NAPLES — When it comes to craft beer, James Pettitte is an IPA guy. He also likes stouts.
But in the fall, he switches to Oktoberfest. There are so many to choose from in the Finger Lakes and he’s tried a bunch of them, he said while whiling away a Saturday afternoon and sipping on this particular fall favorite at Engine 14 Brewing Co. in Naples.
When it comes to fall beer, “they’re delicious,” Pettitte said.
Just as the weather changes from summer to fall, so do craft beer styles, shifting from light and crisp to something a bit darker and heavier, but still quite tasty.
Besides the many iterations of Oktoberfest beers available this time of year, many craft brewers get into the fall season with their versions of pumpkin ales. If you’re more adventurous, several more styles will have you thinking autumn.
With so many Finger Lakes and Rochester area craft breweries offering fall beers, which do you think offers the best?
We’d like to hear what you think. Inspired by March Madness basketball brackets, here’s an opportunity for you to weigh in on your favorites by taking part in our Fall Craft Beer Bracket Challenge.
The New York State Brewers Association’s Think NY, Drink NY 2025 New York Fall Beer Guide offers some ideas, and we’ve included some of them and their descriptions, as well as added a few of our own. Breweries from eight counties are represented.
And if you don’t see your favorite in the brackets, let us know (mmurphy@messengerpostmedia.com). We’ll acknowledge the top write-ins.
Here are the brackets:
Finger Lakes/Region North
ReInvention Brewing vs. Runaway Blue Brewing Co.
ReInvention Brewing offers its Oktothorpe Oktoberfest/Märzen classic, which is smooth, clean, and with a depth of malt character that provides a light raisin sweetness with a crisp dry finish. 9 N. Main St., Manchester.
Runaway Blue Brewing Co.’s Märzen lager may have you salivating with notes of caramel and toasted malt. 102 S. Main St., Newark, Wayne County.
Peacemaker Brewing Co. vs. Ritchie’s Market
Peacemaker’s Hourglass Festbier is a 5.5% ABV but don’t sleep on its Persephone (grape) sour. It is grape season in the Finger Lakes, after all. 39 Coach St., Canandaigua.
Ritchie’s Market has a small brewing operation at its market but a Munich Dunkel with a big fall taste. 153 Lake Road, Ontario, Wayne County.
Prison City Brewing Co. vs. Eli Fish Brewing Co.
Prison City’s Pumpkin Escovar is a porter blended with cinnamon and simple roast coffee mocha java coffee beans. 28 State St., Auburn (there are several locations in the Cayuga County city).
It’s tough to resist including this Eli Fish creation just on the name alone: Lil’ Pump’s Magical Trip Through the Haunted Pumpkin Grove pumpkin ale. 109 Main St., Batavia, Genesee County.
Naked Dove Brewing Co. vs. No BS Brewing Co.
It’s a big day in August when Naked Dove taps its Oktoberfest. This traditional favorite is brewed with Weyermann Malts from Germany. 4048 state Routes 5 and 20, Hopewell.
No BS Brewing Co.’s fall offering is another for the name hall of fame: When Pumpkins Attack, which is a light ale infused with pumpkin spice. 3474 Bronson Hill Road, Livonia, Livingston County.
Finger Lakes/Region South
Abandon Brewing Co. vs Keuka Brew Co.
Abandon’s Oktoberfest is an amber German-style lager with notes of bread, toast, figs and a slight malt sweetness. 2994 Merritt Hill Road, Penn Yan, Yates County.
Keuka Brewing’s Pumpkin Cream Ale is brewed with real pumpkin, tasty fall spices and vanilla, which the makers describe as pumpkin pie in a glass. 8572 Briglin Road, Hammondsport, Steuben County.
Naples Brewing Co. vs. Engine 14 Brewing
Naples Brewing Co.’s Festbier serves as a celebration of all things fall in Naples, with grain and hops all sourced from local farms. 104 N. Main St., Naples.
You already know that James Pettitte likes Engine 14 Brewing co-owner Greg Borden’s Oktoberfest Märzen. Now you try it. 52 West Ave., Naples.
Big aLICe Brewing Finger Lakes vs Watershed Brewing Co
Big aLICe’s Oktoberfest Festbier-style lager is as German as it can get because of its 100% German malts and hops. It’s fermented with a German lager yeast. 4180 NY-14, Geneva.
Watershed Brewing gets extra kudos for the Seinfeld show reference, as its Märzen-style lager is called Fest! is for the rest of us. 3543 E. Lake Road, Geneva.
Brewery Ardennes vs. Rising Storm Brewing Co.
Hard to choose between Brewery Ardennes’ Belgium pumpkin ale and Oktoberfest, so why not experiment and go for Fall Farm Saison, which is mildly malty and lightly spiced? 570 Snell Road, Geneva.
Live the Gourd Life and try Rising Storm’s pumpkin ale. 5750 S. Lima Road, Avon, Livingston County.
Monroe County
Spotted Octopus Brewing Co. vs. K2 Brewing Co.
Spotted Octopus showcases its Octo-berfest Märzen as a seasonal tribute to the Munich Fest. 56 S. Union St., Rochester.
K2 Brewing wants you to embrace the flavors of fall with its spiced Pumpkin Ale, which includes warming cinnamon, aromatic pumpkin spice, earthy pumpkin puree and lots of smooth vanilla sweetness. 1221 Empire Blvd., Rochester.
Swiftwater Brewing Co. vs Strangebird
Swiftwater Brewing Co.’s Festbier, German-style amber lager that comes in at 5.8% alcohol by volume. 378 Mt. Hope Ave., Rochester.
Strangebird’s Märzen is an Octoberfest-style amber lager that embodies Bavarian traditions of rich, malty, lager, brewed in spring, barrel-fermented, and lagered to perfection to finish the summer and welcome in autumn. 62 Marshall St., Rochester.
Genesee Brewery vs Three Heads Brewing
Genesee’s Oktoberfest is kind of the gold standard, so we’ll offer up its fall seasonal Cran Orange Kellerbier, which has made its return to the Genesee Brew House and store shelves after a year’s absence. 25 Cataract St., Rochester.
Three Heads’ Pumpkin Spice Latte Ale celebrates the Fringe Festival in Rochester and fall, too. 186 Atlantic Ave., Rochester.
Knucklehead Craft Brewing vs. Irondequoit Beer Co.
Orange you glad it’s pumpkin season? Knucklehead Craft Brewing is and has Pumpkin Ale to show it. 426 Ridge Road, Webster.
The folks at Irondequoit Beer Co. describe their Farm Stand Pumpkin Ale as a hearty amber ale conditioned on pumpkin, cinnamon, and vanilla beans. Why, it almost sounds like a still life painting of fall. 756 Titus Ave., Rochester.
What to know
Voting begins Thursday, Oct. 9, and ends at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14.
You may vote once per matchup per hour.
The next round of voting will begin Thursday, Oct. 16, featuring winners from the previous round.
The two Finger Lakes region winners will then match up and that winner will then take on the Monroe County winner to determine our champion.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Vote for the best fall craft beer in the Finger Lakes: 24 breweries, only one will win
Reporting by Mike Murphy, Canandaigua Daily Messenger / MPNnow
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