Notice: Sam Adams Summer Ale no good

Have you tried Sam Adams Summer Ale yet this year? I have tried several different times, both bottle and draft, and it is horrible. Not sure if they changed the recipie or somehting else went wrong, but I don't think they will be selling a whole lot this year.

Great critique...anything more constructive to share than "its horrible"?

I had on draft last week and was disappointed too. Not sure if it's me or them.

I haven't had one in awhile. I prefer Bell's Oberon over SA Summer Ale.

Going to have one this afternoon, I picked up the summer varietals pack. I poured the saison out, ugh

From what I hear (a friend who said he had read some news about it) last year's version was not what the brewery wanted it to be and they've tried to make it more like it was in previous years.

I had it on draft a week or so ago and it is definitely brighter and has a more pronounced lemon flavor this year as compared to last. Personally I like it and think it is better than last year's version but I can see how it might not please everyone.

broadbill said:

Great critique...anything more constructive to share than "its horrible"?

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Great critique...anything more constructive to share than complaining?

JadeMonkeyStang said:

From what I hear (a friend who said he had read some news about it) last year's version was not what the brewery wanted it to be and they've tried to make it more like it was in previous years.

I had it on draft a week or so ago and it is definitely brighter and has a more pronounced lemon flavor this year as compared to last. Personally I like it and think it is better than last year's version but I can see how it might not please everyone.

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I didn't enjoy the last time I had it. If by brighter is it lighter in the sweetness department? I would really like to try it now.

Just had it last night with an awesome swordfish dinner. I thought it was much better this year than last year. I agree that last year it wasn't the same, something seemed off. I will definitely be drinking more of it this summer.

SwampassJ said:

Great critique...anything more constructive to share than complaining?

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Silly me, I thought this was a discussion forum. Simply saying something is horrible doesn't really foster conversation. I don't have a problem with his opinion, I was wondering why he thought I way he did.

I enjoyed it. I don't remember last years much to compare it with but this one is good.

SwampassJ said:

Great critique...anything more constructive to share than complaining?

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Well, I would certainly like to extend my deepest apologies that my critique was not up to some of your expectations, but I was merely stating a fact. I was unaware that I posted a comment in the "Critiques" section of the forum. I am, by no means, a BJCP, but find the batch of Sam Adams Summer Ale to be very bitter...almost skunked tasting. perhaps next time, I wil be more careful where I post.

RMBrew said:

Well, I would certainly like to extend my deepest apologies that my critique was not up to some of your expectations, but I was merely stating a fact. I was unaware that I posted a comment in the "Critiques" section of the forum. I am, by no means, a BJCP, but find the batch of Sam Adams Summer Ale to be very bitter...almost skunked tasting. perhaps next time, I wil be more careful where I post.

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While I'm not condoning the response, it was your first post on the board and it did smell of troll.

On a side note welcome we're generally more friendly

RMBrew said:

Well, I would certainly like to extend my deepest apologies that my critique was not up to some of your expectations, but I was merely stating a fact. I was unaware that I posted a comment in the "Critiques" section of the forum. I am, by no means, a BJCP, but find the batch of Sam Adams Summer Ale to be very bitter...almost skunked tasting. perhaps next time, I wil be more careful where I post.

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My post was directed at your critic. I don't blame you for the post, it's not like the beer review forum.

I agree! I had a bottle two days ago and thought it was rather dull. I was looking for that bright smoothness that I had from it last year, but it was a bit skunky. I found myself looking at the bottle and wondering if it was somehow one that had lived in the cooler at the shop all winter and experienced several heat/cold cycles. It was that bad. It just didn't taste FRESH, but it was, supposedly...I bought a variety 12 pack last week. Can't help but wonder if some of us got a bad batch. I'll stay away from it for a few weeks, then try it again.

There's not many summer beers I do care for. Tried a few this past weekend and were disappointed in all of them. I suppose I'm just not a big summer/holiday beer fan. I like to stick to the regular styles such as stouts, porters, ipas, pale ales, etc.

I had a couple bottles a few weeks ago and I didn't mind it. A bit strong on the grains of paradise, I guess, but not dump worthy.

I agree this year is better.

I loved the one from two years ago, but for whatever reason last year's gave me extremely wicked hangovers. Even if I just had one or two, I still got a nasty headache.

JLW said:

I haven't had one in awhile. I prefer Bell's Oberon over SA Summer Ale.

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Sorry to hear that... IMO Oberon has gotten worse year over year for at least the past 4 years. I bought my obligatory annual six pack of disappointment to taste the slightly hazy, excessively clean tasting (adjuncts?) light ale it's become. I sampled a draft with the same conclusion last week.

GearBeer said:

Sorry to hear that... IMO Oberon has gotten worse year over year for at least the past 4 years. I bought my obligatory annual six pack of disappointment to taste the slightly hazy, excessively clean tasting (adjuncts?) light ale it's become. I sampled a draft with the same conclusion last week.

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I agree, Oberon has changed over the years. I used to love the stuff but now I'm not crazy about it at all.

I wonder if they have been tweeking the recipe a little here and there to compete with BlueMoon. Which would be a shame because the original Oberon was far supierior to BlueMoon. Anymore I think they taste almost the same.

Oh, and Sam Adams Summer Ale sucks!

RMBrew said:

Have you tried Sam Adams Summer Ale yet this year? I have tried several different times, both bottle and draft, and it is horrible. Not sure if they changed the recipie or somehting else went wrong, but I don't think they will be selling a whole lot this year.

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I just joined up to this message board to tell you that you aren't the only one who tastes something different between this year's Samuel Adam's Summer Ale and last year's Samuel Adam's Summer Ale. I was hoping to taste a light bitter taste with a hint of lemon. I didn't taste the hint of lemon, but I tasted a bunch of bitterness. I don't mind bitterness occasionally, but during the summertime you want something not so bitter.

JadeMonkeyStang said:

From what I hear (a friend who said he had read some news about it) last year's version was not what the brewery wanted it to be and they've tried to make it more like it was in previous years.

I had it on draft a week or so ago and it is definitely brighter and has a more pronounced lemon flavor this year as compared to last. Personally I like it and think it is better than last year's version but I can see how it might not please everyone.

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Wow, what false advertisement. Samuel Adam's Advertises a "light summer beer that is fruity". Which is what was last year's Samuel Adam's Summer Ale, but like typical beer brewers. The more bitterness and hopness the more they think people will like it. Bitterness and hopness has it's own place. Not in a summer beer when you don't want to feel so full filling.