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Fall Beer Favorites 2015 Oktoberfest and Pumpkin beers

The craft beer thing started with a taste of Sam Adams Boston Lager, but the real kick came with a Sam Adams Octoberfest. This fall beer showed me there was so much more taste out there than the light lagers. 

It also showed me that if you bend with the seasons there are new tastes as the leaves and flowers bloom, die and the snow covers the ground to the thaw as it starts all over again.  So as we approach the winter season of beers...I am going to go back and show you my favorites from this fall season.

Also when I started this journey to try and expand my beer pallet Sam's Octoberfest was my GO To Beer. To some extent it still is (as in when the fall season hits and I see it on the shelf for the first time that year (always buy a case of this) But as I also learned a few years ago seasonal beers are wonderful because like a damn Disney Movie they go back into the vault at a certain point till the next year. And when you hoard so much that you are still drinking it a few months before it comes back, it is not as special. Yep! I did this with Sams Octoberfest a few years back.

Anyway This fall I tried to hit most of what I could as far as Octoberfests, Pumpkin and overall Fall type brews. Here were some of my favorites. All of these could be on my Beers to try before you die, but figured I would seperate them to save room for other beers. So I will not rate these but know if it is on here it is at least a 3 beer rating. If it is exceptional I will tell you it is a 6 pack

I started the season out with Boulevards Bob's 47 Oktoberfest from Kansas City.

Staying in the state Of Missouri I went to one of my favorites from just across town in Schlafly's Oktoberfest. As far as This style beer goes I would say this is 1B when it comes to my favorites a definite 6 beer rating, so if you are in St Louis and it is October try it.

Another tasty beer I tried early on in the season was From Left hand Brewing their Oktoberfest was very good and as you can see by the blurry picture I was enjoying them that night.

The next one up was a tricky find this year for some reason my usual places were sold out or just did not stock it (shame on them) Sierra Nevada almost never disappoints me (not a fan of their crisp lager but that is about where it ends everything else I have had rules) And their version of Oktoberfest is awesome, now there are the couple I like better but I would give this one maybe not a 6 pack but a 5 beer and a shot shout out. Excellent beer. 

Of course the 1A of Oktoberfest is Sam Adams Octoberfest to me the original and still one of the best tasting out there. it is still a "Go To" fall beer.

I always grab at least a few 12 packs and now usually drink a few into the winter season but no further than that. An absolute 6 pack rating on this bad boy..Love it

And now Beers that I rarely drank in the years past Pumpkin ales. I have had sips here and there but never really tried them so I made a point to try a few this year. 

The first was from New Belgium Brewing another brewery that can always be relied on when you buy a six pack of beer. And New Belgium's Pumpkick was really good 

One of two pumpkin beers I had tried before this year (both local to St Louis) was O'Fallon Brewery Pumpkin Beer  A very good consistant brew. If you like pumpkin beers this is a good one. I highly recommend it

Another great Local Pumpkin Beer is From and the other I had tried last year is from  Kirkwood Station Brewing Co A great little brewery right in the town I live in. Solid taste 

Now since Sam Adams make one of my favorite fall concoctions I saw this, Pumpkin Batch on the shelf and had to give it a try. I can say a good solid beer but after some others I was a little disappointed (as far as pumpkin goes) Don't get me wrong if you are starting out and trying some of these next year start here it is a great Pumpkin beer just not tops compared to these others. Again though a great place to start

Now for the two best this season. First from New Holland (who also makes one of my favorite Bourbon aged beers Dragon's milk) Comes not only a very cool label but an excellent tasting Pumpkin beer Ichabod has flavor like you would not believe an absolute 6 pack if I ever drank one. 

And finally the best label and pumpkin beer of this fall season a dark concoction Black ale with all the pumkin flavor and wickedness to match their label. Again sorry those outside the area but Urban Chestnuts Count Orlock  Black Pumpkin Ale is tops this season. 

It only comes in a four pack but each bottle is a pint and not very expensive my wife and I have only a couple left in the fridge and those may be gone this evening. high praise for this yummy 6 pack beer rated beer