Raleigh microbreweries are crafting their seasonal beers for the upcoming fall, but unlike popular national trends, they are not focusing on pumpkin. Rather, they find inspiration in darker beers and the most regarded holiday of every brewer—Oktoberfest.

Mark Doble of Aviator Brewing Company in Fuquay-Varina now sells his interpretation of the quintessential German Oktoberfest beer style, Märzen. However, instead of using the lager yeast traditionally used by German breweries, Doble said he uses ale yeast, a different strand of the fungi that requires a different technique for fermenting.

“I consider the Oktoberfest at Aviator to be more in the style of a German Altbier, or old beer,” Doble said. “Despite the technicalities, it’s got a nice copper color to it and a really nice taste. We really wanted to bring in something to showcase the malt without going temperature.”

Typical malts that many breweries will use include Munich and Vienna malt.

According to the German Purity Law of 1516—the Reinheitsgebot, beer can only consist of four things: malt, hops, water and yeast. The law, which still exists today, does not allow brewers to deviate and experiment with adjunts. However, brewers in North Carolina are taking full advantage to the opportunities to blend, infuse and create new flavors.

Roth Brewing Company, a Raleigh brewery started by alumni brothers Ryan and Eric Roth, embraces the advent of fall with bold and heavy flavors.

James Weber, the brewer, said fall is his favorite season for beer.

“It’s just right. The flavors and feeling of fall beers are a nice refreshment from all the summer beers that are not as bold in flavor,” Weber said.

Roth’s fall beer is the Forgotten Hallow, a porter with cinnamon.

“We added cinnamon to the boil when brewing, just so it would release all its oil and flavor in the beer,” Weber said. “You definitely can tell the taste is there, but the aroma is present too, and you can get a great sense of it when you smell the head of the