Beer column: A trio of Fernie seasonals to help welcome fall

Whether you like it or not, the official start of fall is just hours away.

The fall equinox happens at 5:44 am on Sunday, which means summer 2024 will become ancient history and the season of flannel, soup and pumpkins.

And for most beer drinkers, of course, it signals a transition from lighter summer beers to darker, heartier beers to help you feel a little cozier as the weather cools down.

Breweries around British Columbia have started to release their fall and winter seasonals, and this week’s column will feature a trio of them from Fernie Brewing Company.

Timelapse Lager

We start with the simplest beer of the three, which is a good old-fashioned European-inspired lager called Timelapse.

“Gold in colour, Timelapse has a smooth grainy-sweet malty flavour and a soft, dry finish,” the brewery explains.

“Subtle spicy and floral notes come through from the European hops, and a restrained bitterness helps keep the balance malty but not sweet.”

The Timelapse Lager comes in at 5% ABV (alcohol by volume).

Big Steep Stout

Many will think it’s a little too early for stouts, and with many parts of BC still seeing temperatures in the 20s, that may in fact be true.

But if you’re a stout fan and you’ve been waiting months for them to come back into season, it’s never too early to jump at the chance to buy one.

The Big Steep Stout from Fernie is a dry Irish stout that’s balanced with roast and chocolate malts.

“True to the style, Big Steep is deliciously dark, easy-drinking and full-bodied, with hints of chocolate and coffee flavours,” the brewery says.

The Big Steep Stout comes in at 4.5% ABV and is certainly lighter than many stouts you might enjoy during the coldest, darkest days of winter.

Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale

I mentioned in the start of the column that it was the season of pumpkins and that counts for beers as well.

Over the coming weeks, you’ll see plenty of pumpkin beers hit the store shelves and some already have like Fernie’s Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale.

This award-winning creation is unfiltered, which helps keep the real pumpkin taste alive.

“This brew stems from our now-retired First Trax Brown Ale, while pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice are added to the mix to bring you the perfect sip of fall,” the brewery boasts.

Just like the Timelapse Lager, the Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale comes in at 5% ABV.

Josh Duncan is the NowMedia news director and a craft beer lover. Reach him at [email protected]. His beer column appears every Saturday afternoon in this space.