01 November 13  |  Dining   |  

Sam Adams Octoberfest and Redd’s Apple Ale

Written by Harold Dean, our Food and Beverage Director.

I hope everyone has been enjoying the Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale that we have had in Knickers. This month we have also brought in Sam Adams Octoberfest and have Redd’s Apple Ale as well.

Get to Know Sam Adams Octoberfest

On October 12, 1810, Munich celebrated the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig with a festival held on the fields of the city gates. After 16 days, the party ended, but the tradition lives on. Sam Adams continues the tradition of Ocktoberfest with its seasonal beer “Octoberfest”. This lager blends five roasted malts for a rich, full flavor, while Bavarian Noble hops add a touch of bitterness.

I brought in Sam Adams Octoberfest last year and it did so well that I decided to bring it back again this year. We used to do the whole line of Sam Adams because people really do love it. Sam Adams’ summer ale, the regular Sam Adams Boston Lager, and Octoberfest all do very well with our members. We offer Octoberfest on tap and some of the other flavors out of the bottle.

My Favorite Seasonal Beer

Octoberfest is my favorite beer – I look forward to this time of year when it’s available because it tastes that good. I wish they made it all year long! I’ve tried several different brands that make beers similar to Octoberfest (Warsteiner makes one, as well as several other companies), but I’ve never found one that impressed me enough to replace the classic Sam Adams Octoberfest.

I have many friends in the food and beverage industry and this is the beer that many of them are putting in their restaurants – not only locally here in Florida, but all over the country. This Sam Adams beer has gotten so popular that it is seen more prevalently than before.

Bringing in Something Unique for Our Members – Redd’s Apple Ale

Redd’s Apple Ale is something totally different than anything we’ve had at Golden Ocala before. Redd’s Apple Ale is a golden ale with natural apple flavor. I wanted to bring something in that had a wider appeal and the apple cider ale blends really well with the cooler weather that we get this time of year.

In the 80s and 90s, you had wine coolers, which were very popular to have at the beach and various places. After that, the standard-type beers became popular – your Bud, Bud Light, etc. Then, the beer companies started bringing out the low carb drinks like Michelob Ultra. Over the past 2 years, we’ve seen an influx of a lot of flavored beers from blueberry beer to cherry, wheat, and strawberry beers. In fact, Redd’s actually makes a strawberry ale. Redd’s flavored ales go right along with the trends in the beverage industry, which is something I constantly look at when picking food and beverages for Golden Ocala.

Ask our staff about Sam Adams Octoberfest and Redd’s Apple Ale if you’d like more information as you enjoy these beers at Knickers!