The Bruery Autumn Maple

Brewed by: The Bruery

Beer Classification and Specs

• Style: Belgian, Brown
• Variation: Yam, Maple
• Seasonal: Fall
• ABV: 10%
• IBU: 15

Brewer’s Notes and Ingredients

We don’t need pumpkins in our beer! Big, bold, spicy, and oh so yammy, our delicious Brown Ale is perfect for those cold autumn nights.

Hops: N/A

Yeast: Belgian

Additional: Yams, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, and maple syrup

More Autumn Maple Images

First Impressions

Artwork: Follows The Bruery branding, with fall colors and maple leaf.

Color: Light brown, more like amber tone.

Aroma: Pumpkin, and subtle sweetness like syrup.

The Tasting

Arrived in: 750 mL Bottle

Served in: Short Tulip

The Bruery’s fall seasonal has been brewed since 2008, and ignored in our house since then, due to Mike’s serious aversion to yams. He has been trying to expand his horizons with a growing fondness for pumpkin beers the last few years, so why not give yam a chance? It has worked once already, with the 2014 Beer Camp.

This Belgian-style brown ale was brewed with a whole laundry list of fall-centric seasonal components, that led to one delicious autumn release. With 17 pounds of yams per barrel, the ale was fermented with Belgian yeast along with molasses and maple syrup, and a myriad of spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla.

What should come as no surprise, was that Autumn Maple featured a more sweet aroma than most pumpkin beers. After all, it was brewed with molasses and maple syrup, which layered over its yammy, pumkinesque nose. Its sweetness was not cloying, or overly spiced, but reminiscent of sticky edibles like maple syrup, or cranberry sauce.

The color of this brown ale was closer to a deep amber, with a slight reddish hue. Once poured, a minimal soda-like head fizzed loudly, then quickly disappeared. It maintained a frothy ring, but effervescence was pretty much non-existent, making for an extremely smooth ale. Autumn Maple featured a slightly chewier mouthfeel for a pumpkin/yam beer, so it was very satisfying in that regard.

Most pumpkin ales hit their spiced notes in the middle, then quickly return back to “ale.” Autumn Maple was mild up front with a slow pleasant build using all its ingredients for a lasting, sugary spiced finish. There was sweetness, but like the aroma — not overly done, with syrup and molasses, followed by vanilla. For added flavor, the spice blend kicked in last, as if it was sprinkled over the sweetness on our palates.

Autumn Maple was one of the better fall offerings we have tried this season. This medley of autumn flavors, with its strong ABV (10%) could carry well into December and January as a winter warmer.

Final Score: 4/5

The Bruery Autumn Maple captured the fall season in a bottle, and encompassed many flavors you would find on your Thanksgiving dinner table. As a matter of fact, sharing this beer on turkey day would be a great way to celebrate with friends and family.