The beginning of autumn heralds shorter, cooler days, changing colors of the leaves, apple cider, pumpkin patches, and the appearance of what I consider harvest beers. These are the seasonal beers (and ciders) brewed to mark the transition into fall, and encompass a range of styles and possibilities.

It’s one of my favorite beer times of the year, with a cornucopia of options to choose among.

Oktoberfest, the German folk and harvest festival, is in full swing right now. Traditional Märzen and Festbier lagers focus on toasty, warming malt flavors and drinkability, brewed to be consumed in quantity to toast the onset of the season.

There are a number of terrific examples available this year, from Sunriver Brewing Co., Wild Ride Brewing Co., Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. and McMenamins, among others.

One such is Dummerberg Oktoberfest from Immersion Brewing Co., an amber lager that’s new from Immersion this year. It’s 5.1% alcohol by volume with 24 IBUs, and easy to drink, just what you want in this type of style. I picked up a crowler to enjoy at home.

It’s full of lush malt aromatics, with toasty bread crust, biscuit and rich granola notes that I found really enjoyable. The flavor picks up on the bread crust with rich, toasted overtones, with a touch of grain flour and light spicy hops to balance the graininess. It’s clean and fairly dry, as you want in a lager, with some hints of caramel, toasted oats and scones.

Next door to Immersion in the Box Factory, Avid Cider Co. recently released Golden Delish, an imperial cider with 8.5% ABV that fits perfectly into the harvest theme. This is the best time of the year for apple picking, and there’s nothing quite like fresh cider from just-picked apples.

Unlike many of Avid’s other ciders, Golden Delish is crafted entirely from apples, with no other fruits added. It’s a semi-dry cider that’s bright gold in color, with a rich apple aroma of fresh-pressed juice, a bit of apple skin, and a whiff of sulfites in the beginning. There’s a slightly rustic, fragrant quality that reminds me of standing in a working apple orchard.

It has a bright flavor with a lightly tart note similar to green (or Granny Smith) apples, with some tannic white wine-like qualities and a dry finish. It’s full of rich apple character with some rusticity, and while it’s fairly dry, there’s a bit of sweetness that emerges as it warms.

Of course, we can’t forget about fresh hop beers, perhaps the purest example of the harvest beer concept. These specialties are brewed with hops picked from the fields and added to the brew the same day, without being dried.

These beers showcase the fresh hops differently from their dried counterparts, often exhibiting vibrant “green” qualities including fresh herbs, cut grass, fresh fruits and more. Many breweries release fresh hop beers this time of year, with over three dozen on the books for Central Oregon alone.

Boneyard Beer Co. recently released Out On Bale Imperial IPA, brewed with 400 pounds of fresh Simcoe hops from BC Hop Ranch of Woodburn. It’s 8.4% alcohol by volume. I acquired a crowler from the brewery’s Lake Place taproom.

The Simcoe hops are dank and fruity in the aroma, with notes of stone fruit, overripe fleshy tropical fruit, and a dash of wet pine greens rounding it out. There’s a vibrant, slightly muddled flavor profile showcasing plum, tobacco, pear, navel orange peel, with perhaps some chard or collard greens. It’s quite fruity overall, with a bit of heft in the body and a bright finish.

Out On Bale is but one of many fresh hop beer options you’ll find this harvest season, joining the Oktoberfest beers, ciders, and other fall specialties. Find your favorite and toast to the changing of the seasons!

Green Flag Fresh Hop IPA — Bevel Craft Brewing

Oktoberfest Vienna Lager — Kobold Brewing 

McMinnville Harvest Lager — Heater Allen Brewing 

Conelick’r Fresh Hop IPA — Three Creeks Brewing

Hollow Jack Pumpkin Cider — 2 Towns Ciderhouse