Go ahead and bash me, I like Sam Adams.

My work sponsored an event at a local bowling alley yesterday for children's charities, and nearly everyone (except the kids, of course) realized that bowling without beer is like golfing without golf clubs.

My boss wanted to buy us all shots, but I opted for a beer instead. They had a pretty typical beer selection... Bud, Miller, Corona, Widmer, Sam Adams, and a few others. My first round was a 22 oz Widmer Hefeweizen and it really wasn't very good. I've had this beer before but I don't remember it being so lacking in flavor. I'd sooner have a Pyramid than a Widmer if I wanted a commercial American hefe, but I don't drink those very often anyway. Then, round two, I had a Sam Adams Boston Lager (a beer I've had plenty of times before) and what a difference. I've never been blown away by this beer but after the Widmer, I realized how drinkable it really is. It really is a balanced lager, and it had a nice flavor and smoothness. I think I have a new found respect for it simply because I wouldn't be able to make a good lager on my own. It's brewed using decoction mashing which I have no clue how to do.

I know homebrewers have some sort of stigma against Sam Adams, even though the company was created by a homebrewer... I've heard terrible things about their Cherry Wheat, Lambic, and several others, but I've really enjoyed the beers I've had from them.... the Winter Ale, Irish Red, Black Lager, Honey Porter, and a couple others have all been pretty good.

Sam Adams isn't my favorite beer company, but I do not understand why they are so hated.

Sam Adams is the company that got me interested in trying different beers. I started with Sam Summer and loved it. I actually just cracked one a minute ago

I have no problem with Sam Adams. Their Boston Lager is one of few mainstream lagers I like, and some of their specialty beers are quite good.

I've always had great respect for Sam Adams. They've become a huge brewing company yet they still have some respectable products, and a few fantastic ones, such as that Imperial Pilsner they came out with a while ago. The Boston Lager is still a great example of the style, and even though many of their other beers are less so, they are still great for introducing new beer drinkers to different styles of beer. I guess they are kind of like Mr. Beer in that way: they get a lot of people excited about beer by being accessible and inexpensive ($7.99 a sixer is cheap these days), yet pretty good. So, you're not alone.

IIRC, their scotch ale recently got a silver of bronze at GABF, too.

I too like quite alot of the Sam Adams brews. Boston Lager and Summer Ale are 2 of my favorites. I love their commercials and they are the ones who brought grains of paradise into my consciousness. I plan on entering their Longshot contest next year.

And don't forget their hop lottery for small craft brewers this year...

I like certain SA beers. Mainly the Boston Lager, Oktoberfest and Winter Lager. I think sometimes people bash SA because they're a big company now and have become kind of mainstream.

I like the SA bottles, and unless it's the Cranberry Lambic, I have no problem buying and consuming the contents to stock up on bottles for the homebrew.

i enjoy sam adams too. granted i enjoy it a bit less now that im working for their main competitor in the northeast but the thing that really has disappointed me the most about SA was that i recently found out that even though they bill themselves as a new england, "boston" beer company, they do most of their brewing in ohio...the boston brewery is mostly a test facility!

it gave me a lot more respect for breweries like smuttynose and harpoon because they needed to expand but stayed in the northeast...

^^Wow, learning something new everyday.

GloHoppa, you're an insider now.

GloHoppa said:

i enjoy sam adams too. granted i enjoy it a bit less now that im working for their main competitor in the northeast but the thing that really has disappointed me the most about SA was that i recently found out that even though they bill themselves as a new england, "boston" beer company, they do most of their brewing in ohio...the boston brewery is mostly a test facility!

it gave me a lot more respect for breweries like smuttynose and harpoon because they needed to expand but stayed in the northeast...

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I don't really see the issue to be honest...their growth and distribution required some immediate expansion in brewing facilities plus the ability to satisfy regional demand. First they contract brewed in PA then they bought a brewery in OH (where Jim Koch is from). Now they are going into the former Strohs brewery outside of Allentown, PA (formerly Shaefer, Pabst and Diageo's but mostly known as a Strohs brewery).

Seems smart business unless there are a bunch of defunct breweries waiting for a new lease on life in the NE area....

