Samuel Adams - Rustic Saison

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Samuel Adams Rustic Saison

Boston Beer Company

Boston, MA USA

Est.1985

www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.35 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear, light yellow color.

Spice, and yeast funk with some citrusy aromas.

Two finger, creamy white head. Tight bubbles leaves some nice lacing.

Taste is not as intense as in the aroma. It is sweet and not as funky as most saisons.
Lightly carbonation and softly nucleated.

Light and tart and dry mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Rustic Saison showed up in a 12 pack mixer of Sam Adams. This one was hiding out in the back of the crypt's fridge, next to the butter and eggs. Must have felt right at home.

As far as Saison or Farmhouse Ales go, this is not a home run, but it is easily a hit. I found the dryness was a little too astringent but not overly puckery. The head dissapates into a yeasty skim and as it warms in my tulip glass.  There do not seem to be any pronounces esters common in Belgian Saisons. The citrus, yeast and floral components are all there, but without a lot of depth or complexity. A good effort, and all the same, I still enjoyed drinking it on a hot and humid day.

Refreshingly light and easy to drink at 4.35% ABV, those are characteristics of a Farmhouse Ale.

Samuel Adams - Light

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Samuel Adams Light

Boston Beer Company

Boston, MA USA

Est.1985

www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear, pleasant light amber color.

Malt, toasty grain and hops aromas in balance.

One finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Malts and hops are balanced with a very slight hint of peach flavor in the taste.
Lightly carbonated.

Light and smooth tasting mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Light beer, when done right, can be a beautiful thing. This bottle, actually two of them, appeared in a mixed 12 pack of recently purchased Boston Beer products. I have a penchant for stronger ales and beers, so I was prepared for the worst when seeing the word 'light' floating in the ribbon below the Sam Adams label. After all, I take my motto seriously, "Helping to pass beer into the great beyond...one at a time." So this one would also be reviewed.

I braced myself and took a sniff or two. Nice gentle Bavarian Noble hops aroma, just like those found in their Boston Lager. Hmmm. Let's pour it. Rich amber color. Whoa! Was expecting clear yellow fizziness. Okay, barriers and preconceived notions are crumbling at this point like the Berlin Wall. I sipped, and sipped. Did someone say this was a light beer?

It took two years of figuring, researching, deconstruction and polish for Jim Koch & Company to come up with the formula that breaks the notion of what a light beer can be. The result? A great tasting light beer that, oh-and-by-the-way, won an award at a German beer competition with no light beer category!

Much as I hate to admit it, I now can say that there's a light beer I like.

Samuel Adams - East-West Kolsch

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Samuel Adams - East-West Kolsch
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.01 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale golden color.
Lemon zest, biscuit and slight fruit notes.

One finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Slightly sweet and fruity with a nice dry biscuit taste.
Light and airy mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Leave it to Sam Adams to come up with this wonderfully refreshing Kolsch. According to their website, they use  Jasmine Sambac, a fragrant night blooming flower from Southeast Asia to give this floral aromas to this traditional German style of Kolsch. Hence the Asian (East) and the European (West) moniker in the name.

Either way, it creates a fresh tasting, delicious thirst quencher. I enjoyed it on a rather warm day and must say it really hit the spot.

Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 IPA

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Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 IPA
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark amber color that pours 'thick', almost murky.
Mostly the smell of floral hops, a bit of sweet malt in the nose.
One finger, fluffy off-white head.
Foam leaves behind some sticky spotted lacing.
Complex hops, (grapefruit and sticky pine) tastes with malt in the background.
Medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Latitude 48 IPA gets its name and taste from hops collected along, (you guessed it), the 48th latitude. These are primarily from Ahtanum, Simcoe and East Kent Goldings style hops.  They are 'dry hopped' according to the Sam Adams website, which achieves the extraction of the lupulin hop oils directly from the plant matter. There is a nice malt component in the background. It is a soft, sweet caramel taste that blends well with the hops.


After tasting and reviewing my notes on this IPA, I looked at the body and noticed it looked a bit thick and creamy upon the pour. I then read other reviews to see if that was a common element of their finding, but mostly everyone else saw a nearly clear beer. Perhaps this one had been mishandled? It did not affect the taste, however it did look just a bit off and detracted from the full pleasure of drinking the ale.


