5 Best Fall Brews

It was a tough job. We tasted what Missouri breweries had to offer and chose the five best beers for fall.

1. Porter by Little Yeoman

Little Yeoman was closed by its original owners and reopened by new owner Chad Fredrick, who moved the brewery to his family farm just northwest of Cabool. For now, Fredrick is just sticking to the main lineup of four beers.

Brewmaster says:

“It’s a medium-body, very good brown ale, with a crisp back taste,” Chad Fredrick explains. “[The porter] is unique because it has such a smooth finish. There are some tricks, and I won’t speak them out loud, but I’ll say the quality of the grain is very important.”

Mainstream likeness:

Boulevard Bully Porter

Get it at:

Only sold at Little Yeoman Brewery (P.O. Box 714, Cabool, Missouri, 417-926-9185).

From this brewery, also try:

Little Yeoman Cream Ale. A light, crisp wheat beer. 

2. Oktoberfest by Hickok’s

Available beginning mid-October.

Brewmaster says:

“A traditional German-style beer that’s aromatic, very smooth with slightly nutty flavors,” brewer Dave Lamb says. “The aroma is like fresh-baked bread with a semi-sweet malt finish and a long cascade hop finish. It’s a lager, not an ale.”

Mainstream likeness:

Spaten Oktoberfest

Get it at:

Hickok’s Steakhouse & Brewery (314 S. Patton Ave., Springfield, hickokssteakhouse.com, 417-832-1141) is the only place you can grab this brew. Owners say there are no plans at this time to bottle and sell the product elsewhere.

From this brewery, also try: 

Hickok’s most popular brew is Copperhead, an American-style India pale ale. 

3. Märzen Oktoberfest by MUELLER

Served at Springfield Brewing Co. from September 1 to the end of November. 

Brewmaster says:

“It’s amber-colored with lower hops, a very traditional seasonal beer,” Trey Manning says. “Carmel malt will give you the reddish, orange-ish hue.”

Mainstream likeness:

“There is a whole lot of German Märzen, except I’d rather not liken it to others in the style category,” Manning says.

Get it at:

Mueller bottles and kegs are available at Springfield Brewing Co. (301 S. Market Ave., Springfield, springfieldbrewingco.com, 417-832-8277). Mueller also sells its three non-specialty beers at Brown Derby locations.

From this brewery, also try:

Mueller’s wheat is its highest-selling brew.

4. Coffee Stout by Schlafly

Available beginning October 26. This St. Louis beer is made in collaboration with Kaldi’s Coffee and uses the cold toddy method of extraction for the coffee, which is mixed in with Schlafly Oatmeal Stout.

Brewery says:

“Anyone who’s ever had coffee knows that it doesn’t last very long,” says James Ottolini, head of brewing operations. “No one likes coffee once it’s been made hot and cooled down because of oxidation. The owner of the coffee roasting company and I tend to be nerds and think of it as a chemistry experiment. I looked to maximize the flavor with the least amount of oxidation. It’s a rich, dark brown beer with a distinct coffee flavor. Pairs really well with desserts. Think about what goes well with coffee, and it goes well with this beer.”

Mainstream likeness:

While there aren’t any with a real
rich coffee flavor, Youngs Double Chocolate Stout is closer to this beer than a straightforward stout would be.

Get it at:

Available at Brown Derby International Wine Center (2023 .S Glenstone Ave., Springfield, 417-883-4066) and in St. Louis at Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Ave., Maplewood, Missouri, 314-241-BEER).

Also from this brewery, try: 

Schlafly Pilsner. This golden, medium-bodied lager is made with German and Czech hops for smooth bitterness and aroma.

5. Bob’s ’47 by Boulevard Brewing Co.

This Kansas City beer is available from the beginning of September through as late as November in smaller markets such as 417-land.

Brewery says:

Has pale, Munich, carapils and aromatic malts, Magnum and Hallertau hops. Bob’s ’47 is a medium-bodied, dark amber brew with a malty flavor and well-balanced hop-character. The beer’s name is an ode to Bob Werkowitch, Boulevard’s Master Brewer and 1947 graduate of the U.S. Brewer’s Academy. “It uses a little more malt than many import Oktoberfest beers. This addition to the recipe gives it a malty taste, a hint of Caramel, a hint of toast flavors. It’s a little more dark in color than an Oktoberfest, but not over the top,” Steven Pauwels says. 

Mainstream likeness:

Any Oktoberfest beer will give you a ballpark idea of what this beer is like.

Get it at:

Bob’s ’47 is available at Brown Derby International Wine Center (2023 .S Glenstone Ave., Springfield, 417-883-4066) and is on tap at some locally owned restaurants and bars.

From this brewery, also try:

Boulevard Wheat, the standard wheat beer on tap at many local establishments.

Did we miss your favorite seasonal Missouri brew? Leave a comment by clicking below.

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