The Year in Beer

Name: Schlafly Oktoberfest

Brewer: The Saint Louis Brewery, St. Louis, Mo.

By the numbers: About 165 calories per 12 oz.; 5.5 percent alcohol by volume

Notes: September and October are great months for beer, especially for lovers of malty lagers and especially for the traditional German Oktoberfest style or Märzen. However, with so many brewers brewing so much of this style, it’s easy to make comparisons and Schlafly’s Oktoberfest pales in comparison to some of the better ones. Especially Spaten and Samuel Adams. It poured a nice amber color, as expected, but the aroma had more of a grass smell than the caramel I like. The taste was sweet, but the thinnish body wasn’t what I expected and the hop profile was a bit off. It’s a decent beer, but with so many to choose from, Schlafly can do better.

Try it with: A better fall beer from Schlafly. Last year I raved about Schlafly’s Pumpkin Ale, which I rated as one of the best beers I tried all year. The pumpkin ale is a special release from Schlafly and you’re more likely to find it on draft somewhere that sells good craft beer than in bottles. In fact, you can get it right now on tap at Flingers Pizza & Pub in downtown Bloomington. So get to it.

    — Posted by Mike Freimann