169. Samuel Adams Whitewater IPA

Another new style of beer. First it was the black IPA and now a White IPA combining a witbier with an American IPA. This makes for an interesting combination and one that is very appealing visually. The orange of an IPA with the cloudy appearance of a witbier. Nice thick white head that has a decent amount of retention. Aroma is minimal but some hops and slight fruit. Might have more aroma if I let it warm slightly but I didn't. The beer itself is very drinkable and something that would well throughout the spring and summer if they decide to keep this one around. Malt sweetness up from with a solid amount of hops in the finish. Not a bad start to a new style, I am sure other brewers will make them bigger and more complex but Sam Adams certainly makes it drinkable. 
Pros: Appearance, easy to drink

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 5.8% ABV
Calories: 197
IBU (Bitterness): 60
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Samuel Adams

Brewers Description: We love hops at Samuel Adams, and while we enjoy traditional IPAs, we thought we might spice things up a little bit, literally, by combining the intense hop character of an IPA with the crisp spicy wheat character of a Belgian-style white ale. The resulting fusion-style brew is Samuel Adams Whitewater IPA. The white ale and IPA combination make this crisp, smooth, yet hop-friendly beer the perfect pairing with a variety of meats and cheeses. Intensely flavored and firm in texture, Blue cheeses need a bold beer like Whitewater IPA to cleanse the palate. The brew's strong hop character also adds an earthiness to the savory flavor of meat.

149. Samuel Adams Alpine Spring

Initially I was disappointed to hear Sam Adams replaced their White Ale with the Alpine Spring for 2012 but after trying this new variety from Samuel Adams I felt a bit better. Pours a nice cloudy light orange with finger wide white head. Lemon aroma which comes through to the taste. Very refreshing and easy to drink. This 6-pack disappeared from my fridge very within a couple of days. While many craft beer drinkers dislike Samuel Adams I still enjoy most of their beer. All are very drinkable and while they may be more mainstream than the smaller brewers that does not mean they are not quality beers. I will continue to miss my White Ale but the Alpine Spring is a solid offering and you will not be disappointed if you typically enjoy beer from Boston Beer Company. 
Pros: Easy to drink

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 5.5% ABV
Calories: 186
IBU (Bitterness): 19
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Samuel Adams
Brewers Description: Brewed especially for the season, this bright citrusy unfiltered lager is both satisfying and refreshing. It’s the perfect transition from winter’s heavier brews to the lighter beers of summer. Borne of our brewers’ many trips to Germany, Alpine Spring features a unique blend of lager attributes: the balanced maltiness and hoppiness of a Helles, the smoothness and slightly higher alcohol of a traditional spring bock, and the unfiltered appearance of a Kellerbier. The beer is brewed with Tettnang Noble hops to add a unique, bright orange-citrusy aroma and flavor.

110. Samuel Adams Winter Lager (draft)

Another beer that I originally reviewed from a bottle (review #79) but again I enjoyed it more on draft. Still a bit watery compared to the old Winter Lager from 3 or 4 years ago but still enjoyable and went well with my meal. Color is a deep orange with a nice small head, leaving quite a bit of lacing on the glass. Slight spicy aroma and minimal hop finish. Very smooth and enjoyable on a cold winter day. 

Pros: Color

Cons: Watery feel 

Alcohol Content: 5.6% ABV
Calories: 193
IBU (Bitterness): 22
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Samuel Adams

Brewers Description: Bold and rich, with a touch of holiday spice.
The first thing one notices about a Samuel Adams® Winter Lager is the deep ruby color. Then comes the magical aroma which promises something special on the tongue. The cinnamon, ginger, and hint of citrus from the orange peel blend with the roasty sweetness of the malts to deliver a warming, spicy flavor. On the palate Samuel Adams Winter Lager is rich and full bodied, robust and warming, a wonderful way to enjoy the cold evenings that come with the season.

91. Samuel Adams Holiday Porter

Before I started this blog I did not drink many porters but I have to say I have enjoyed these dark and complex beers. This is certainly one of the better ones with lots of flavor, great almost black color and thick tan head with lots of lace on the glass. IBU rating is a fairly high 40 but you do not really taste the hops. Lots of malt, toffee and molasses flavors here. Easy to drink even with a decent amount of alcohol. A solid porter from Samuel Adams and a good addition to the winter variety pack. 

Pros: Color, complex flavor

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 5.8% ABV
Calories: 212
IBU (Bitterness): 40
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Samuel Adams

Brewers Description: A traditional, British style.  Robust and full bodied. Introduced as a member of the Winter Classics Variety Pack in 2004, Samuel Adams® Holiday Porter, with its rich malt complexity, has become a favorite among our winter seasonal brews. In total, four types of malted barley are used in the brewing process including a variety of German malt called Carafa®*. This specialty malt, along with a bit of flaked oats, gives our Holiday Porter its smooth, roasted malt character. Add generous portions of imported hops to the mix and one has a brew that is both robust and drinkable.

90. Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

I originally had this one a few years ago from the classic bomber and it tastes exactly as I remember it from this 12oz bottle. Pours a beautiful dark brown with a small head. Aroma is a great chocolate smell with plenty of sweetness. Taste is not exactly what I would expect from a Bock - a little thin but still has a nice feel to it. Very sweet with a lingering taste but in this case it is not a bad thing. Would not recommend having with a meal but certainly a good choice for dessert. I have another in the fridge and may try the next at a slightly warmer temp as I think it will have a different taste at 45+ degrees. 

