Autumn calls for a different kind of beer. As evenings get darker and temperatures start to drop, crisp summer lagers can make way for something maltier, darker and a little richer.
German brewing has plenty to offer at this time of year. Dunkels bring toasted malt and caramel notes, doppelbocks turn up the richness, while traditional smoked beer offers a completely different drinking experience. Even wheat beer takes on a deeper character when darker malts enter the mix.
So, let’s take a look at the best German beers for autumn evenings that are worth adding to your next order.
Why German Beer Works So Well in Autumn
Germany’s brewing traditions cover a huge range of beer styles, and some come into their own as the weather cools.
Malt takes centre stage in many of the beers below. Expect flavours such as toasted bread, caramel, dark fruit, chocolate and gentle sweetness, depending on the style and brewery. Higher-strength bocks and doppelbocks also provide a fuller option for evenings when you’re happy to take your time over a bottle.
There’s plenty of variety too. An autumn beer doesn’t necessarily need to be dark or particularly strong. A malty Märzen, traditional Weissbier or pale bock can fit the season just as well.
1. Augustiner Dunkel
Munich brewing and Dunkel go hand in hand, and Augustiner Dunkel is a great place to start if you’re exploring darker German lagers.
At 5.6% ABV, it offers the richer malt character associated with the style while remaining approachable enough for a relaxed evening beer. Dunkel translates as “dark” in German, but these beers shouldn’t be confused with heavy stouts or porters. Traditional German Dunkels are lagers, giving you depth of malt flavour alongside the smooth character you’d expect from careful lager brewing.
2. Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel
Another Bavarian take on the style comes from Ayinger.
Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel sits at 5.0% ABV and is a natural choice when you want a traditional German dark lager for a cooler evening. Its malt-led profile makes it a particularly good introduction to the Dunkel style and a useful contrast to Germany’s better-known pale lagers.
If Dunkel sounds like your kind of beer, you can also shop our full range of German Dunkel beer to discover more dark lagers.
Buy Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel
3. Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Ready for something richer? Doppelbock deserves a place on an autumn beer list.
Ayinger Celebrator is a 6.7% German doppelbock. The style was developed around strong, malt-forward beer, so you can expect considerably greater depth than you’d find in an everyday lager.
Celebrator is a bottle to take your time over, making it well suited to slower autumn evenings. It’s also a good next step for anyone who enjoys Dunkel but wants to explore a stronger German malt beer.
Buy Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
4. Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock
Few names are as closely connected with doppelbock as Salvator.
Paulaner Salvator is a 7.9% doppelbock with roots in Munich’s monastic brewing tradition. Paulaner traces the beer back to the friars of the Neudeck ob der Au monastery, making it an important name in the history of the style.
Its strength and rich malt character make Salvator particularly suited to the colder half of the year. Pour it into a glass, give it time and you’ve got a German beer made for an evening when there’s no rush.
Buy Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock
5. Schneider Weisse Aventinus Tap 6
German wheat beer isn’t limited to light, refreshing summer drinking.
At 8.2% ABV, Schneider Weisse Aventinus Tap 6 takes wheat beer in a much richer direction. Aventinus is a strong wheat beer with the depth and strength to stand comfortably alongside the darker lagers and bocks on an autumn beer list.
It’s also an interesting bottle for anyone familiar with standard German Weissbier who wants to see how much further the style can go.
Buy Schneider Weisse Aventinus Tap 6
6. Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen
Want an autumn beer with a completely different character? Head to Bamberg.
Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen is a 5.1% German smoked beer. Rauchbier gets its distinctive flavour from malt dried over fire, creating the unmistakable smoky character associated with Bamberg’s brewing tradition.
Märzen itself has a strong connection with autumn through Germany’s historic brewing calendar and Oktoberfest tradition. Add Schlenkerla’s famous smoke character and you get a distinctive beer that feels particularly at home once barbecue season has given way to colder nights.
It won’t taste like anything else on our list, which is exactly the point.
Buy Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen
7. Paulaner Weissbier Dunkel
Paulaner Weissbier Dunkel brings together two German beer traditions: dark malt and wheat beer.
At 5.3% ABV, it offers a darker alternative to a classic pale Weissbier while retaining the character associated with German wheat beer. That makes it a useful middle ground if you fancy something richer for autumn without stepping up to the strength of a doppelbock.
It’s also proof that “dark German beer” covers far more ground than a single style.
8. Andechs Bergbock Hell
Not every great autumn beer needs to be dark.
Andechs Bergbock Hell is a 6.9% pale German bock with rich malt, floral hop notes and subtle honey sweetness. “Hell” refers to its pale colour, while its bock credentials bring the strength and malt character that make the style such a good fit for cooler weather.
It’s a particularly interesting pick if you like stronger German beer but usually lean towards pale lagers.
9. Schneider Weisse Original Tap 7
Sometimes you want a classic. Schneider Weisse Original Tap 7 is a 5.4% German wheat beer and gives our autumn selection a more traditional Weissbier option. Its darker appearance and characteristic wheat beer profile make it an easy bottle to reach for as the seasons change.
If some of the stronger beers above sound better suited to the end of the evening, Tap 7 gives you a more familiar starting point.
Buy Schneider Weisse Original Tap 7
Which German Beer Should You Try This Autumn?
Your autumn beer choice may come down to how rich you want to go.
Dunkel is a great starting point if you enjoy smooth, malt-led lagers. Doppelbock takes things deeper and stronger, while a dark Weissbier keeps the unmistakable character of German wheat beer in the mix. Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen heads in another direction entirely with its traditional smoky flavour.
Trying a few different styles side by side can be one of the best ways to discover just how varied German beer can be.
Stock the Fridge for Autumn
Dark evenings are a good excuse to explore the richer side of German brewing. At German Beer, you’ll find traditional lagers, Dunkels, bocks, wheat beers and distinctive regional styles from breweries across Germany.
Explore our German Dunkel beer or shop our full autumn beer range to discover seasonal favourites, including Oktoberfest beers, warming bocks and richer styles made for the cooler months.