I've warmed up to the notion of contract and remote brewing in recent years. It used to bother me when I would learn that a beer I liked and respected was brewed in some other city or by some other company than the brewery on the label, but with large scale brewing, it seems like the facilities are all equally capable of making good beer. It's the recipes that matter most. Can anyone tell a difference between Red Hook brewed in Washington and Red Hook Brewed in New Hampshire? Even my beloved Christian Moerlein is currently brewed in Maryland. I'd like to see them move operations back to cincy where it's historically based and currently run (and they want to bring it home also), but the most important thing is that the beer tastes good and pays tribute to it's origins.

Back to SA: for what it's worth, their cincy operation is based in the historic old Hudepohl brewery, so it's not like some big plain factory (though i really wish they had tours).

Brew Dude said:

I know homebrewers have some sort of stigma against Sam Adams, even though the company was created by a homebrewer... I've heard terrible things about their Cherry Wheat, Lambic, and several others, but I've really enjoyed the beers I've had from them....

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Dammit I love those beers!

I also love the Black Lager. And I think their beers are all at least "good" interpretations of the various styles, and are great gateway beers for people who have had nothing but BMC and want to branch out a bit. Yeah, after loving Paulaner and the likes, SA's Hefeweizen doesn't do anything for me, but people have to start somewhere. And SA is a perfect start.

Craving some cherry wheat now...

Nothing wrong with enjoying SA beers. For mass produced beers they're actually quite good.

I like the Boston Lager, Summer Wheat, and Octoberfest (I personaly thought the 2007 Octoberfest was not as good as the 2006).

I've tried a few of their other beers in the Summer Pack, and have no complaints and would definately try more SA products if they were available locally.

I like the Cherry Wheat on tap...better than the bottled one. I am a big fan of Sam Adams ( except the Lambic...guess I'm not a sour beer fan...yet). I'm planning on brewing a batch of Old Feziwig for Christmas time this year. I'm also looking forward to trying Adam Walsh's IPA at a Patriots game this fall.

I never mind a nice Summer Ale or Cream Stout

Who said anything about hating the BBC?

That's my question too!

All in good fun, but I expect your next post to be:

"OK give me hell. I don't like Budweiser."

I love the Boston Lager, some of their other beers are pretty good as well.

I drink it all the time while traveling. It's right behind Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Those two beers can usually be found in any decent restaurant in bottles.

It's not the best beer but it's leaps and bounds above BMC. If it gets more people interested in craft beer then more power to it. Only thing I really dislike is their cherry wheat beer. Tastes like someone poured in some cough syrup...

I love their Boston lager, and their winter lager wasn't bad either.

EdWort said:

I drink it all the time while traveling. It's right behind Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Those two beers can usually be found in any decent restaurant in bottles.

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Yep, me too. I admire Jim Koch and think the company has "done good" for itself. I drink (and enjoy) the SA beers often. My favorite is the Boston Ale, but that's harder to find than the Boston Lager.

I don't care for their Boston lager. But I enjoy a few of the other beers they make.

MrFebtober said:

I've warmed up to the notion of contract and remote brewing in recent years. It used to bother me when I would learn that a beer I liked and respected was brewed in some other city or by some other company than the brewery on the label, but with large scale brewing, it seems like the facilities are all equally capable of making good beer. It's the recipes that matter most. Can anyone tell a difference between Red Hook brewed in Washington and Red Hook Brewed in New Hampshire? Even my beloved Christian Moerlein is currently brewed in Maryland. I'd like to see them move operations back to cincy where it's historically based and currently run (and they want to bring it home also), but the most important thing is that the beer tastes good and pays tribute to it's origins.

Back to SA: for what it's worth, their cincy operation is based in the historic old Hudepohl brewery, so it's not like some big plain factory (though i really wish they had tours).

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I was bothered by that also, but I have to admit as a business decision it is very sound. Small breweries were bought up by the big 3 throughout the 1900's and I would not like to see that happen again. So if a smaller brewery can stay profitable by working 24/7 making someone else's beer it's win-win-win(comany1-company2-consumers)

Well when you look at it, market share, Boston Beer company has maybe .8 of a percent of the market. (According to Jim Koch, a miniscule brewer trying to be small.)

