From Bryce Eddings,
Your Guide to Beer.
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What the Brewery Says...
"Samuel Adams® Octoberfest is a malt lover's dream, masterfully blending together five roasts of barley to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The beer is kept from being overly sweet by the elegant bitterness imparted by the German Noble hops."

Do About Beer's panelists agree?
(Want to contribute? Check out beer tasting panel information and FAQs.)

James Estes - 3 out of 5

On-Tap tasting (experienced at The Yardhouse Kansas City):
Rating=(2.5 yard glasses)
Aroma: Floral w/malty overtones
Color: Copper/light copper

Sam Adam’s Oktoberfest was very floral both in taste and aroma. So much so it had me questioning their intent for the style, but still an interesting combination for the beer. As is typical for this style, the carbonation level was very low and there was little to no head retention (although when first poured there was a small white head). While initially served below its ideal temperature, this beer did not change or improve while warming.

While it was clear there was a hop presence, from it’s floral aroma and taste, this beer was clearly maintaining very low IBU’s (not bitter at all). This is not a negative for this style. The hollow malt taste, however, was a significant negative. It felt like it wanted to give me more malt flavor, but just didn’t have the horsepower to get there. This left the beer disappointing. Additionally, I wouldn’t suggest having this beer to keep warm on a cool fall day, as the alcohol content is low and barely noticeable.

Overall, this was an average Oktoberfest (but well below average for Sam Adams). It could be a good transitional beer for someone wanting to try a new style but afraid of the Oktoberfest style. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste too much like an actual Oktoberfest, but it will give you an idea of what one could be like. Ultimately, your still drinkin’ a beer, so feel comfortable ordering one when you’d like something different but not terribly out of the ordinary for a craft beer.

Mike - 3 out of 5

I have to say I drank (and reviewed) Spaten Oktoberfest last night. Had I done the Sam Adams first, my opinion might be a little different. The Sam Adams is dark in color, almost as dark as the bottle but able to see through. It has a LOT of head after pouring but it all disappears shortly. The nose and flavor is very similar to the Spaten but not as strong. It's pleasing, and a good example of a Marzen or Octoberfest beer, but to me, the Spaten is obviously the original. Without any scientific data, it's my opinion that the Spaten also had a higher alcohol content.

Dawn Allcot - 4 out of 5

Labor Day weekend, back-to-school, big heavy sweaters, the end of summer. Perhaps the only solace is the promise of colorful fall foliage and, oh yes!—Oktoberfest beers.

Rich, creamy, and smooth, perfect with heavier fall dishes or the last taste of steaks and burgers on the grill, most Oktoberfests have a deep flavor, rich amber hue, and pleasant, malty finish. Samuel Adams has always been one of my favorite beers—rich and strong and readily available at a reasonable price, you can’t go wrong with Sam. The 2007 Samuel Adams Octoberfest did not disappoint.

Poured slowly into a pint glass, it develops a nice, foamy two-finger head. The scent is reminiscent of Sam Adams Lager, with additional undertones of sweetness—pumpkins and other fall vegetables. Those first sniffs brought back memories of New England vacations, friends, and a chill autumn breeze. Maybe it won’t be so hard to say goodbye to summer, after all.

I tasted the beer at slightly colder than room temperature to best enjoy all the strong flavors. The beer has a deep orange color, and the first sip brought a pumpkin-y taste to my tongue. Further exploration revealed other spices I couldn’t place, and the unusual, almost-sweet flavor of butternut squash and maple syrup.

I could also taste the slight bitterness that is characteristic of the hop in Sam Adams Boston Lager. However, the Octoberfest blend, made with five different malts, is distinctly different from the popular Lager and also from Sam Adams’ tasty Pumpkin Ale, with much more complex flavors that this novice beer-taster is hard-pressed to identify.

Overall, very pleasing and very…autumnal. The beer is smooth on the tongue, an enjoyable drink best to be appreciated slowly with a meal or during philosophical conversations with close friends in a dark pub or around a roaring bonfire. All these memories and more flowed to the forefront of my mind as I sipped the beer.

Be careful—with a moderate alcohol content of 5.4% ABV, this beer can pack a punch. After the initial tasting, I polished off the rest of the 12-ounce bottle with a cheeseburger. By the time I finished my second glass, I was definitely feeling it. With that, I’ll sign off with a pleasant buzz to revel in memories of autumns passed.

Dawn's Website