Bruery Autumn Maple

pic via Bruery’s FB page

Several years ago, I picked up a bottle of The Bruery’s Autumn Maple, thinking that there was no way I could not enjoy this beer. After all, it’s brewed with just about all of my favorite seasonal foods: yams, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, and maple syrup. How could anything made with these ingredients be bad? It was terrible. I was shocked and dismayed. How could this have happened? I posted something about not liking it on Facebook, and my sister, who understands my seasonal sensibilities, assumed I was being sarcastic.

Recently, however, a friend of mine who knows quite a bit about beer said some very positive things about this particular one, which got me wondering about my experience. Could I have gotten a bad bottle? I made a mental note to give it another try if I had the opportunity. And, sure enough, Wegman’s is stocked up this season with 750ml bottles (for around $10).

This time around? It lived up to everything I thought it should be (and I’m now certain the first bottle I tried was flawed). This may be the perfect Fall seasonal. Despite the yams, it doesn’t really taste anything like a Pumpkin Ale; instead the Belgian yeast, the sweetness of the maple syrup and molasses take the lead, with lovely notes of pie spice throughout. It’s certainly a malt-forward style, with little hop bitterness to be found. Perfect for sipping with friends on a chilly evening. A must-try.