About the beer: Ah yes, the crisp air of the fall season can only mean two things for beer lovers: 1. Pumpkin flavored everything & 2. Oktoberfest style beers! Being a native New Englander means being lucky enough to experience all four seasons, but it also comes with the unapologetic love for all of the Sam Adams seasonal varietals. And what’s not to love about a new beer for every season?

The Sam Adams Octoberfest is probably the most well known American in the Oktoberfest style, but many breweries in the US have their take on the seasonal favorite, which has it’s roots in the strong tradition of German marzen style beer brewed for the celebration of Oktoberfest each Septermber. As we’ve discussed before, a marzen style is traditional malty lager where hops are generally mild and take a backseat to the sweetness of the malts, making it the perfect brew for the fall.

In A Nutshell: The Sam Adams Oktoberfest is a staple of the fall season in New England that we’re reintroduced to every autumn.

Beeriety Review: Rediscovering this bear each year is a real treat, it’s almost like running into an old friend you didn’t realize you missed. As with most seasonal varieties there is an anticipation that comes with the release of each beer. I by no means have the launch date circled on my calendar each year, but it’s a welcome addition to the fridge supply by the end of the hot and hazy summer months.

My first Sam Adams Octoberfest of this season was sampled this past weekend while participating in some Sunday football festivities and while the beer did not have my full attention it really didn’t require it. The Sam Adams Octoberfest has long been the beer of choice my friends while tailgating and celebrating at family get togethers during the Fall months and certainly stands up against its marzen/Oktoberfest competition from the US and across the Atlantic.

Beeriety Rating: 4 out of 5: Must Buy

What are you drinking? Try a Sam Adams Octoberfest this week and tell us what else you’re drinking. Tag your Twitter updates, Tumblr posts and Flickr photos of your Beer of the Week with the #mybeer hashtag to tell us what you’re drinking!

With the help of Challonge.com the 16 beers were randomly organized into a bracket of 8 pairs. We then evaluated each pair by sampling the beers side by side in unmarked cups poured by our MC for the evening, Sarah. A vote was taken, and the winner of each round moved on the next round, where it would be paired against the other winners from the previous round. This process was repeated until we were left with just one beer and the winner of the evening, St. Bernardus Christmas Ale.

Our results should of course be taken with a grain of salt. You should keep in mind that a small sample of beer is going to come across very different than a full pint. Also the temperature of the beers inevitably changed through the course of the night, which can have a strong influence on a brew’s taste. This is by no means the final word on what the best holiday beer is, just a list of what we liked the most. It was a lot of fun and we highly recommend hosting a similar event yourself. Be sure to check out the photos of the event on Flickr.

Check the bracket for full results (winners are in orange.) Surprised by any of the outcomes? Let us know in the comments!

Marzen – German for the month of March, this style is closely related to the Oktoberfest style, as traditionally March was when beers were brewed for Oktoberfest. Today some brewers will make separate batches to be enjoyed in the springtime. These beers are usually very mild with a dark copper color. They have a slightly sweet, delicate taste and very little hops. Overall it’s a light and crisp style that’s as great in the fall as it is now. Try Spaten’s version to get the classic example of the style. Ayinger also makes a very traditional version. Victory has a nice bold American craft take on it as does Abita.

Maibock - This style is perhaps the lightest of the bock family of heavy German lagers. It’s got a light body with slightly sweet flavors and a moderate hop profile. Dead Guy Ale is probably the most well known version of this style, although it tends to be a bit sweeter and stronger than most. Smuttynose does an interesting version that’s worth a try. Flying Dog’s Heller Hound Bock is also pretty refreshing.

Witt – As we discussed on Thursday, there’s been a lot of attention in this style recently thanks to the popularity of Blue Moon (which many don’t realize is made by Coors.) These beers offer a wonderfully fruity and crisp wheat flavor that’s a great introduction to folks new to the world of craft beer. There are some great craft wits out there, including the Ommegang Witte, Allagash White and Blanche De Chambly from Unibroue.

Saison – Also known as farmhouse ale, this style was once originally brewed to be consumed during the hot summer months while doing farm work. Whether you’re a farmer or not, it’s still a great style to enjoy any time of the year. These beers are light and extremely crisp with a spice that comes from herbs and spices  used in the beer. The sharp but sweet flavors are one of my favorite spring beers. Dupont is the classic version of this Belgian style. Their Foret version is also pretty tasty. Hennepin from Ommegang is a fantastic American craft version, as is Smuttynose’s Farmhouse Ale.

Cream Ale – Traditionally a poorly regarded style, there have been a number of brewers in recent years who have redeemed this one’s standing. They are extremely creamy while still being relatively light and pleasant. Sam Adams does a great version, as does Anderson Valley with their Summer Solstice. If you can get your hands on Lagunitas Sirius ale, you’ll be sure to enjoy it.