I shall try again sometime and compare my notes against this particular bottle.  What has been your experience?

Samuel Adams & Weinhenstephan - Infinium 2010

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Infinium 2010
Samuel Adams
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Weihenstephan 
Bavarian Staats-Brauerei
Weihenstephan, Freising Germany
Est. 1040

www.weihenstephaner.de

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy golden yellow color.
Sweet maltiness. Banana notes.
Big, tightly bubbled white head that sticks around.
Bubbly, effervescent foam leaves behind little lacing.
Starts sweet in taste with malt and banana flavors. Finishes tart, tight and dry like champagne.
Big carbonation.
Light and dry mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This is the year to replace your champagne or other fine sparkling wine with a beer. 2009 was the year of the beer.  For 2010, beer has become a suitable accompaniment for the holiday festivities. Infinium is the collaborative effort of two galactic and stellar breweries. The young meeting the old.  The master Jedi Weihenstephan and the young knight Samuel Adams.

Weihenstephan: I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience.
Reinheitsgebot: He will learn patience.
Weihenstephan: Hmm, eh, much anger in him, like his father. 
Reinheitsgebot: Was I any different when you taught me? 
Weihenstephan: He is not ready.
Sam Adams: Yoda!?! I am ready...Ben, I can be a Jedi! Ben, tell him I'm ready...
Weihenstephan: Ready are you? What knows ready? For 800 years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! The Jedi must have the most deepest commitment, hmm, the most serious mind. This one, a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away, to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm! What he was doing! Hm..adventure! Eh, excitement. Heh, A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.
Reinheitsgebot: So was I, if you remember. 
Weihenstephan: He is too old. Rest! Too old to begin the training!
Sam Adams: But I've learned so much. 
Weihenstephan: (sigh) Will he finish what he begins?
Sam Adams: I won't fail you. I'm not afraid.
Weihenstephan: Wuuuh...you will be...you will be! 

And it seems that the young apprentice of 25 years can learn a thing or two from the master of 1000 years. As we also know, the young Jedi did prove his worth in helping to topple the evil empire. It's no secret, Darth Vader is a Bud Light(saber) kinda' guy.

If you are in the market to try a bubbly brut beer, look no further. The foil neck wrapper has a 2010 printed on it, making me think that there will likely be several sequels.

Samuel Adams - Summer Ale

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Samuel Adams - Summer Ale
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy golden yellow color.
Mostly the smell of lemon and some Grains of Paradise pepper.
Some wheaty notes and light citrus scents.
A bit of hops character in the aroma.
One finger white head that's gone in less than a minute.
Foam leaves behind little lacing.
Lemon and peppery taste as in the aroma.
Light and refreshing mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
We took a consensus of several persons at our seating after sampling.  We had on tap as well as in the bottle. "Lemon Pepper chicken of beer" said one.  "Mushy lemonade" offered another.  "Meh!" was the general attitude, though none panned it outright and all finished their draw.

I will add this.  The hotter the day and the colder the serving, would be my recommendation for refreshment. Guess that's what makes a good summer ale.

Samuel Adams - Brown Ale

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Samuel Adams - Brown Ale
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.35 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0  

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep amber brown color.
Lots of malt sweetness and nutty smell.
Aroma is bready with a bit of fruitiness.
Short, loose bubbly head with pretty good lacing.
Tastes like fresh bread and nuts.  Dry, but not too dry.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This is a solid brown style ale.  While nothing really stands out, neither does it detract.  It's simply a good easy drinker and something nice to switch up if you've had too many hoppy beers.  Sam Adams has done 'browns' justice with this English style brown ale.

Just a straightforward good beer.  Sorry about the short review...I'm just a 'lazy-bones' tonight.

Samuel Adams - Utopias 2009

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Samuel Adams - Utopias 2009
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 27.00 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 3.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich amber color.
Smell of alcohol like bourbon, wafts from the snifter.
No carbonation, no head. Served at room temp.
Extremely sweet on the sip; sweet and malty in taste.
Dry on the palate and warming going down.
Some alcohol bounce at the end, but mellow.
After 20-30 seconds a distinct beer flavor presence appears.
There are clear 'legs' that coat the glass when swirled.
Medium bodied viscous mouth feel, similar in feel to pure maple syrup.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I got two words for you.........."UTOPIAS, BITCHES!"

