The anticipation of pumpkin beers makes the fall one of the most exciting seasons for craft beer enthusiasts. Pumpkin beers, amber harvest ales and Oktoberfest beers are flooding back onto shelves, defining the fall lineup of seasonal craft beers. There is an abundance of pumpkin ales, imperial stouts, sours, and barrel-aged brews, but which ones are the best? With so many fall beers available it’s hard to know which ones to choose. Nothing is worse than going to the store and spending hard-earned cash on a six-pack of beer, popping it open and hating it after the first sip. Here is a list of local fall beers festivals where you can sample a variety of seasonal beers and even discover some new favorites before you make your next purchase at your local beer distributor.

Punktober Fest
Date & Time:  Saturday, October 21st (12:45pm-5:30pm)
Location : Great South Bay Brewery
25 Drexel Dr.
Bay Shore, NY 11706
Price : $20.00 – $70.00 Tickets can be purchased on TicketFly.com

Punktöberfest at the Great South Bay Brewery has a great selection of fall beers, traditional Oktoberfest foods and of course punk rock music. If you’re a fan of craft beer you’ll be happy to know that the local and international brewing community will be present and pouring their best pumpkin and German Style beers to celebrate the fall season. If you love beers, brats and punk rock come spend a beautiful fall day at the Great South Bay Brewery enjoying great food, drinks, games and music by Send Flowers, Gutterlife, The Burbs and more.

Pumpkin Fest
Date & Time : October 14th (6pm)
Location: TJ Finley’s
42 E Main Street
Bay Shore, NY
Price: Pay as you go

TJ Finley’s offers over 20 different types pumpkin beers served in hollowed-out mini pumpkins rimmed with cinnamon sugar (for the first 200 attendees.) With so many seasonal beers to choose from, deciding which one to try first can be a sweet challenge. This festival is a great place to taste a large variety of pumpkin beers from different breweries.

Halloween Costume Party at L.I. Pour House
Date & Time: October 28th -October 29th (8pm-3am)
Location:  L.I. Pour House Bar & Grill/ 650 NY-112, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776
Cost:  $15 adv/$20 at the door  (part of proceeds benefit the Strong Island Animal Rescue League)

Enjoy craft beer, live music, BBQ, and vendors. Dress up in your spookiest Halloween costume and try to win the $500 prize! Get a zombie makeover at the Walking Dead booth or get a psychic reading.

8th Annual Bats & Brews Benefit
Date: Saturday, October 21st (7-11pm)
Location: Scully Mansion/Seatuck Environmental Association
550 S. Bay Avenue
Islip, NY
Price: $80 Purchase Tickets at www.seatuck.org

Bats & Brews is the annual fundraiser for the Seatuck Environmental Association. This event includes a presentation about bats, craft beer, live music and games. The historic Scully Mansion has the perfect ambience for a pre-Halloween party. Bats & Brews features breweries exclusively from Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens that use sustainable practices and locally-sourced ingredients.

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