This is just a few of the great brews that go well with this time of year. What’s your favorite beer this time of year? Next time you try it, let us know by tweeting your beer and adding the #mybeer hashtag

Baltic porter - This powerful porter was originally produced in England and shipped to the people of Finland, Poland and other countries near the Baltic Sea to help them survive the bitter winter. The alcohol in these beers is extremely intense, usually weighing in around 7 to 10% Alc. by volume. The taste is equally mighty and quite dry, usually with notes of dark chocolate and rye. It’s one of the most intense variations of porter available. Sinebrychoff is perhaps the most popular and tradition version. Smuttynose produces a wonderful version as well.

Quadrupel - Quads have developed a reputation among beer geeks as some of the most complex and interesting beers. Whether or not you agree with this sentiment, you have to appreciate quad’s ability to combine a strong alcohol percentage (frequently over 10%) with a smoothness and rounded maltiness that Baltic and other strong ales can’t pull off. Chimay Blue is the must try in this category, followed closely by St. Bernardus 12. If you can ever get your hands on a Trappist Westvleteren 12, which is only legally available from the Belgian monastery where it is produced, consider yourself lucky. It’s one of the most sought after brews in the world. There is even a black market of sorts for this beer in America, where people will pay $25 or more for a single 12oz bottle.

Milk Stout – Lactose, the type of sugar found in milk, is not able to be fermented by brewing yeast. As a result, the lactose remains in the finished beer, giving it a pleasantly sweet and slightly creamy flavor. Additionally, lactose can help smooth out harshness or excess bitterness that can occur in some heavier beers. Overall it makes a delicious and wonderfully accessible stout that will warm you all winter long.  Left Hand Brewing produces perhaps the most popular version of this in the US.

Russian Imperial Stout – Like Baltic porter, this dark beer was originally produced in England and shipped abroad to citizens of snowier lands. While the beer is similar to Baltic porters in strength and viscosity, Russian imperial stouts tend to be much sweeter and less dry than their Baltic brethren with plenty of dark brown foam for the head. Old Rasputin from North Coast is the most popular style among American craft brewers. Stone’s version and Victory’s Storm King are also worth trying.

Old Ale - This isn’t a name for beer that’s been sitting on the shelf too long. Old ale refers to a beer style specifically designed to be aged. While many different beers can be aged well, Old ales benefit greatly from maturation time. They are  lightly carbonated and very sweet with fruity notes of raisins or figs. In many ways, the flavor of old ales resemble brandy, which also benefits from aging.  The most well known version of old ale is Thomas Hardy’s ale, which has been produced intermittently since the 1960’s. Sometimes you can find 30 or 40 year old bottles of the stuff on Ebay.

What beers do you like to drink in the winter? Let us know next time you have one by tweeting your beer and adding the ‘#mybeer’ hashtag.

We’ve already taken a look at a few of the most well known beers of the fall season, such as pumpkin ales and the Oktoberfest style. They’re plenty of lesser known styles of beer that go great with the autumn also. Today we’re going to take a look at few of them.

Schwartzbier – German for “black beer,” this style of dark lager is surprisingly light given its name. Dark grains are used for color, but not enough to impart any of the roasted qualities of a porter or stout. Instead this style gets its bitterness from German hops. Overall it makes for light but full-bodied taste that’s a bit creamy. Sam Adams’ Black Lager is probably the most well known version in America, but Köstritzer Schwarzbier and Saranac Black Forest are also worth checking out.

Biere de Garde – This obscure style is one of the few types of beer native to France. The name loosely translates to “beer for keeping” which is indicative of the style’s high alcohol strength, which was designed to help the beer age well over the hot summer months when it’s too hot for brewing. Unlike other high alcohol brews, biere de garde is usually well balanced in flavor and moderate in body, with light buttery elements to it. All of this makes Biere De Garde a great beer for big starchy meals like Thanksgiving. Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre’s probably the most notable produces of this style with their 3 Monts beer, but be sure to try Avant Garde from the Lost Abbey, Biere de Mars from Brewewy Ommegang (not to be confused with New Belgium’s Biere de Mars) and Oro De Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin Brewing.

Dobblebock – These heavy lagers were first brewed by fasting German monks to give them sustenance while abstaining from food. They are nutty and sweet in flavor with a medium body. Sam Adams Winter Lager is a great example of the style by an American craft brewer. Ayinger Celebrator, Paulaner Salvator and Spaten Optimator are three more traditional German versions worth a try.

Dunkelweizen – A dark (‘dunkel’ meaning ‘dark’ in German) version of the well known Hefeweizen style of German wheat beer, this style combines the banana and clove qualities of a hefe with dark grains to make a refreshing yet full bodied beer that some compare to banana bread. For a good example of this style try Weihenstephaner’s dunkelweizen. Franziskaner and Erdinger also make excellent traditional versions of the style.

Weizenbock – An even darker version of Dunkelweizen, which combines the dark roasted qualities of a porter or stout and matches them with the effervescent and fruity qualities of a hefeweizen. Try Aventinus from Schneider to taste a classic version of the style. Moonglow from Victory is a great American take on the style.

What’s your favorite autumn beer?  Let us know next time you have it by tweeting your beer and adding the ‘#mybeer’ hashtag.