From pumpkin spice and crisp apple to cozy vanilla chai, the flavors of fall are in full swing in Delaware! Celebrate the season with a visit to a local brewery, winery or distillery, where you’ll find everything from pumpkin-inspired beers and spiced wines to creative seasonal cocktails. Grab a cozy sweater, gather some friends and raise a glass to autumn with these fall favorites.
Crooked Hammock Brewery
Middletown & Lewes
Celebrate Oktoberfest at Crooked Hammock’s two locations with German-inspired dishes and festive brews. Pair giant Bavarian pretzels, schnitzel, beer cheeseburgers or pork shanks with a Crooktoberfest Märzen, featuring toasty malt flavors, or try the Wunderpumpkin Lager for a seasonal twist on the traditional Märzen. It’s the perfect way to say Prost! to fall.
Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery
Frankford
Pumpkin spice isn’t just for lattes! New to Salted Vines this year, Pumpkin Spice Wine is a rich, deep-red wine infused with cozy seasonal flavors. Enjoy it at room temperature or warm it up for a comforting treat on a chilly fall evening. Either way, it’s a delicious way to savor the season.
Painted Stave Distillery
Smyrna
Fall flavors get a creative twist at Painted Stave Distillery, where seasonal cocktails bring together unexpected ingredients. Sip on a “Punkin’ Chunkin’,” inspired by one of Delaware’s most iconic events, featuring chai-infused Painted Stave Vodka, cream, pumpkin purée, ginger and turmeric syrup. Prefer something warm and cozy? The “Silver Screen Movie” combines Painted Stave Pot Still Whiskey, Americano coffee, simple syrup, house-whipped cream and a dusting of popcorn. There are nonalcoholic options, too, including “Granny’s Pyrex,” a flavorful blend of sweet potato syrup, apple cider, cranberries, baking spices and toasted marshmallow.
Dogfish Head Brewery
Milton
A beloved fall favorite is back! Pull on your coziest sweater and settle in with a Punkin Ale, a full-bodied brown ale with smooth notes of pumpkin and brown sugar. For even more seasonal fun, head to Dogfish Head’s annual Punkin Ale Fest on October 10, featuring exclusive libations, DOGfishies, local vendors and more. Be sure to look for Harvest of Time, a pumpkin barleywine brewed with roasted pumpkins, rich sugars and warming spices, then finished with Madagascar vanilla beans, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. With decadent notes of caramelized pumpkin, vanilla, oak and rum-soaked sweetness, it’s a festive pour worth savoring.
Harvest Ridge Winery
Marydel
Celebrate the season at Harvest Ridge Winery, where a lineup of fall events offers plenty of reasons to visit, from cheese and wine pairings to a harvest festival and book fair. While enjoying the festivities, pour yourself a glass of Punkin Jack, an apple wine infused with pumpkin spices that tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass. It’s the perfect pairing for a crisp autumn day in Delaware.