The 12 Beers You Must Sample at This Year’s HRCBF

Deciding what to beers to try out of 200 different choices is overwhelming, so we'll get you started with 12 samples that you just can't go wrong with.

If you're headed to the Hudson River Craft Beer Festival on Saturday you should be prepared for a seemingly endless variety of beers. Finding new and interesting flavors is what the day is all about, but if you're not sure where to even start don't worry, we've got you covered:

Spaten Oktoberfest
Saturday also happens to be opening day of the official Oktoberfest celebration in Germany. At noon the mayor of Munich will kick off the festivities by tapping a barrel of Spaten Oktoberfest. To us, this seems like the perfect beer to kick off the HRCBF with too. Prost!

Spaten Optimator
Since you're already at the Spaten booth you might as well grab a sample of Optimator... it's strong, dark and, did we mention strong? OK, now let's move on to the rest of the festival.

Mikkeller Raspberry Tripplebock
All of the true beer nerds will be heading to this one first, so get there before it's all gone. Mikkel Borg Bjergsø is a brewer without a home, so he travels throughout the world brewing his beers at different breweries. His beers are extremely sought after and some of the most incredible brews available. This tripplebock beer is now retired so it may be your only chance of ever trying it.

Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
Sculpin is one of the highest rated IPAs in the country, and it's also one of the most expensive. You'd be a fool not to grab at least a few samples of Grapefruit Sculpin while cruising around the festival. It's a version of their IPA with some grapefruit flavors that are infused into the beer which perfectly complement those fruity hops. Perfection.

2 Way Brewing Confusion Ale
Mike O’Herren from 2 Way Brewing Company in Beacon brews his Confusion Saison with a yeast he's cultivated himself and extracted from right here in the Hudson Valley. It's a Farmhouse Ale that's out of this world and local at the same time. Confusing? Exactly.

Smart Beer IPA
They're the only organic brewery located in New York State and they make their beers right in New Paltz. If you haven't had a chance to check out their newest IPA you must.

Two Roads Rosemary's Baby
This beer was presented as WPDH's Beer of the Week on Monday. It's a pumpkin beer that is aged in old rum barrels. If you're not a fan of pumpkin spice beverages, this will completely change your mind. Trust us, it's subtle and very drinkable.

New Belgium Citradellic
The brewers of the legendary Fat Tire will be pouring beers at this year's HRCBF. Of course Fat Tire will be available so if you've never had it you must give it a shot. But don't miss out on their fruity Citradellic IPA. It's brewed with tangerine and citrus and is an IPA lover's delight.

Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout
Festival goers usually shy away from stouts thinking they will weigh them down and make it harder to keep drinking. Not true, but if you only have a few stouts make sure one of them is 8 Ball. It's an oatmeal stout that is pretty incredible and might even get you try out some of the more darker beers on Saturday.

Jolly Pumpkin Vintage Bam Noire
This is another beer that will be on all of the craft beer nerds' checklists on Saturday. It's a vintage bottle of Jolly Pumpkin's incredible farmhouse ale. It's funky and tart, but we're expecting this older vintage to have smoothed out a bit over the years. Our curiosity is busting on how this one is going to taste, so count us in.

Rushing Duck Zingerbier
We're fans of this tiny brewery in Chester and their take on the German-style Berliner Weisse style is pretty unique. It's brewed with Ginger and gives a nice punch to the lemon/lime flavors of a traditional Berliner Weisse. It's a must try for sure.

Mill House Northwest Territory
2.75 lbs of hops are used to make each barrel of this beer. If you like it bitter but not too bitter this will make you very hoppy (sorry). It's also 9% abv so it's a good one to take with you to sip while waiting on line for food, which you should really be thinking about by now.

Sloop Brewing Sauer Peach
We've been fans of this beer since way back when it was just an "experiment." A sour Belinner Weiss brewed with peach nectar creates a whole new brew that's sweet and tart at the same time. It's hard to find a truly new and unique beer nowadays, but this is it.

Newburgh Brewing Mega Boss
Maybe you've seen their new cans sitting on the shelves and wondered if the beer inside was as cool as the robot on the label. Well it is. This IPA is brewed with eight different hops varieties. And come on, just how cool is it to drink this beer while staring at the brewery it was made in all they way across the river in Newburgh?

Trout Town Rainbow Red
We're fans of the Roscoe Beer Company and although most people will probably sample the American Amber, we suggest the Rainbow Red. It's a deep, dark amber ale that is a truly unique, yet drinkable and delicious ale. With an abv over 7% it's got a little kick, but by now you should already be feeling it anyway, so let's keep that party going.

Evil Twin Imperial Doughnut Break
We tricked you. This beer is gone because while you were trying the rest of the list we swooped in and drank it all. Yes,you fell for our trap. Unless you read this BEFORE the festival and were smart enough to race here first. If you did, than congratulations. You know just how incredible this highly-rated dark porter brewed with actual doughnuts is and you can brag to your beer-nerd friends that you had some at the HRCBF.

Of course if you don't try any of these beers you still have 188 or so others to choose from, so who are we to tell you what to drink. Sample as many as you can and enjoy everything the Hudson River Craft Beer Festival has to offer. We'll see you there!

Don't have your tickets yeat? They're available here until they sell out.