Contrary to popular belief, you meet the nicest people at bars.  I met Dean at World of Beer over the holidays and we struck up a casual, yet mutual conversation over beers.  He is experienced in sampling many different beers as myself, but has had some that I would never have the same access to.  He told me he had a bottle of Sam Adams Utopias and was willing to share some with me.  I blushed at the prospect.

Our mutual admiration for different beers led us to a second meeting with his wife Jennifer, and that sealed the deal for today's third meeting.  Meeting today with Utopias in hand, he poured a generous sample of the libation for me to review.  I felt as giddy as an eight year old schoolgirl.  The beer is amber and rich like a fine bourbon.  The most peculiar thing noted was looking into the glass from the top, I could see my fingers at the bottom, holding the glass.  But when observed from the side through the glass snifter, through the beer, my fingers disappeared.  The stuff was like polarizing film when turned at a 90 degree angle.  That was odd to say the least.  

Utopias has a heady distinct alcohol smell to the nose and again, I'm thinking bourbon.  That is where the differences end.  The taste is very sweet initially, and slowly simmers down while warming and coating the tongue and back of your throat.  Where a whiskey or bourbon would continue warming down the esophagus into the stomach, the beer quits at that point. But, at about 30 seconds into the sip, there is an unmistakeable beer flavor that makes it's presence known.  Very good, indeed!

Overall, I found it quite interesting and pleasurable to sip.  It is not one to quaff in volume as it is a mind boggling 27% ABV.  Enjoying it with a cigar would make a great pairing if you partake in smokes.  Most importantly, enjoy it with friends, old or new!

Samuel Adams - Winter Lager

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Samuel Adams - Winter Lager
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich amber color.
Dry wheat aroma wafts from the glass.
Roasted caramel malty and dry spice flavor like clove.
One finger, tan colored head that quickly dissipates, leaving some lacing.
Light to medium body with carbonated mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
From The Boston Beer Company comes a chillin' brew for your winter solstice.  The Bock style dark wheat is warming and inviting even if we are in the tropic clime of South Florida.  The spice in the beer sets well against its dark wheat body and adds a really great finish to each sip.  It would be best paired with a nutcracker and some of your favorite nuts.

Speaking of nuts, be sure to have plenty of Winter Lager around this holiday when the family comes a'calling!

Samuel Adams - Blackberry Witbier

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Samuel Adams - Blackberry Witbier
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0
 
Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy orange color.
A citrus orange and berry aroma wafts from the glass.
Wheat taste and finish that displays blackberry flavors.
Firm one finger head with some lacing.
Light and carbonated mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Another Brewmaster Collection beer from the venerable Samuel Adams group.  As with the cherry wheat in the collection, this one took me by surprise, too.  I enjoyed it much more than the cherry wheat, partially due to the fact I'm not fond of cherries.  Blackberries, on the other hand, take me back to days when we'd pick them stright from the field.  

Do give this one a try and see how great it is.

Samuel Adams - Dunkelweizen

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Samuel Adams - Dunkelweizen
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = ?.? % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy brown color.
Malty wheat smell; not too much hops on nose.
Wheat taste and finish with mild hops.
Firm tan color head with good lacing.
Light to medium mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Jim Koch!!!  You've done it again!  I don't prefer wheat beers and then there's the fact that it is a dark wheat beer.  I can hear mother saying, "...eat whole wheats, eat your veggies."  Grrrrrr.....

Uh, so there it is.  The fine folks at Boston Beer come up with another reason for me to like that which I thought I did not.  This is an exceptional wheat beer.  It's as good as any hefe or crystal wheat out there, in my humble opinion.  And because it's a dark beer it must be even better for me, as the whole grains are in play.

Dudes of Sam Adams, I am not worthy!  Keep on making these fine crafts and keep on amazing me by doing so!  Once again, learn to not judge the book by its cover, nor the beer by its style.