Pros: Color, Sweetness

Cons: Thin compared to other bocks

Alcohol Content: 5.8% ABV
Calories: 237
IBU (Bitterness): 11
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Samuel Adams

Brewers Description: Smooth, rich, and dark, with the robust flavor and creamy texture of chocolate.

To create Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, we wanted to take the flavor beyond the taste of dark roasted malt. For this year's brew we worked with a blend of cocoa nibs including Ecuador nibs from TCHO®, an artisanal chocolate maker in San Francisco. We started with hand selected Noble hops from Bavaria and combined them with a complex selection of carefully roasted malts. This dark beer has a big, malty character with the added sweetness of chocolate. We slowly age the beer on a bed of rare dark cocoa nibs, the primary ingredient in chocolate. Known for their quality, these cocoa nibs harvested in Ecuador, impart complex aromas and flavors from chocolaty to fruity, nutty, earthy, and citrusy.

81. Samuel Adams Black & Brew

I was not sure about this one as it is a coffee stout and I am not a coffee drinker. The beer pours almost black with a nice tan head that does last. Aroma is not great as it smells of old coffee and the taste is not all that good. Tasted like I was drinking a stout from a used coffee cup. I was able to finish the beer but did not go back to get the second and may leave it in the fridge for someone else to try at our next get together. 

Pros: Color

Cons: Old coffee smell and taste

Alcohol Content: 5.8% ABV
Calories: 208
IBU (Bitterness): 24
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Samuel Adams

Brewers Description: Our Coffee Stout is a dark brew that combines roasted coffee with a rich, full-bodied stout. For the authentic coffee flavor, we use 1.5 pounds of Sumatran coffee beans per barrel, added late in the brewing process to provide the most flavor possible. This brew finishes with underlying roasty notes of chocolate, caramel, and dark fruit from our select blend of malts. 

80. Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale

This was an interesting beer and a good addition to the Winter variety pack from Sam Adams. Color is a dark red / brown color with a very nice head that lingers throughout the beer. Taste is complex with lots of malt flavors and sweetness with a slight chocolate finish. Very good beer and this combined with the others in the variety pack make it worth buying. 
Pros: Color, complex taste

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 5.8% ABV
Calories: 213
IBU (Bitterness): 25Rating: 

Brewers Website: Samuel Adams

Brewers Description: Spicy and bold, a big Christmas cookie of a beer.
Samuel Adams® Old Fezziwig® Ale is bursting with spices of the season.  With a remarkably full body and flavor it helps those long winter nights pass more quickly. The rich taste hits the palate with a depth of malt character ranging from sweet toffee and caramel notes to dark, roasty chocolate notes. Then the spices come in full force. Cinnamon, ginger and orange peel dance on the tongue bringing with them the celebratory spirit of the season.

79. Samuel Adams Winter Lager

I have been drinking Sam Adams beer for a long time and I remember Winter Lager being much darker and bolder than the current version. This beer seems watered down and not what I was expecting from a Winter Lager. Color is a deep red with a nice head, carbonation is good with nice head after the pour. Overall the appearance of the beer is very good and minimal aroma. Feel is a bit too watery for me and the taste is simple average. Overall this is not a bad beer and about what you would expect from Samuel Adams. Hoping the others in the Winter variety pack are more unique. 

Pros: Color

Cons: Watery feel 

Alcohol Content: 5.6% ABV
Calories: 193
IBU (Bitterness): 22
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Samuel Adams

Brewers Description: Bold and rich, with a touch of holiday spice.
The first thing one notices about a Samuel Adams® Winter Lager is the deep ruby color. Then comes the magical aroma which promises something special on the tongue. The cinnamon, ginger, and hint of citrus from the orange peel blend with the roasty sweetness of the malts to deliver a warming, spicy flavor. On the palate Samuel Adams Winter Lager is rich and full bodied, robust and warming, a wonderful way to enjoy the cold evenings that come with the season.

70. Samuel Adams Wee Heavy

This is the last of the Samuel Adams Imperial Series - see previous reviews for the other 3. The Imperial Series has high alcohol content and is brewed to be an extreme version of normal brews. This one has a great dark color, solid head that leaves a nice lace on the glass. Aroma is minimal but has some chocolate and coffee smells. Overall a quality beer with quite a kick at 10% ABV. 

Pros: Color, smooth considering the ABV

Cons: Not for the average beer drinker

Alcohol Content: 10.0% ABV
Calories: 348
IBU (Bitterness): 30
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Samuel Adams

Brewers Description: Samuel Adams Wee Heavy was inspired by both traditional Scotch ales and Scotch whiskies, for a combination of deep roasted flavor and earthy smoke character. Traditional Scottish ales vary in intensity with the strong ales known as Scotch Ale or “Wee Heavy”. To create our own version of the style we added peat smoked malt to bring the unique flavor of Scotland to this complex and satisfying brew.

Scottish brewers have been renowned for their strong Scotch Ales for centuries. Their characteristic taste comes from the large amount of highly roasted malts to flavor and sweeten the beer rather than using brewing sugars or crystal malt. Barley is a signature ingredient of Scotland as used in their whiskies and its character comes through in their beers. By contrast, hops cannot survive the short Scottish growing season and are thus only used in limited amounts for these beers.