As autumn starts to set in, we transition from the light flavors of summer to spiced, warmer beers. Many brewers with seasonal releases have already made the switch. These Oktoberfest ales and pumpkin ales are some of my favorite seasonal drinks. They pair well with holiday meals and add a nice complexity not found in summer beers. Prepare your taste buds: Here are a few to keep your eyes on.

Sam Adams Octoberfest

Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams), Mass.

Cost: $7.99/6 pack, 12 oz. each

ABV: 5.4%

 Rating: 3.5/4 mugs

This is my favorite Sam Adams seasonal beer by far, maybe even my favorite Sam Adams in existence. It has a deep copper color and a sweet smell of caramel with the first pour. There’s even a hint of nuttiness. It has a lot of winter spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon, hiding in the back, with very little bitterness on the finish. I recommend this to anyone interested in a mild, slightly sweet and filling winter-style ale.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales, Milton, Del.

Cost: $9.99/4 pack, 12 oz. each

ABV: 7.0%

 Rating: 3/4 mugs

While the other two beers are Oktoberfest ales, this is pure Punkin Ale style. It has a higher alcohol content than you would expect, but the flavor hides it well. It won’t taste like a shot of liquor going down. Dogfish Head calls it ‘a full-bodied brown ale, brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg.’ It is definitely flavorful without being overly sweet. Though it costs considerably more than the other two, the quality shines through and makes it worth the extra buck. No other brewery in the U.S. uses quality ingredients to the same extent of Dogfish Head. I recommend this for anyone who wants a nice complementary drink for their Thanksgiving desserts and sides.

Saranac Oktoberfest

Brewery: Matt Brewing Company (Saranac), Utica, N.Y.

Cost: $7.49/6 pack, 12 oz. each

ABV: 5.4%

Rating: .5/4 mugs

This may be the worst beer Saranac offers. Unlike Sam Adams’ Oktoberfest and Punkin Ale, this Oktoberfest-style ale tastes like plain Saranac Ale with some added spices and honey. It has an artificial-tasting spice combination, similar to prepackaged pumpkin muffin mix. It is extremely sweet to the point that it is hard to drink. I would stay as far away from this pathetic attempt at a seasonal transition beer as possible.

–Compiled by Lucas Sacks, contributing writer, ldsacks@syr.edu

 

Published on September 8, 2010 at 12:00 pm