We Tried Sam Adams’ Brand New Beers (And We Have Mixed Feelings)

Of the iconic autumn beverages, there are few more defined in the seasonal Zeitgeist than a classic Samuel Adams beer. And of course, with that comes the famous Octoberfest brew. The best part about it is that it’s basically just a regular beer with a bit of a twinge of rich autumn flavor.

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For this year’s seasonal festivities, Samuel Adams is releasing two new beers to add to their fall collection. Their new Apple Spice Ale is flavored with apple, cinnamon, and gingersnap to really maximize all those classic fall flavors. And a long awaited addition to the Samuel Adams portfolio is hitting shelves and pints this year with launch of the non-alcoholic version of the iconic Octoberfest. With big additions like these, we knew we’d have to see what’s up. And when Samuel Adams sent over a sample, there was nothing stopping us from giving you all the inside scoop on these new releases. 

Here Are Our Thoughts

Non- Alcoholic Octoberfest ― The classic Octoberfest brew leaves some pretty big shoes to fill for its non-alcoholic counterpart. Of course, making a non-alcoholic replica of such a popular beer is going to be a difficult task, given how fiddly it is to make a non-alcoholic beer that even tastes good to begin with. And you can definitely tell that the company tried its best. But with a flavor as distinctly bold and properly beer-forward as the Octoberfest brew, it fell short.

Right off the bat, it’s distinctly savory compared to the regular version. And not in the typical beer way that tastes wheat-y, but in a mushrooms and soy sauce kind of way. I think that this beer really emphasizes how certain brews lean themselves to the flavor profile of an NA beer and how darker brews with hearty malt flavors as their primary note may fall flat in a non-alcoholic setting. And thus, they require extra help to replicate the beers they’re based on.

It’s not even that the beer is necessarily bad, but the flavor is too strong on the savory notes to really enjoy it down to the very last drop. For the Octoberfest beer, you’re probably better off getting a non-alcoholic cider than this brew to mitigate disappointment and maximize your festive joy.

Apple Spice Ale ― This beer was a nice shift into a much more drinkable realm. It’s a bit artificial regarding the addition of the apple and spice flavors, but the basis of the beer itself is really quite nice. The apple spice flavor is inescapable and distinct. It’s not like a wine or beer that has “notes” of this, that, or the other flavors that you can never quite seem to pick up on.

The autumn flavors are there―loud and proud. This is definitely a beer I could see myself picking up again when I’m deep in the autumn spirit, but if artificial apple flavors put you off at all, then I’d say it’d be better for you to stick to one of Samuel Adams’ more traditional fall brews.