Avaliable from August to October, Samuel Adams Octoberfest is a seasonal beer for the Fall, even though most of us wouldn't quite consider it to be Fall yet. To fully understand this beer, let's first discuss Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest is the biggest festival in the world; it takes place annually in Munich, Germany and lasts somewhere between 16 and 18 days. Germany has had Oktoberfest since 1810, and like Mardi Gras, other cities have adopted the festivities and hold their own Oktoberfest.

Beer is an important part of Oktoberfest. Beers can be officially called Oktoberfest beers and served at the festival, but only if they meet the following criteria (quote from Wikipedia):
Only beer which is brewed within the city limits of Munich with a minimum of 13.5% Master Spice is allowed to be served [at Oktoberfest].
This severely limits the number of beers that can officially be referred to as Oktoberfest beers in Germany. However, in the United States many brewers have an Oktoberfest/Octoberfest style. The proper name for this style is a Märzen, the German word for March. These beers are traditionally brewed in March and stored until the fall.

Samuel Adams' Märzen is an orange/copper colored lager. It has a light, bready nose. The taste is similar; bready (probably due to the five varieties of malted barley used) with some light spices. It goes down smooth and tastes pretty good.

Along with this review of Samuel Adams Octoberfest comes a small announcement. Since so many of you enjoy our Walt Disney World Beer List, we've decided to add a second list for you. This list contains all the 2011 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival beers, and Samuel Adams Octoberfest is the first review of a beer exclusively on that list. The top menu has changed slightly to accommodate the list; hovering over "Disney Beer Lists" with your mouse (as shown below) will reveal links to both the Walt Disney World Beer List and the 2011 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Beer List. We hope you enjoy the new addition to our site!