Samuel Adams Octoberfest

This weekend, the Walhalla Oktoberfest is kicking into high gear in, of all places, Walhalla. This weekend-long event from Friday through Sunday features some of the best food in all of German culture, as well as great entertainment, howlingly good raffles, fantastic vendors and plenty of opportunities to truly enjoy the Oktoberfest season in our own backyard.

You can get to the Walhalla Oktoberfest and enjoy it from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, from 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

However, if you can’t find your way into the Oktoberfest celebration but still want to have a good time with a snippet of Oktoberfest feel, there are a few beers out there right now that might fill the void.

SAMUEL ADAMS OCTOBERFEST

It’s been said that this is one of the best mass-produced Octoberfest beers you can get stateside and, after trying it, I tend to believe them.

Samuel Adams’ Octoberfest is relished among beer drinkers and with good reason. This amber beer with a firm, frothy head and sweet aroma reminds us of what a fall beer should taste like. It should be robust, yet smooth, and have a hint of earthy fall flavors that make us want to drink a couple while grilling outside.

The Sam Adams variation has all that and more. It’s a smooth beer with a sweet aftertaste that doesn’t linger too long. It should be served very cold, though, as it becomes a bit heavier the longer it sits out. The color is a bit lighter than some Octoberfest brews I’ve had, but it does not take away from the overall experience. Plus, you can find it at any grocery store in the area.

HARPOON OCTOBERFEST

Harpoon is known for its pale ales and other quality brews, but each year they put together an Octoberfest that is excellent.

This one is quite dark in color, but the head does not remain the way you might like. The aroma is perfect, however, and is not so sickeningly sweet as so many craft brews of its ilk.

The great thing for a hops lover like myself is that Harpoon doesn’t avoid the bitter in its Octoberfest. Since it is well-known for its pale ale varieties, it’s almost like they embrace that and put a little extra kick into the Oktoberfest brew.

This one is a perfect draft beer, while the Sam Adams is more a bottle beer in my humble opinion. You can get the Harpoon at a variety of stores, but to get it on draft you need to head out to the bar and ask for it.