout may be in order. That’s it for now, ladies and gents. So until next time…Cheers!