Samuel Adams Oktoberfest is a seasonal beer that celebrates the tradition of the German festival with a rich and smooth malty flavor. The beer pours a deep amber color with a thin tan head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is malty and sweet, with hints of caramel, bread, and honey. The taste follows the nose, with a medium-bodied mouthfeel and a moderate carbonation. The beer has a balanced sweetness and bitterness, with notes of toasted malt, caramel, biscuit, and grassy hops. The finish is crisp and clean, with a slight lingering sweetness.
One of the distinctive features of this beer is that it has a hard candy sweetness when you taste it, which is not representative of true Bavarian Oktoberfest Märzens but somehow feels and smells and tastes like cooler weather and pumpkin spice lattes to come soon. This sweetness comes from the use of five different malts, including Samuel Adams’ own two-row pale malt blend and Caramel 60. The beer also has a subtle hop character from the use of Tettnang Tettnanger and Hallertau Mittelfrueh noble hops. These ingredients give the beer a complex and satisfying flavor that is perfect for the fall weather and leaves falling.
Samuel Adams Oktoberfest has an ABV of 5.3% and an IBU of 16, which means it is not too strong or too bitter. It is a satisfying and easy-drinking beer that pairs well with roasted meats, sauerkraut, pretzels, and strudel. It is available starting in early August to October in draft, bottles, cans, and variety packs, so you can enjoy it at home or at your local hole in the wall. I always look for it at the grocery store in early August because once the German beers start, sadly this beer can’t keep up. However, the following is why Sam Adams is still special to me and everyone at Seelos Brauhaus.
One of the reasons why I love this beer is because it reminds me of my older cousin Arnold “AJ” Louque, who was born on November 3, 1966 and entered into eternal rest on Saturday, August 13, 2016 at the age of 49. He was a lifelong resident of La Place Louisiana and worked as an assistant manager of Winn Dixie and Matherne’s Supermarket. He used to send me texts on his flip phone every year of the new stock of pallets of this beer coming in before it hit the shelves. He was always excited to share his passion for this Oktoberfest with me and others. Sadly, Arnold is not with us anymore as he was a beloved cousin and leader to his family. In fact he was one of the first persons to introduce me to Oktoberfest through an Oktoberfest tasting at his Matherne’s grocery store a few years before he passed. You could say Seelos Brauhaus stems in a way from Arnold “AJ” because he introduced one of the first seeds of German culture and Oktoberfest to me. This beer at first, I didn’t even like it, but it’s an American classic tribute to Oktoberfest and has started a tidal wave of German culture obsession.
You might be wondering what is the difference between American and German Märzen beers. According to some sources, German Märzen beers vary in color from pale (Helles Märzen) to amber to dark brown (Dunkles Märzen). The Austrian style is generally lighter in color, body, and flavor. Other common names for Märzen include Märzenbier, Wiener Märzen, Festbier, and Oktoberfest bier. American Märzen beers are often reddish-hued, slightly sweet beers that are more commonly marketed as Oktoberfest brews. They tend to have a lower alcohol content than German counterparts, which generally have an alcohol level of 4.5%-7.0%. The typical alcohol content of beers in the US is between 4.0%-5.5%. Both styles have their own fans and critics, but ultimately it comes down to personal preference and taste or if you are just a snooty traditionalist. But let’s be real… American Oktoberfest beers are not made in Bavaria and almost always miss the mark. This means that they almost never adjust their water to fit Munich’s profile or use the proper German yeast, so their beers may be good to some palates, but not to the traditionalists. However, this Sam Adams beer does deliver again probably the best version of American Märzen time and time again even though their water profile is not München, it’s Boston.
Samuel Adams Oktoberfest is one of my and many other’s favorite beers for the fall season, as it captures the spirit of the festival and the harvest in the best American way. If you are looking for an American Märzen this Oktoberfest season that is flavorful, smooth, and refreshing, I recommend you give a Samuel Adams Oktoberfest bottle a nice pop open! Cheers! 🍻 Prost! 🍺
- Dan Weimer
