Caveman Beer Reviews: Samuel Adams Octoberfest

Note: This is a series I call Caveman Beer Reviews, because I like to drink beer but am a caveman when it comes to beer knowledge. I know only the basics, and do not have a refined palate. I’ll review the beers on price and what they look, smell, and taste like to me.

Beer: Samuel Adams Octoberfest (seasonal)

Bottom Line: A medium-bodied brew with a sharp malty taste that fades quickly. Pretty good but not extraordinary.

Price: About $14.49 for a 12-pack of 12 ounce bottles.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Details

Ah, Oktoberfest. The word always makes me think of merry Bavarians singing songs and drinking beer from huge mugs under a big tent in Munich, while eating schnitzel and wearing lederhosen. So when my wife got me some of this beer at Trader Joe’s, I smiled and popped the cap off that bottle.

Origin: Boston, MA, Cincinnati, OH, and Breinigsville, PA

Alcohol: 5.3%

Looks: A happy-looking dark beer bottle with a drawing of an Oktoberfest mug on it. The beer itself is orange-brown.

Smell: Light malt smell.

Taste: The Octoberfest is quite good, but not amazing. It’s got a sharp but light malt taste that hits you quickly but does not linger very much. I also detected slight hints of sweetness at the end.

It’s easy to drink and refreshing, and somewhat light overall, though still medium-bodied and not watery.

Hangover Factor: Nothing unusual. I’m a male in reasonably good health born in 1983.

Final Thoughts

The Octoberfest definitely has a coolness factor to it, but the taste is pretty simple. It’s a fine beer, but really nothing to write home about. It’s also expensive, at well over a dollar per bottle (which is kind of my benchmark for pricey beer). I’ll definitely drink it if I’m not paying for it, but will otherwise probably pass, just because it’s too costly for what you’re getting.

All GIFs from Giphy