Sam Adams Octoberfest, and Octoberfest beers in general are always highly anticipated by me and my mouth in particular. What other month can you drink a beer especially designed for that month? How much of a no brainer is it order an Octoberfest type beer in October?
This one however, is a slight disappointment. I can only muster up a rating of "drinkable" for it. For those of you new to this blog, other ratings available are "very drinkable", and the rarely used "undrinkable" (see Presidente revisited!) I will definitely be trying the Stoudt's Octoberfest, as reviewed by BeerMeHaenn, an always trusted source for all things beer.
Ok, back to Sam Adams Octoberfest....
Per the website, "it 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."
I agree that it is not overly sweet, however the blend of flavors seemed to be too much. There was nothing distinctive about the flavor of it...it was almost as if they tried to hard and accomplished too little. I drank 2, and the second didn't change my opinion. Drinkable, but not enough to keep my wandering eyes (at the different beers on tap), at bay.
Happy drinking, and thanks for reading. Now, to get a pumpkin with the kids.
MatttheMitzvahDav-
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I have to agree wholeheartedly on this beer. It was pretty disappointing. Some of the other Octoberfests I've had recently were great, this one not so. Sam Adams was one of the frontrunners in the Microbrew world. I'll give them props for that. They created a niche, the masses fell in love, and other brewers seemed to follow suit. But somewhere along the way, they seemed to cross that line from specialty, craft beers to mass produced Macrobrewing. They certainly aren't the worst beers out there. But when you are producing for the masses, brewers seem to cater to the middle. It's like all things in life, I guess. Take, for instance, a meal from McDonald's versus a meal at a fine restaurant made specially for you. There is a big difference in quality, and in uniqueness. At Sam Adams, they obviously have the brewing talent and know-how. I just wish they would produce beers that came from their roots. Competing with Budweiser is a very different game than competing with Ommegang. There must be some way that they can make a lot of money without giving up quality. I wonder if the brewers at Sam are the same ones when the company started.
There are so many other companies worthy of a try. And until Sam starts delivering again, I'll likely be spending my money on different brewers. Sam seems to have sold out, trading the almighty dollar for what got them recognized in the first place. I can't fault them for making money. They are a business, after all. Here's where it works for both of us: Sam Adams doesn't need my money and my money will be spent elsewhere. I have no problem giving Sam a try in the future, so long as they are willing to take the necessary time to put their hearts into crafting something unique.
I hear that. Wonder if they are listening? Schmaltz is! Nice follow up.
ReplyDeleteI'm a but sadden by the comments about Sam Oct fest. I've not had the Oct fest yet and after reading the comments maybe i wont wast my time. AS beer me said, there are allot of other beers out there trying to make a name for them selves. I always liked SAM and still do but i guess when you think about it, they're like the "bud" of micro brews
ReplyDeletecold one