Working Draft Beer Company’s newest beer is meant to reflect the resiliency of Williamson Street following this summer’s shooting of Corey Ruiz and the ensuing occupation of the corner of Williamson and Baldwin. The unsettled weeks that followed were damaging to many area business owners.

The east-side brewery is selling “I ❤️ Willy Street,” an amber IPA meant to be a tribute to the community spirit of those who live, work and shop there; Working Draft is donating $1 per four-pack to a fund for the Williamson-Marquette Business Association and the Social Justice Center. In a press release Working Draft co-owner Ben Feifarek wrote that “We wanted to make a beer that helps remind people that the Willy Street neighborhood is still the fun, funky, and lively place filled with lovable people that we've always been.”

Brewmaster Clint Lohman knows how to hop beers. This one is a bit of throwback to old school piney, resiny bitterness coming from Chinook hops, complemented by a bready, malty backbone. The result is a full-bodied IPA that offers rich hop-to-malt complexity. I put this at the top of my list for hoppy autumn favorites.

It is also the season for fresh hop beers. Full Mile Beer Company and Kitchen offers one called First Picked. Brewmaster Bill Morgan selects the hops at Four Winds Farm of Fitchburg as they come off the field. For his 2026 brew Morgan chose freshly picked Centennial hops for a hazy IPA. While the beer has a predictably bright, cloudy, yellow-golden body, the Centennials’pine and earth flavors are a departure from the typically sweeter, fruity tropical qualities in hazies. And, because the hops are fresh, they contribute light grassy woodiness. All that separates Full Mile’s hazy from the pack. It finishes at 6.5% ABV — sharp, distinctive, and with lots of hop character ($7.50/glass and $11 crowler).

Delta Beer Lab has a new beer destined to be a bright star on the crowded shelves of IPAs. Supernova is a West Coast take on the style. Made with a mix of Simcoe, Centennial, Amarillo and Mosaic hops, it too leans toward piney bitterness layered on a rich malty backbone. It’s strong at 7.5% ABV, but complex, full of hop flavor with 80 IBUs ($8.50/glass and $18/four-pack). Supernova was designed by Delta owner Tim “Pio” Piotrowski who is back in the brewhouse daily following staffing changes at the brewery.

Hop Haus Brewing has been working on a New Zealand pilsner for nearly a year. Fascinating Guy is crisp and sharp, with a blend of hops called NewZilla, a proprietary mix of New Zealand varieties known for juicy tropical character. NewZilla is often associated with hazy IPAs and pale ales, rather than clean lagers. But it turns out that NewZilla is a great choice for a pilsner. Hop Haus’s Phil Hoechst has been tweaking the recipe and thought the hints of apricot, peach and lemon would work well in the light, crisp style. He was right. I love this beer. The light breadiness in the pilsner’s base malts, the low 5.1% ABV, and its effervescence are a great background to showcase all those hop flavors ($7.25/glass and $13/four-pack).

Despite the sound of its name, the Kentucky common is a beer style that is not that common. The beer emerged in Civil War times around Louisville, Kentucky, and fell out of favor as American lagers took hold in the late 1800s. You might think of the style as a dark cream ale with a high percent of corn in the grist for a touch of grainy sweetness. If you enjoy a taste of history, you’ll want to check out Downshift Common from Bodihow Brewing in Oregon. Brewmaster Mac Schroeder teamed up with Dan Thorp who is planning to open Shattered Glass Brewery in Beaver Dam early next year. Thorp came to Schroeder looking for advice because he purchased a similar 3.5-barrel brewing system and wanted to see how things work prior to installation. The Kentucky common is a beer that Thorp liked to make as a home brewer, and his beers even received a few awards in competitions. At Bodihow, Downshift has developed a strong following. The beer is light- to medium-bodied, with subtle grainy sweetness from the corn. It is an easy drinking dark beer at 5% ABV.

Cream ales are intended to be clean and light, which can make them seem a little bland for some craft beer enthusiasts. To overcome that perception, Schroeder and Thorp added rye to the brew kettle to give the beer a bready, spicy finish. I enjoy it because it is an unexpected find, and the rye does spice things up. On tap at Bodihow only ($6.50/glass and $11/crowler).

Mark your calendar for the 4th Annual Giant Jones Belgian Beer Fest on Oct. 16-17. The east side brewery will be offering a lineup of more than a dozen Belgian beers, both its own and from other Madison area brewers. This is a great way to take a tour of Belgium without the cost of airfare.

Young Blood Beer Company is closing its Northstreet location in part to concentrate on its new De Forest location. The Northstreet location will be open through Oct. 31. It will be replaced by The Flying Fox, a cocktail spot.