Samuel Adams Irish Red

I took a couple nights off from my reviews, but now I'm back at it.

B / 3.7
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5
Bottle
Cold--to cool

Appearance: the ale has a very nice rose red amberish color which appropriately fits the name well. There was a 1 finger boney white medium to heavy density head which faded to a nice consistent layer, unfortunately there was little to no lacing on the glass. The red brew was very clear and showed little signs of carbonation. This brew looks good, and compared to the other Irish Ale that I've sampled (Smithwick's) it actually looked better in that the Smithwick's looked more like a watered down cola than a red, the color combination was very appealing to me.

Smell: There is a definite hop spiciness in this brew that runs over the softer lighter malts, I also frequently caught citrus notes closer to the orange variety, and as I continued to drink I found some caramel sweetness mixed in.

Taste: This is not as hoppy as the smell might have indicated instead there seems to be more malts than I expected at first, this however does not mean that the hops are absent for in fact they are quite prevalent, and they leave the typical lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue. This is a medium bodied brew with a level of complexity that is well balanced. The citrus tastes more like orange zest with the sweet caramel wrapped around it. As the brew warmed I noticed that the hoppiness and the bitterness began to lessen giving a more even balance to the brew that left it quite pleasant.

Mouthfeel: There is some light carbonation which would match what I expected from the appearance although the carbonation that is present helps with the mouth a creaminess that I wasn't necessarily expecting in a lighter ale, although there was no hint of any diacetyl and no buttery film, instead this ale leaves the mouth very dry. The Irish Red is not as smooth at the Smithwick's but it certainly isn't as crisp as a light beer.

Drinkability: As I've come to expect from Samuel Adam's this brew explores the various flavors of beer without going to the extremes that are found in some of the more exotic craft brews, this doesn't mean that Jim Koch is playing it safe but instead what he's presented here is a well balance brew that is approachable and drinkable by those who are looking for a break from the ordinary. For those who like a bit more bite in their brew I could see this being a moderate session brew and it would probably go well with a nice dinner or a Bar-B-Q, and with the light carbonation I wasn't left bloated at all.

I tried this brew about a month ago when I first started drinking beers and the hops were way above what I could handle, however I am really glad that I didn't pour this one out because I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor in this brew. I can only imagine that this new appreciation of the brew has come with drinking some other beers that push the limits a bit more thus training my palate and giving me some more tolerance in my tasting. In the end after finishing this brew I am left saying, "Thanks Jim for yet another well balanced and enjoyable brew."

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier

B / 3.55
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | drink: 3.5

Bottle
Temp served cool
From bottle to a glass

Appearance: A nice smooth pour which produces a thin ¼ inch white head that fades fairly quickly. There are several streams of carbonation, and the brew itself is a beautiful dark gold. As I looked at the color I noticed that it was cloudy as per the beer style but it wasn't an even cloud, in fact it seemed that the cloudiness was produced by a lot of particulate. The head dissipates to a thin ring but leaves a light lacing on the glass.

Smell: The first thing I noticed was a sweet floral scent evenly balanced with the hop spice, there was also some light hints of citrus that smelled more of orange peel, and I could smell some other spices in the brew that were not hops, but they balanced well with the hops but on the sweeter spice of things. I don't specifically smell blackberries but they might be part of the sweetness and the floral scent that I noticed first. There was also no alcohol smell.

Taste: This is a light tasting mildly hoppy light bodied brew, the spices are abundant but are not offensive. I notice some sweetness on my tongue but it is layered under the spice, the finish is a bittersweet refreshing flavor that lingers for a few moments on the palate. There is no wonder that this is considered a summer time brew. In that the flavor is light and refreshing while still complex enough so that your mouth doesn't get bored when drinking.

Mouthfeel: Clean, sharp with a dry finish; the moderate carbonation fizzes a bit on the tongue but does not distract. The feeling is thin but not really watery which feels crisp and pleasant. I could not feel any of the particulate that I saw in the brew.

Drinkability: This is an extremely drinkable brew, it is light but not watery, the taste is fresh and clean the sweetness offsets the mild bitterness allowing this brew to go down easy. The carbonation does cause some minor bloating and the bitterness hangs for a moment but those are minor issues of dislike for myself. This is a nice light bodied brew without being a light beer, and I could easily see this being an afternoon Bar-B-Q session beer.

Samuel Adams Black Lager

B / 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | drink: 3.5
Bottle
Room Temp

Appearance: The black lager is as you'd expect a very dark brew, and is also very clear. The light does penetrate but not overly so. The almond colored head builds quickly with a nice medium density foam that fades to a layer on the beer. The lacing was nice and even but not thick. I noticed some carbonation streams on the surface.

Smell: The first thing I notice is the hoppy spices which are pleasant, in fact I like very much the way this beer smells, under the spice there is a solid foundation of the dark malts, all of which is touched off with a hint of sweetness. This is a well balanced aroma and has not a hint of alcohol present.

Taste: The hoppy spice and bitterness is apparent upon the first pull, but as my mouth filled I tasted the dark malts. I did not taste any bitterness from the malts at all in fact the malt taste was very well balanced. At the finish I could definitely taste and smell the chocolate malts which give an espresso type taste and smell, or a very dark chocolate. The malts have a nice simple arrangement where I tasted the lighter malts first and then finished with the more robust and darker malts. This lager finishes like some dry stouts in that you get the spice and bitterness at the same time.

Mouthfeel: The lager has a medium body but feels very smooth on the tongue. The carbonation is moderate and pleasant, and there is a very nice dry finish again like the dry stouts.

Drinkability: This is an entirely drinkable brew, its heavier than a Guinness ale (I know different family) but goes down just as easy. The carbonation would keep me from drinking too many of these but I can see having this with dinner and then following it after over a good conversation with friends, although I did noticed some light bloating from the carbonation.

In the end this what I've come to expect from Sam Adams; a good flavorful beer that serves to introduce new flavors and brewing experiences into the American palate.