(Courtesy Samuel Adams / Gemini)

Like most of the larger craft brewers Samuel Adams has never been shy about getting a jump on fall. And with August well underway, the Boston-based brewer is already rolling out the beers that seem to taste a little better when the days get a little cooler, and the nights a little longer

This year, Samuel Adams is bringing back its Fall Legends Variety Pack, but the 2026 edition arrives with a new beer and a slightly different vibe.

The seasonal 12-pack features four beers, with three cans of each, two of them already fall classics and two of them variety pack exclusives.

At the center of the collection is Samuel Adams Octoberfest, the brewery’s 5.3% ABV Märzen and one of the most recognizable American interpretations of the traditional German fall lager.

Octoberfest pours a deep red amber and leans into the maltier side of the season, with caramel sweetness, toasted malt character and just enough noble hop presence to keep things balanced. It’s hearty without becoming heavy, which helps explain why the beer has remained a Samuel Adams fall staple for decades.

Another fall classic, Jack-O Pumpkin Ale takes things in a decidedly more Halloween-friendly direction. At 4.4% ABV, it’s brewed with real pumpkin and layers in cinnamon, nutmeg and seasonal spice while remaining lighter and more refreshing than many of the bigger pumpkin ales that show up this time of year.

Exclusive to the Fall Legends pack, Harvest Helles, which debuted in last year’s collection, also returns. The 5.4% ABV Helles lager is bright, crisp and relatively light-bodied, with subtle citrus, stone fruit and cereal notes. Samuel Adams understands lagers better than many craft brewers and their Helles, is a great expel of what Sam Adams does best.

But the most interesting addition this year is Apple Spice Ale, a new 5% ABV fruited ale that combines juicy apple character with cinnamon and gingersnap-inspired spice. It’s another Fall Legends exclusive and replaces Flannel Fest, the malt-forward Munich Dunkel that appeared in the 2025 assortment.

That change gives the 2026 collection a noticeably different feel. Last year’s pack leaned heavily into German-style lagers, with Octoberfest, Harvest Helles and Flannel Fest sharing space with Jack-O. This year’s Apple Spice Ale pushes the package further into full-on autumn territory.

And that’s really the appeal of Fall Legends. Octoberfest brings the malt, Jack-O handles pumpkin season, Harvest Helles keeps things crisp and Apple Spice Ale supplies something completely new.

And while we’re not quite ready to put away the lawn chairs just yet, Samuel Adams Fall Legends makes a pretty convincing argument that fall beer season has already begun.

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