Boston Beer Company: Samuel Adams: Oktoberfest (USA: Oktoberfest Marzen: 5.3% ABV)
Visual: Slightly bronzed amber, the glass filled to the brim leaving but a thin dash of head around the edges.
Nose: Dry malt and rye. Light glacier cherries underneath.
Body: Dry and crisp. Light cherries and fruitcake. Toffee sweetness and good malt. Some very light dry liquorice. Light pineapple hops.
Finish: Harvest wheat. Almonds. Dry liquorice. Slight shrimps and thousand island dressing (That last one could be environmental, see background)
Conclusion: How should I review this beer, as an Oktoberfest, or as a beer in itself? Lets go with as a beer in itself, but note that this varies quite heavily from the usual German take. It is much more fruity while still keeping the dry refreshing elements of the style.
Ignoring the most unusual element of the tasting, mainly because I believe it was introduced from the environment rather than the beer itself (Shrimp?), then we find a beer that is quite close to what I would expect of the darker lager style I normally associate with Samuel Adams. It does work well, a touch overly fizzy but not heavily so. The fruitcake flavours combined with Oktoberfest crispness cuts a nice balance between refreshing and flavour.
As I found with a lot of beers this trip, the beer was initially over chilled resulted in muted flavours, but the USA heat meant that it didn’t take long to reach only nicely chilled. When taken at that point it is quite a pleasant beer that mixes the better elements from the darker and lighter lager styles.
I like this one as a refreshing pint that doesn’t bore you.
Background: Drunk during the road trip of awesome. Samuel Adams is a beer that got me through many visits to America before craft beer became easily available so a chance to drink their Oktoberfest seemed one not to miss. This was drunk near the beech, which I think may account for a few extra flavours which may not entirely have originated in the beer.
Alcohol And Aphorisms 
I think Octoberfest is commonly considered one of the best (most popular) seasonal beers that Sam Adams makes. I can say this with some authority being that I live in the greater boston area. It’s superbly drinkable which it one of the canons of German fest beer. The richer malty flavors give a perception of sweetness while the beer maintains a dry finish making you want more. Cheers on the roadtrip, I’ve been enjoying the reviews of american beers coming from an outsider.
Glad you’re liking the reviews, there’s a good chunk left to come whenever I pull my finger out and write them up. As a seasoned veteran of this beer I take it you can confirm that those odd shrimp like elements I got were most definitely environmental? (the down side of tasting notes on a beach, the up side being of course, doing tasting notes on a beech!).
One small thing I found odd about beers in America were how often the tap handles were at the back of the bar. I’m used to having all the taps up front with huge tap clip images declaring what they are, by comparison the images on the USA handles seemed tiny and I usually relied on a beer menu. On they other hand the thin tap handles did lead to bars with an insane number of beers, so I would call it a good thing overall.
I’ve never tasted a “shrimp” flavor from this beer, so I’m guessing it was either a dirty glass or just the smell of the place you were at.
As far as the tap handles, I think it depends on the bar. Most of the local, independent bars, even ones with a dozen or two draft beers have the traditional towers at the front of the bar. However, I think there is a new trend to have the taps behind the bar. I think the designers are looking for a cleaner and more open look to the bar. Also, the taller tap handles can hit the wall and may not close all the way … I know I have this issue with my home setup. I also agree with you that when you go to these beer bars with more then about 25 drafts, the taps are almost always on the wall behind the bar.
Thanks, had a feeling it wasn’t the beer itself. Nice info on the tap handle’s as well, gives a bit more idea why things are how they are.
Cheers!