Genesee Brewing now known as High Falls Brewing does a large amount of Sam Adams contract brewing in Rochester, NY.

I love Sam Adam's Boston Lager, their Cherry Wheat has always been a favorite of mine. I like their Winter Lager, and Summer Ale as well.

MrFebtober said:

Back to SA: for what it's worth, their cincy operation is based in the historic old Hudepohl brewery, so it's not like some big plain factory (though i really wish they had tours).

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They do have tours if you know the right people :rockin:

J/K but seriously a good friend of mine just took a job at SA and said he could get me in on a tour at the Cincy Plant...

As for their beer, I have no complaints...

Let's see, Sam Adams has sent me for free

1) Two pretty cool beer glasses via the AHA (one of which broke).
2) A pretty cool hat, which I lost.

And I pretty much like all of their beers I've tried, so other than having their stuff break or get lost on me, I don't have any complaints.

i have a question. Sam Adams cream stout, what is it supposed to taste like? i am new to the various types of beer so i'm not sure what i am supposed to be tasting. the reason i ask this is so far i have had two (1 hot 1 cold) the hot one had a little coffee after taste with a burnt flavor. the cold one i had just tasted burnt.

is it that way with all stouts? just Sam Adams? or just this batch?

suprat78 said:

a good friend of mine just took a job at SA and said he could get me in on a tour at the Cincy Plant...

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You lucky dog! I've always been interested in a brewery tour as well......guess I just don't know the right people.

+1 to Mr Febtober.......I sure would like to see Christian Moerlein move brewing operations back to Cincy. I might even consider being one of the first in line for a job there!

aguy90 said:

i have a question. Sam Adams cream stout, what is it supposed to taste like? i am new to the various types of beer so i'm not sure what i am supposed to be tasting. the reason i ask this is so far i have had two (1 hot 1 cold) the hot one had a little coffee after taste with a burnt flavor. the cold one i had just tasted burnt.

is it that way with all stouts? just Sam Adams? or just this batch?

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Beer Advocate describes Cream/Sweet Stouts as:

The burnt flavor might be from the roasting/toasting procedure which is fairly common in stouts.

I think Sam Adams is great, I like a lot of the beers too! I was kinda put off way back when I found out they were basically a marketing company not a brewing company don't know much about their business model, some of that may have changed although I understand they still do a lot of contract brewing. I wasn't a big beer drinker back then but I thought the lager and ale was OK for beer. My wife & brother in law got me started back drinking beer with New Castle Brown ale (I'm not a hop head). Now I love the Black Lager, Old Feziwig, Brown Ale, & Holiday Porter. When the Winter Lager, Octoberfest and Double Bock is available, I stock up big time.

SA on tap is some of the best beer I've had around Hotlanta.

I think you read a thread or 2 that's been posted lately and though everyone hated SA.

Guess you know differently now!

As I've noted once or twice before, I'm not generally a fan of their lighter colored beers, though I do really like the Boston Ale. Some, like the Boston Lager, I think are pretty good beers, but they're just not my style; others, like their pale ale, I just don't think is the greatest thing out there. Now, their darker beers are, generally speaking, very good beers. I love the honey porter, ceam stout, double bock, holiday porter, and (my favorite) Old Fezziwig.

I bought their variety pack to drink on my camping trip. It had some SA beers I haven't tried yet (Pale Ale, Hefeweizen, Cherry Wheat). The rest I've had before.

Boston Lager - Great, as previously mentioned
Boston Ale - Very good as well. I think the flavor works better as a lager, but this is a good beer as well.
Pale Ale - Surprisingly good. Nice clean, yet bold flavor
Hefeweizen - A bit disappointing. An American Hefe, with less flavor than a Pyramid. Not terrible, but I wouldn't buy this in the store (if they ever carried it, that is).
Summer Ale - Very good. I love the aftertaste, and it has a nice clean taste. It's basically a superior version of their hefeweizen, with a much better aftertaste.
Cherry Wheat - No idea why this beer gets slammed so often, I really enjoyed it. I thought the cherry would be very subtle, but it is quite pronounced. This is probably a bit off-setting for someone who is looking to drink a typical beer, but I think it's a nice change of pace. It has a great flavor.