Samuel Adams (The Boston Beer Company), Boston, MA
http://www.samueladams.com/
Samuel Adams Summer Ale at a Glance:
Style: American Wheat Ale
Appearance: Cloudy, golden
Aroma: Wheat, citrus, pepper
Taste: Wheat, citrus, pepper
Verdict: Refreshing but the strong pepper flavor can be divisive
One of my goals this summer has been to try as many seasonal brews as possible. Writing about all of them as proven to be a challenge that I can't overcome. Most of them are mediocre--not bad, just not great. Mediocrity destroys creativity. Consequently, most of these summer seasonals haven't made it to the blog. Sorry.
To help me overcome the mediocrity induced laziness, I enlisted the help of a snarky outsider named Brian. Brian possesses an intrinsic snarkiness that is difficult not to notice. He and I also disagree about most beers, making him the perfect foil.
We began our two-beer snark-a-thon with Summer Ale from Sam Adams. Sam Adams is the heavyweight of the craft beer division. Even a lazy beer drinker can find the company's wares almost anywhere, and most of the beers are quite good. (You may remember that I enjoyed Sam Adams Rustic Saison just a few weeks ago.)
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| Sam Adams Summer Ale |
The Summer Ale poured with a golden color that you'd imagine a summer ale to be and provided a nice, tight head of small bubbles that almost immediately dissipated. Brian declared that "it smells like an airport urinal." I never get my nose that close to public toilets, so I can't comment on the accuracy of his statement. I told him that he was likely smelling wheat, citrus, and a hint of peppery spice."No, it is definitely pee that I am smelling," he responded.
The peppery smell was a bit of a mystery until I read the label, which declared that the Summer Ale was brewed with Grains of Paradise. I have no idea what Grains of Paradise are, so I guess it is still a mystery. I assume that they are some sort of pepper that is endemic to Boston or Africa or someplace. I do know that I am not crazy about smelling them in my beer, but I'll get over it as long as they don't ruin the taste.
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| Summer Ale in the glass. |
Once in my mouth, Sam Adams Summer Ale provided a proper mouth feel for the style and the right amount of carbonation. There is nothing to complain about in this area. Sorry for letting you down. To both Brian and me, the beer tasted exactly like it smelled. For me that meant wheat, citrus, and pepper. For Brian that meant pee. Strangely though, Brian responded after his first sip that the beer was quite refreshing. I tend to agree, even though I am not crazy about pepper in my beer.
The Summer Ale grew on both of us as we drank it, in opposite directions. Brian declared, "I like it less the more I drink it. It reminds me of Tequiza." I would never drink a Tequiza, so again Brian is on his own. I found it refreshing and adequate on all fronts, though nothing spectacular. Brian concluded by saying, "One of my least favorite beers of all time. Did they make this with Epsom salt?" as he poured it down the drain.
-Ryan
Style: Wheat Ale/Saison
ABV: 5.3%
Availability: Nationwide. Look for it in the Summer Styles Variety Pack or individually
Other beers that may interest you:
Sam Adams' Rustic Saison
De Proef Brewerij's Saison Imperiale
Odanata Beer Company's Saison Ale
