While watching football on a typical Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you’ll see a multitude of commercials for nationally-recognized brands of beer. But, did you know that some of the best beer in the country is brewed right in your backyard? Michigan has quietly built a reputation as a great beer state, with the fifth most breweries, microbreweries, and brewpubs per capita in the nation. Anyone who has enjoyed Bell’s Oberon on a warm summer evening can attest to the delicious brews Michigan can create. As the leaves fall, taps across Ann Arbor fill with specialty fall beers. On a crisp, cool Friday night, I decided to venture out with a friend of mine to see what sorts of October beers the local breweries were serving.

We ended up at the Jolly Pumpkin on Main Street, known for its diverse menu offerings and for producing a variety of interesting beer. It’s a bit expensive (have your parents take you there) and wait times can be a bit lengthy on a weekend night, but once you get in the door, you’re in for a unique beer-drinking experience. When my friend and I were seated, we asked our waitress about the October beers Jolly Pumpkin offered and she gave us two options. One, La Parcela, she described as a sour pumpkin ale, which was available on draft. The other, Fuego del Otoño, had only been served for a short while and was available in a 750 mL bottle. My friend and I decided to try both and split them between the two of us.

When the beers arrived, I decided to try La Parcela first. It was an amber ale, and I was a little taken aback upon tasting it. As our waitress described, it was sour at the first sip, and it tasted strongly of fruit. My friend compared it to the taste of wine. I thought it finished well, with a slightly sweet and wheaty aftertaste. Though it was atypical compared to the beer I normally drink, I thought it was rather enjoyable. I decided to give the Fuego del Otoño a try next, and was a bit disappointed with the results. It was a fresh, light beer, but I didn’t think it had a particularly unique taste that would set it apart from beers from other seasons. I wondered whether my analysis was hindered by the fact that it was in a bottle (rather than on tap) and that I had eaten something before trying it, which could have interfered with my ability to taste the subtleties of it. Nevertheless, I wasn’t impressed with it on that particular evening and let my friend drink most of it. But, I can’t claim to be a beer connoisseur, so I’d recommend you try it and taste for yourself.

So, before the weather gets chilly and midterms take over your life, I encourage you to enjoy the last days of Autumn in The Jolly Pumpkin, or perhaps Blue Tractor, Grizzly Peak, Ann Arbor Brewing Company, and beyond. It’s a special time of year for those who love beer.