Okay, I am ready to take the hit…I think this year’s Sam Adams Octoberfest is pretty good (Midwest version).
Let the feeding frenzy begin… :
I got a free case of this leftover from a client dinner . . It is drinkable, but too much caramel IMHO.
I had last year’s. Decent but then again they all were. That I tried I mean…
Sigh. Will have to try the rotation again since there’s at least six to choose from already. Just appeared on the shelves overnight… 
I haven’t tried this years yet but based on past experience this is what I’m expecting.
I like their O-fest and try and pick up a six pack every year. Some years it is better than others, but it is always far from terrible. One of the seasonals they do best IMO, along with their Spring Pilsner seasonal.
I try to get as much of it as possible every year. This year is no exception. I showed up in 6 packs earlier in August but took a while for the 12 packs to show up.
As a matter of fact, I think I’m out and will have to make a stop on the way home tonight.
I consider it a “safe” buy for Octoberfest. Its not my favorite, but it did turn me on to the style. I usually buy a 12 pack of it per year.
I bought six of these last night and had one so far. Pretty nice traditional O-fest if you ask me.
My six pack had a $1 off coupon on it, but when I got to check out, I found it was $1 off cheese. No brands or styles mentioned, just cheese. Why does Boston Beer Co. want me to have cheese? What’s that got to do with Oktoberfest?
absolutely nothing. Its a marketing gimic that we in the marketing world use all the time to “entice” consumers who are not necessarily Sam Adams drinkers, to pick up a 12 pack because there is a now perceived added value. You can now save $1 on any cheese you want and Sam Adams will be paying for that $1 you save. The real hope is that redemption is low but they see an sales increase.
I always liked this cheese dish with my Munich beers. Maybe?
edit - and one of those really big white radishes on the side. Oh, man!
That cheese and some dark dense bread along with a couple beers sounds like a meal. And the cheese looks perfectly doable.
on the way home last night, I bought a six of these and a few Ayingers. The former was cold, so I tried one - pretty good - nice rich bready aroma. malt body seems a bit thinner and less complex than other representations, but this also makes it incredibly drinkable (had it with a nice peppered ham, genoa,aged provolone and pesto panini - went down quick). Hop bitterness is more than I remember however.
I like it, probably won’t buy it again this season simply because I want to try several other brewery’s examples this fall, not to mention the two kegs I have lagering right now.
I like it, its not the greatest example of the style but its very drinkable. A 1/6th barrel keg from the local liqour store was nicely priced, and many of my BMC drinker friends like it, so its a gateway beer for them, and doesn’t take up any more space then my cornies while homebrew stocks are low.
I’ve bought 2 six packs this year so far and may pick up a case at Costco. I think this is one beer SA does very, very well.
I’ve been slowing consuming the case I got . . still have 12 left. I discovered something last night when I decided to quick chill a bottle and placed it in the freezer. I left it in a little too long and the beer was almost slush. It still poured and I drank it literally ice cold. I preferred the flavor more at that temp than the 45 degrees I normally would drink it. I guess it subdued the caramel a little.
The wife does that for a club meeting sometimes. She says it is pretty easy to make, while I find it easy to eat.
I just pour the beer and drink it with no preconceived expectations. It is a tasty beer at a good price. I like it.
Cheese-wise, I ate some Swiss cheese cut into 1/2" cubes with a dab of wasabi on each cube. The flavors of the beer, cheese and wasabi went very nicely together.
I get that it may be a bit more “caramelly” than one’s from Germany, I don;t find it offensive at all. It’s still a well balanced take on the style. Best Oktoberfest out there? no, but probably the best mass produced US made Oktoberfest.
Perhaps I’ve given the impression that I really dislike this beer. That would be overstated and I apologize if that’s the way I’ve come across. I guess my idea of a superlative O-fest is a malt bomb without much residual caramel sweetness. This is a style I tend to scrutinize more than most. I’m probably being too nit picky, but I have been spoiled by better commercial examples . . and my own creations!
Now, as far as the Innis & Gunn Scottish Beer I mentioned in a earlier review . . I meant it when I said it was pancake syrup, and I make NO apologies! :D
Was out to dinner tonight and had a few pints with my meal.
As in past years, with its somewhat dry character and lacking in malty richness it bears little or no resemblance to a German maerzen bier (not to me, anyway…) , but it’s still a very solid beer in it’s own right.
it went down very nicely with my meal, and it’s still a relative bargain. Technically very well brewed (like most of the SA products) , and an interesting interpretation of the “style”…I think that it’s probably a notch or two above a lot of the other American attempts at this sort of ‘fest bier’.