Now that the seasons are shifting, our palates are shifting along with them. Gone are the crisp kolsches and session IPAs of summer, replaced with burlier brews. Fall seasonals — and other styles that are just a little more autumn-appropriate — tend to be maltier than their summer counterparts, with a touch more sweetness and a bit more alcohol to boot. They’re also where the kitchen cabinetful of spices start to appear, not just in the love-‘em-or-leave-‘em pumpkin beers, but in any number of winter warmers. As you bust out the flannel and gather around the fire, here are six brews to match the season.

Shipyard Old Thumper ~ A year-round offering from the venerable Portland brewery, the malty Old Thumper was created by the Ringwood Brewery’s Peter Austin (mentor to Shipyard’s Alan Pugsley). The ESB makes good use of the brewery’s signature yeast strain, its telltale butterscotch flavor balancing the biscuity malt.

Lone Pine Chaga Stout ~ While your instinct may be to associate Chaga mushrooms with kombucha, a handful of Maine brewers have been putting the “King of Medicinal Mushrooms” in their beers. Lone Pine’s limited Chaga Stout, brewed in partnership with North Spore Mushrooms, harmoniously combines a stout’s traditional roasty backbone with notes of vanilla and spice.

Sebago Bonfire Rye ~ Rye has become a popular part of the malt bill for a number of cool-weather beers, with its spicy flavor adding a warming touch to otherwise sweet beers. Sebago’s Bonefire Rye leans into the malt character but flips the script with a generous late hop addition, which gives a pleasantly piney, resinous finish.

Lake St. George Danny’s Oatmeal Stout ~ Nothing welcomes cooler weather like a stout, and no one brews an oatmeal stout like Lake St. George’s Danny McGovern.  A malt bill of oatmeal, wheat, and barley, Danny’s Oatmeal Stout creates a pillowy-soft body and creamy finish. Some people think of stouts as heavy, filling beers, but I challenge you to drink just one of these in a sitting.

Bunker Bunktoberfest ~ A pitch-perfect take on the traditional German festbier, this märzen combines a hint of bitterness with a toasty, bready body and pleasantly dry finish. This fall, Bunktoberfest is coming out in 16oz “pounder” cans — a first for Bunker, and the perfect size for quaffing by the campfire. Prost!

Baxter Hayride ~ A trio of spices — ginger, black pepper, and orange peel — add some warmth to Baxter Brewing Company’s fall seasonal. Brewed with rye malt and aged on oak, Hayride has a slight spiciness that pairs perfectly with New England’s traditional fall foods. The citrus zing of New Zealand hops softens the spiciness beautifully.

— Text: Josh Christie. Josh is the author of a number of books on beer and the Maine outdoors, and co-owner of Print: A Bookstore in Portland, Maine.