The Bottom Shelf

A Plethora Samuel Adams (Octoberfest, Hefeweizen, Brown Ale, Black Lager, Winter Lager)

Let me give you some backstory here: I tend to go for beers that are a little bit out of the norm. Some people like stouts, some like pilsners, but I like freakish. I once tried a beer that I can only describe as having “something substantially more than a hint of acetone”. And I kind of liked it. A while back I tried the Red Hook Copperhook Spring Ale and found it to be a very good and interesting beer. While a seasonal beer is a far cry from “acetone”, it’s still something that gets overlooked by many, so I’d consider it “out of the norm”.

About a month or so ago I was at the store, and while keeping an eye out to see if Red Hook had any seasonals out, I saw the Samuel Adams Octoberfest instead. In the past I have never enjoyed a single Sam Adams that I have had. I’ve been known to drink Bud Light when the only other option is a Sam Adams. But for some reason I grabbed the Octoberfest.

Unfortunately for you, it’s been a few weeks since I’ve had an Octoberfest, so I can’t give a full description of it. Also unfortunately for you, it seems to have finished its season, at least at Pavilions. But how should I describe this beer. Fantastic? That’s a little bit much. Drinkable? Oh, it’s much more than that. The Sam Adams Octoberfest is a very good beer. The brewery mentions it being a “malt lover’s dream” with caramel and toffee flavors… and something about German Noble hops. It is indeed a full-bodied malty/caramel-y beer and I didn’t really notice any bitterness at all. It goes down well with no unpleasant aftertaste. I honestly can’t think of anything to complain about except that this beer isn’t available year-round. To sum up: I wouldn’t hesitate to buy this beer either at a store or a bar when I see it.

Encouraged by the lovliness of the Octoberfest, I started looking for more of the Samuel Adams special brews. I found a 6-pack that consisted of 2 bottles each of the Samuel Adams Hefeweizen, the Samuel Adams Brown Ale, and the Samuel Adams Black Lager. I’m hoping to do a post on those three later. But here’s the short version. In order they are: very good, very very good, and freaking fantastic. The Youngs’ Double Chocolate Stout still wins over the Sam Adams Black Lager, but it seems that the SABL is a little easier to find.

Which brings us to the Samuel Adams Winter Lager. It’s a dark amber/medium brown brew with a very palely brownish, medium head. The brewery mentions “malted barley and a hint of citrus from the orange peel”, and “the warm aroma of cinnamon and ginger”. Now, I’ll admit that my allergies are going absolutely haywire right now, so I don’t smell a damn thing, which is probably throwing off the taste too, because I’m completely missing the “hint of citrus”. I do pick up on the malted barley, which is just right. The overall blend of the flavors that I *do* pick up on is good, but it falls short of the other four Sam Adams brews that I’ve mentioned. One note on mouth feel: all of these beers are smooth with great mouth feel, but the Winter Lager is almost velvety (a good thing, in case it isn’t clear).

So, here’s the scorecard, from best to least best (but certainly not worst):
1) Octoberfest, Black Lager - Great Beers. I will actively look for these beers in the future.
2) Hefeweizen - A Good Beer. I’d probably rotate between this, the Pyramid Hefe (which is easy to find), and the Shiner Hefe (which is harder to find).
3) Brown Ale - A Good Beer. I’m generally not a huge fan of brown ales. I go for Newcastle occasionally, but not often. However, given the choice between the Sam Adams Brown Ale and a Newcastle, the decision would be 50/50.
4) Winter Lager - A Good/Okay Beer. It’s certainly not outstanding in my mind, but it’s still worth checking out occasionally if you run into it.