Beer In-Review: Samuel "Sam" Adams Scotch Ale

Upon reviewing this brew, I've finally reviewed all of the Sam Adams varieties in both my fridge and in the Spring Variety Pack. Described as a brew for "adventurous ale drinkers," this one should be an interesting try. Adding to its uniqueness, according to the bottle, is its use of a peat-smoked malt used in scotch whiskies. Pours a dark amber color with a decent head. Here's the review:

Taste: Strange brew, goes down smooth. Can kind of make out the "smoky" taste. Not as bad as I would have thought. 3.5/5

Finish: Slightly bitter, but never overpowering. Unique to say the least 4/5

Final Score: 7.5/10

The Bottom Line: Decent ale with an interesting taste and finish. If you happen to pick up the Spring Variety pack before it goes away, it's definitely worth a try.

Beer In-Review: Battle of the Spring Ales: Samuel "Sam" Adams White Ale v.s. Noble Pils

Welcome to a special edition of Beer In-Review. This time, I will be trying two brews: Sam Adams White Ale and Sam Adams Noble Pils. Why combine these two? Well, they both have served at some point as Sam Adam's Spring seasonal brew. White Ale was the seasonal brew for years, until the Noble Pils took its place starting this year. Nowadays, the White Ale is available exclusively in the Winter and Spring variety packs. With the Noble Pils taking the White Ale's seasonal throne, many were upset that their beloved White Ale was no longer widely available, while others accepted and embraced the Noble Pils in its new role. First up: the classic White Ale.

White Ale: The white ale is Sam Adams' take on the traditional belgian white ale. Upon pouring, the brew is a light and cloudy, with a decent head. Its appearance almost reminds me of a Hefeweizen, which I am a fan of. Here's the lowdown.

Taste: Wow. Light, refreshing taste without sacrificing flavor. Nice hint of spices. Could possibly be my new favorite Sam Adams' brew. 4.5/5

Finish: The perfect finish: crisp, clear, flavorful, and refreshing. 5/5

White Ale Score: 9.5/10

The Bottom Line: My new favorite Sam Adams variety. Light and refreshing without sacrificing flavor. Excellent take on the Belgian White style. It's a shame its not widely available anymore. Now onto the Noble Pils.

Noble Pils: The Noble Pils was introduced in last year's spring variety pack as the 2009 beer's choice winner. According to the powers that be at Sam Adams, "overwhelming praise" led them to decide that Noble Pils was worthy enough to become the new Spring Seasonal. The brew brags about being one of the only beers brewed with all 5 Noble Hops. Light amber color with a decent head, though much clearer than the white ale.

Taste: Definitely a slightly heavier taste than the White Ale. Strong hoppy character. Not my favorite, but still flavorful. 4/5

Finish: Clean, but leaves a bittery, lingering aftertaste. Not too bad, but still a little strange. 3.5/5

Noble Pils Score: 7.5/10

The Bottom Line: Very good brew. Not my personal favorite, but if I had the option at a bar/party/beer store, I'd probably have one.

And the winner is...

The White Ale!

While the Noble Pils has its merits, the edge goes to the White Ale. It just has a brighter flavor and overall more enjoyable. While I wouldn't mind seeing the Noble Pils still available, its time to bring back the White Ale! Either that or at least make it available year round instead of limited edition variety packs. That way, everyone's happy.

Beer In-Review: Samuel "Sam" Adams Revolutionary Rye Ale

Back again with yet another Sam Adams brew (I got a few different kinds so I might as well review them right?). This time it's the Sam Adams Revolutionary Rye Ale, the company's newest ale. Every year, Sam Adams holds a competition in which beer lovers all over the country try 2 new prototype brews and vote for their favorite, and the brew with the most votes becomes Sam Adams' newest brew. Well, in 2010, the Revolutionary Rye Ale beat out its competitor: The Belgian Style IPA (which sounds like it would be good as well) and is now included exclusively in the American Originals Spring Variety Pack.

Upon pouring, the brew appears to be a dark amber color (similar to the Boston Lager) with a nice foamy head. It has a slightly strong, slightly hoppy smell with hints of pine and citrus. Here's the lowdown:

Taste: Interestingly dry taste, balanced out with a hint of citrus flavor. Not bad at all. 4/5

Finish: Despite its dry, "rye-ish" taste, the brew goes down smoothly with a light hint of spiciness. 3.5/5

Final Score: 7.5/10

The Bottom Line: Better than I expected. Not their best brew, but definitely worth a try if you bought the Variety Pack. While I probably would not usually go out of my way to look for it, I would probably order a six pack if it becomes available on its own. While not outstanding, overall its another solid brew by Sam Adams.

