Octoberfest, Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, MA

The Octoberfest from Samuel Adams is one of my favorite fall beers. It has an excellent brownish-orange color, a full, malty aroma, and a smooth, rich taste. It is easy-drinking and definitely reminds me that autumn is on the way.

However, when compared to other Octoberfest offerings, some of the lesser qualities of this beer are revealed. First, it is a bit too sweet, almost to the point of being sugar-syrupy. Second, the malts lean towards a toasted flavor, helping to give the beer its brown-bottle color. But the toasted malt flavor is somewhat overpowering, drowning out the hop flavors almost completely. Lastly, the ABV of 5.4% is fine, but I wonder if a higher ABV would help to cut into the sweetness. You almost want to drink something hoppy to chase away the sweet-malt taste.

Despite the noted deficiencies, this beer is a classic American Octoberfest beer. It holds up well in comparison to Octoberfest beers from Germany, which is the highest compliment.

Rating = 4.0