John’s Beer Blog: 9/29/26: Samuel Adams’ Non-Alcoholic Octoberfest
You didn’t really think I forgot about you, did you?
Yeah, I took some extended time from away from these parts–life’s been busy. Michelle and I bought a house, one of our kids started school, work’s been hectic, yada yad yada. You know how it gets.
But! It’s fall now, and Oktoberfest season is in full swing. This year’s blog offerings will be few (okay, couple. I’ll have two), yet I’ll give them the whole John Likes Beer treatment. First up is something that I’m glad is around and I found: Sam Adams’ Non-Alcoholic Octoberfest.
You know Sam Adams. I know Sam Adams. Everyone knows Sam Adams. It’s the first name to come to folks when they think of “craft beer” or “micro brew.” It was started by Jim Koch in the ’80s when he brewed a recipe he found in attic. That was Boston Lager. Now, Sam has expanded, owning other hard beverage brands/makers like Angry Orchard and Dogfish Head.
I’m willing to bet that you, I, and everyone also knows Sam Adams’ Octoberfest. That’s right, the one Your Cousin from Boston drinks. I covered on the blog way back in 2015 (over eleven [!] years ago), where I gave it a 9.0/10. Since then, I’ve had a greater variety of beers and my palate’s grown. It’s still a good beer, but I wouldn’t call it “great” anymore. It’s an easy 7.5/10. I still buy some each autumn.
This year, the brewery made a non-alcoholic version of the lager. NA Octoberfest is touted as “…everything you love about Octoberfest…without the alcohol.” Sam Adams classifies it as a Märzen, and promises notes of caramel and malt coupled with a full finish. If they’re right, I may have a new go-to seasonal.
The nose here is a little hoppier than a standard Okoberfest-style lager. Regardless, the bouquet (aside from the hops) is caramel, biscuits, toffee, freshly-baked bread, and a tad bit of honey. On the whole, it’s a fantastic nose. Henrietta, who only stuck around for six whiffs before hopping down from our new cat tree, seems to agree with me.
The flavor profile is crisp, sure, but not quite as fully as I’d expect from an Oktoberfest lager to be. Still. what Sam’s managed to make with an NA lager is incredibly commendable.
I’ve said other fall-seasoned beers are like this, but Sam’s NA Octoberfest’s like a hayride at the beginning of the season, when you’re at an orchard to pick apples. The whole thing’s crisp and refreshing; it all exudes autumnal vibes.
Really, Sam Adams’ NA Octoberfest is an 8.5/10. It’s a slam dunk for Boston Brewing because it tastes like an Oktoberfest lager with just a few extra hops. This’s a beer for anybody who wants to reach for something non-alcoholic but wants a full Oktoberfest experience. That’s the highest praise I can give my can, aside from saying this has a permanent spot in my fall lineup. It’s honestly that fun, despite its flaws.
