Summer’s had its run. The days are getting shorter, the lake breeze has a little bit more bite, and your favorite jacket is officially back in rotation. In Chicago, fall means football, brewery stops, Oktoberfest, and your annual excuse to stock up on seasonal pours.
To help you transition out of patio season, we went straight to our local portfolio. From Chicago-brewed Oktoberfest classics to ciders fresh from the orchard, consider this your official guide to Fall’s Most Wanted—before they disappear.
The Repeat Offender
Wanted for coming back every fall and starting the party all over again.
Spiteful Oktoberfest – Built for heavy steins and celebrations. This malty Chicago favorite arrives just as the temperature drops, giving you the perfect excuse to put on a jacket, find a brewery, and call it a fall activity.
Hopewell Oktoberfest – Rich malt character and a clean finish make this one an easy choice for crisp afternoons and cooler nights. Basically, the perfect excuse to stretch happy hour into dinner.
Haymarket Fest Bier – Crisp, malty, and dangerously easy to drink, this is the beer for when you ready to trade patio hangs for a cool bar and a cold beer. Grab one after work, pair it with some comfort food, and call it an evening.
The Hop Head
Wanted for bringing a little bite to the changing season.
Hopewell Clover Pale Ale – Citrusy, crisp, and unapologetically hoppy, Clover is here for anyone who isn’t ready to give up bright, bold beers just because the leaves are changing.
Spiteful Working For The Weekend– This 7.9% Double IPA punches right through the chilly lake breeze. Big tropical hops meet a warm, biscuity malt body and a crisp pine finish. The ultimate reward for surviving the workweek.
Goose Island Hazy Beer Hug- The kind of hug you can’t escape. Juicy citrus and tropical hop character make this hazy IPA soft, smooth, and seriously hard to put down.
The Serial Sipper
Wanted for turning one drink into a full afternoon.
Blake’s Salted Caramel Apple – This cider tastes like those caramel apple suckers you couldn’t stop eating as a kid—sweet caramel, crisp apple, and just enough tartness to keep you coming back for another sip
ERIS Pedestrian Cider – For the cider drinker who doesn’t want their cider to taste like candy. Crisp, tart, and bone-dry.
Blake’s Cider Mill Donut – All the best parts of a trip to the cider mill. Crisp apple, warm donut, and no outrageous lines. Fall doesn’t get much easier than this.
Fall in Chicago moves fast, and these top suspects move even faster off the shelves. Whether you’re headed to the tailgate, meeting friends for an Oktoberfest pour, or settling in for a crisp fall weekend, there’s a seasonal favorite worth tracking down.
Case closed.