Are you a beer enthusiast looking for your next hoppy adventure? Look no further! We've scoured the United States to bring you the finest craft beers from all corners of the country. Whether you're in New England, the Midwest, the Southeast, the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest or on the West Coast, we've got you covered. Let's embark on a flavorful journey and savor the fresh brews that are the toast of the country during the fall months.
Disclaimer: It's impossible for our judges to review every single beer released by the nearly 10,000 breweries in the U.S. each week. As such, while this story serves as a peek at some of the best beers released recently that have scored highly in our Official Review, it also features beers that rank highly on other beer reviewing platforms, beer that have medaled in recent competitions or have been burning up message boards and forums with immense hype. If you're in the regions where these beers are available, we hope they become What You're Drinking Now!
Mountain West Region - Lakewood, Colorado
The Beer Connoisseur® score: 92
ABV: 5.4%
Old 121 Brewhouse in Lakewood, Colorado delivers authentic brews across a variety of styles, including this critically acclaimed ESB that won a World Beer Cup gold medal at the 2024 awards.
Our judge seemed to agree, as he claimed this brew was “a nice strong bitter with appropriate caramel malt and U.K.-style hop flavors, with an interesting big, toasty melanoidin angle that adds some depth and complexity. It's nice to see an amber ale of character come around. Seek this out and relive some of the early glory days of the modern craft movement.”
When fall rolls around, darker beers become more popular, and a classic style such as this English-style Extra Special Bitter certainly fits that bill. With a toasty, malty backbone and a fairly low alcohol content, this would be an excellent fall sipper as the leaves begin to drift to the ground and temperatures start to subtly lower.
West Coast Region - Escondido, California