Samuel Adams - Cherry Wheat

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Samuel Adams - Cherry Wheat

Boston Beer Company

Boston, MA USA

Est.1985

www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0


Postmortem Brew Review

Hazy yellow orange hue.
All you smell is cherries.
Wheat taste and finish that displays cherry flavor as it warms.
Firm head with pretty good lacing.
Light and refreshing mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Everyone doesn't like something. I don't prefer wheat beers, but I really don't like cherries. Never been a big fan of them at all. Well 
hush my mouth! This was really okay, on both fronts. Maybe it takes two negatives multiplied to make a 
positive, like they taught us in math.


Okay, so going into this wasn't going to be easy for me, but plunge right in, I did. Cherries in the smell as you bring it up to you lips. Whammo! Like a big whiff off a box of cough lozenges, it hits your olfactory senses. But the first chill sip, and it's a wheat beer again...a delicious one. But where did the cherries go? Hmmm? As the beer warmed to room temperature, the sips revealed the wheat AND the Michigan cherry sweetness. Darn that Jim Koch! He has won me over again! And he did so with two things that are on my not so favorite list. Must be from the all natural and fresh ingredients they use. I realize my cherry prejudice may have been due to over exposure from imitation cherry flavors all this time.

Go try some...very interesting combo.

Samuel Adams - Octoberfest

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Samuel Adams - Octoberfest
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Ruddy amber, almost orange hue.
Pleasant aroma of roasted malts & hops.
Adequate, long lasting head with good lacing.
Medium bodied. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Mmmmm, I thought as I passed the grocer's shelves looking for something different! There it was...the beer that had finally won me over with their "Brewmaster's Collection" that you've seen in my previous posts. I am a fan of 'Marzen' style Oktoberfest beers, so off to the lab to experiment.

At first blush the looks of the color and head were good indications there was another winner in the Sam Adams bunch. Upon tasting, however, I was less than thrilled. Oh, don't get me wrong. It's a fine lager worthy of purchase, but it's either my level of expectation of a Marzen style beer (oh, my favorite) and a bit of how the other Sam beers & ales had recently won me over. I give it a solid "B"...Jim, keep up the good work.

Samuel Adams Honey Porter

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Samuel Adams - Honey Porter
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Black as the night.
Pleasant aroma of roasted malts & honey.
Frothy head with UNBELIEVABLE lacing.
Full bodied.
Frothy, rich creamy clumps of delicious foam that stayed after the porter was finished!

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Like the other Sam Adams (Black Lager & Irish Red) cadavers, this beer is part of the 'Brewmaster's Collection'.

This one seals the deal. I have had Samuel Adams Lager in the past and wasn't too impressed. I found it dry and a bit gassy. Well, bring on the Brewmaster's collection, cause these have all been winners. I am wowed. This beer had foam in the glass 1/2 hour after I finished the beer. I, the Reaper, couldn't kill it! Oh so tasty...look there's another in the mortuary fridge! Yeah!

Samuel Adams - Irish Red Ale

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Samuel Adams - Irish Red Ale
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est. 1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber in color to the point of red.
Pleasant aroma of roasted malts & caramel.
Frothy head with spiderweb lacing.
Full bodied.
Slight bitter hop aftertaste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Like the other Sam Adams (Black Lager) cadaver, this beer is part of the 'Brewmaster's Collection'. The black lager did not have an overly hoppy finish and therefore rated slightly higher than this red. I am fond of 'red' beers and ales. But that said, I'm beginning to see why Samuel Adams beers have garnered such a great reputation for brewing.

Samuel Adams Black Lager

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Samuel Adams - Black Lager
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep, dark brown color similar to used motor oil.
Pleasant aroma of roasted malt.
Coffee colored, vastly frothy head with tremendous lacing.
Full bodied richness in mouth.
Wonderful flavor of hops in taste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This beer is part of the 'Brewmaster's Collection' from Samuel Adams. I am not a fan of dark or black beers, but I thought this one was exceptional. The beer had definite tones of roast malt and caramel/chocolate. It poured out like a liquid gold candy bar. I mean, this was a really good beer. Most darker beers tend to be filling up front and get a tad bitter toward the end of the glass. I am very pleased that two of these bottles found their way into the casket. You can bet that the second Black Lager will be savored like the first!