Samuel Adams Summer Styles Part I

On a recent trip to the grocery store looking for some summer beers to buy for a BBQ, I found this Samuel Adams 12 pack.  I’m not a usual Samuel Adams beer drinker.  I rarely drink the brand but was curious to give it a try because of the variety.

The Samuel Adams Summer Styles has two of each six summer beer flavors: Boston Lager, Blackberry Witbier, Hefeweizen, Light, Pale Ale, and Summer Ale.  The 12 pack was $16.99 at the Vons I picked it up at which is reasonable considering you’re getting six different beers.

I’ve reviewed each beer in the Samuel Adams Summer Styles box and have broken it down to three posts.  I’m hoping my reviews will give you an idea of each of the beer types and help you decide if you should purchase the 12 pack or buy one of the beer flavors individually.

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier
“Only a specific blackberry could bring the subtle flavor that we wanted for this brew.  These Marion blackberries from Oregon give a hint of blackberry in the aroma and taste and perfectly complement the refreshing and crisp flavors of the witbier.  Cheers!”

The Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier is a hazy/cloudy golden color with an orange hue and lots of head.  It has a very sweet and fruity aroma.  You can definitely smell the blackberries.  The beer didn’t taste as sweet as it smelled.  The flavor was more like your typical wheat beer with hints of blackberry and spices.  The blackberry and spice flavors are more prominent in the aftertaste.  The beer had a light to medium body and good carbonation.  Overall I would recommend the Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier.  I enjoyed drinking the beer and liked that the beer didn’t have an overpowering sweet taste but was well balanced with hints of blackberry.
Rating: B+

Samuel Adams Pale Ale
“This distinctive and refreshing American ale is brewed in the classic style with the finest English ale hops, and lightly roasted specialty malts.  Hand-selected Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops impart a crisp, dry finish to this flavorful authentic ale.  Cheers!”

The Samuel Adams Pale Ale is a golden copper color with a small to medium thin layer of head.  It smelled sweet and citrus.  The aroma of the beer had hints of nutty hops and malty sweetness.  The beer tasted almost identical to how it smelled.  It was sweet and smooth with citrus flavors and finished off dry with nutty hops and was slightly bitter.  The beer was light bodied and well carbonated and very crisp.  Overall the Samuel Adams Pale Ale was above average.  I did not feel like there was really anything special about it and although it wasn’t terrible, I don’t think I will be drinking this beer again.  This beer may be perfect for those who enjoy the bitter nutty hops and dry aftertaste but there are lots of other good choices out there when it comes to pale ale.
Rating: C+

(photo credit: Catherine Anne Alipio)

July 25th, 2009 by Catherine Anne Alipio | Posted in Beer Reviews, Seasonal Brews | Comments (0)

What Makes A Good Summer Beer?

Since the weather has really heated up these past few weeks, I’ve been thinking of good beers to drink in the summertime.  There’s just nothing quite like drinking a cold beer on a hot summer day.  Fortunately this season also brings special summertime brews giving beer lovers an even greater selection to choose from.

The addition of seasonal summer beers brings up the question: What makes a good summer beer?

A good summer beer is light, both in color and the body.  Summer brews are thirst quenching and full of flavor and aroma.  Typically summer beers are pale ales, Pilsner, and Weissbier.

Pale ales are amber to copper colored and brewed mostly with pale malts.  Pale ales have a malty profile that is balanced with hops.

Pilsners are very fragrant, complex and have a light sweetness to their flavor.  The Pilsner is a well-hopped beer, but does not have the bitterness that other beers tend to have.

Weissbier is a German word that refers to variety of wheat beers.  Three main Weissbiers are Berliner Weisse, the Witbier from Belgium, and American Wheat Beers (Hefeweizen).  Weissbiers are unfiltered and are actually ales since they are brewed with top-fermenting yeast.  They have a pale color and “weisse” actually means “white” which is why they are sometimes referred to as “white beers.”

The Berliner Weisse has low alcohol content and is brewed exclusively in the Berlin, Germany area.  It has a sour flavor so it is served with sweet syrup to help balance the tanginess.

The Belgian Witbier is a brew from Belgium.  Witbiers have a crisp taste that is accented with orange zest and coriander and different spices or herbs.

American Wheat Beers include Hefeweizens.  Hefe refers to yeast and Weizen refers to wheat.  Hefeweizens are brewed with a majority of malted wheat and some malted barley.  They are pale colored and have a refreshingly crisp flavor.  Hefeweizens have high carbonation which is meant to balance the malt sweetness.

To find a good summer beer, it’s a great idea to taste a variety of beers including the seasonal summer brews.  You can read more about summer beers on NewsMiner and MSNBC.

(photo credit: stevendpolo)

July 24th, 2009 by Catherine Anne Alipio | Posted in General, Great Brews, Seasonal Brews | Comments (1)