Beer In-Review: Samuel "Sam" Adams Latitude 48 IPA

Yes, another Sam Adams brew. This isn't because all I drink is Sam Adams, I just happen to have a large number of varieties in my fridge.

This Beer In-Review focuses on an interesting brew: the Sam Adams 48 Latitude IPA (India Pale Ale for those beer newcomers). The description on the side of the bottle claims that this IPA is brewed with German, English and American hops - interesting enough. Upon pouring, it has a nice dark amber color with a full, foamy head. Here's the review:

Taste: Very bitter ale. Haven't had too many IPAs so I can't comment on how it compares. Very intense hop character. Definitely not for amateur beer drinkers. 3.5/5

Finish: Not a huge fan of the finish on this one, possibly because I haven't had much experience with bitter brews. Goes down smoothly, but that strong bitterness lingers in your mouth. 3/5

Final Score: 6.5/10

The Bottom Line: Not my favorite Sam Adams brew. Not a big fan of the bitterness of this brew, but this is possibly due to my lack of experience with IPAs. Far from bad, but I probably won't be purchasing it again anytime soon. Who knows, maybe once I become a more experienced beer-drinker, I'll give it a second chance.

Beer In-Review: Samuel "Sam" Adams Boston Lager

My second installment in the Beer In-Review series is Sam Adams Boston Lager. The Boston Lager is Sam Adam's signature and main brew, first produced in 1984 when founder Jim Koch was trying to make a name for himself. There's no denying the historical significance of this brew, and it as well as the Samuel Adams brewery is known for virtually single-handedly kicking off the "Micro-brewery" explosion in the United States, when Americans began to turn to quality beer after decades of Macro beers such as Budweiser and Coors.

Upon pouring, The Boston Lager has a nice amber color to it and a fine head, with a notably hoppy smell. Here's the review:

Taste: After the lighter tasting Irish Red, the Boston Lager has a "heavier" taste, notably hoppy. The flavors and aromas compliment each other nicely. 4/5

Finish: The brew has a slightly bitter finish, but stays long enough to be flavorful but short enough to not leave a lingering bitter aftertaste. 4/5

Overall: 8/10

The Bottom Line: I have to admit, I was not a big fan the first few times I've had it, but after giving it a fair shot, the Boston Lager holds up well. And while it may not be my favorite Sam Adams brew, it is still worth trying and easy to see why it's so influential. I'd definitely recommend it.

Beer In-Review: Samuel "Sam" Adams Irish Red

First off, I must say that Samuel Adams is one of my favorite beer companies. It's great to see companies/brewers like them that are dedicated to their craft, focusing on taste and quality rather than "drinkability" (whatever that means).

This particular brew is a special one found in their Spring "American Originals" variety pack, though is not exclusive to this pack. In this brew, founder Jim Koch and his fellow brewers offer their take on the Irish Red Style, known by its almost dark-reddish color.

I will be reviewing based on two categories: Taste and Finish. Each category is rated from 1 to 5 and then both categories are added to get an out of 10 total (for example if a beer gets a 3 in taste and a 4 in finish, it's final score is a 7 out of 10). Here's my two-cents:

Taste: Upon first taste, I immediately fell in love with it. It's rich and malty without being overpowering, and and the flavors really jump out at you, although it is slightly light for such an ale. 4 out of 5.

Finish: Along with the great taste, the beer goes down very smoothly, with a light but sweet aftertaste, unlike a bitter, strong aftertaste that many darker beers tend to have. A smooth finish without sacrificing flavor. 4.5 out of 5.

Final Score: 8.5/10

The Bottom Line: I would highly recommend this beer. While other Irish Reds such as Killians are better known, Sam Adam's version may just be better. While Killians is also quite good, Sam Adams is slightly richer and fuller. In short, I'd highly recommend this beer and definitely should not be overlooked!

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Welcome to the blog! My name is Steve and I'll be posting here beer news, beer reviews and whatnot. Feel free to look around and comment on my posts!