Beyond Oktoberfest

As the leaves turn colors, so does the beer trend. People’s palate shifts from light beers with hints of citrus and anything sparkling to darker brews.

While everyone’s familiar with Oktoberfests (always a great way to celebrate fall), there are some particularly special beers to keep the insides warm while the temperature drops, and over at Main Street Market, Sam Northrop updates and maintains an incredible selection of beers.

“It’s cool to see what all these different breweries all over the world are doing,” Northrop said. “I like to get the most interesting stuff I can while keeping all the mainstream beers. People have definitely gotten more adventurous with beer.”

His recommendations for new brews to try are as follows:

1. Dragon’s Milk, coming from the New Holland Brewing Company. Aged in Bourbon barrels for 120 days, this strong, complex ale has a nice oaky aroma to match its rich caramel-malt flavors with deep vanilla tones. Perfect for sharing on a cold night, this 22 oz. bottle of creamy beer has a big sweet and boozy flavor. (10.0% ABV)

2. Red Rocket, a Scottish-style red ale from Bear Republic. Winner of several awards including a Gold Medal in the 2004 L.A. Commercial Brewing Competition, Red Rocket is a full-bodied, hoppy brew with a caramel malt finish. (6.8% ABV)

3. Black Top IPA, the newest beer style brought to you by New Glarus. Woven with molasses and chocolate malt undertones and finished with a fabulous burst of clean citrus and pine hop notes. Enjoy a stellar combination of aromatic hoppiness and smooth creaminess. (6.9% ABV)