Anybody try those new Sam Adams yet?
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doctorRobert
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Yeah. Wasnt not a fan of the Kolsch at all. Hated it, it has some wierd flower adjunct. The saison was ok.
It's about what I expect from Sam Adams now. All there beers seem to have a similar quality. I can't put my finger on what it is, but the flavors just seem a bit muted from all their beers. I'm sure its intentional as they want to cater to BMC drinkings making the jump to craft beer, or maybe its just that they use the same yeast for all their beers.
It's about what I expect from Sam Adams now. All there beers seem to have a similar quality. I can't put my finger on what it is, but the flavors just seem a bit muted from all their beers. I'm sure its intentional as they want to cater to BMC drinkings making the jump to craft beer, or maybe its just that they use the same yeast for all their beers.
Ralelen
Well-Known Member
I tend to blame the pasteurization process which kills all those tasty yeasts, but you may be correct on the use of the same yeast in all their beer. I know another brewery that does the same thing, and all the beers have the same underlying flavor. Im looking at you Shipyard!
I'm new here, BMC is (i'm assuming) the average Bud, Miller, Coors drinker, correct?
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You got it!
bovineblitz
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The saison is actually not bad, tried it on tap a few weeks ago. It's filtered which I found strange and the flavor is a bit too clean but when you taste it you do think saison.
Exactly what I thought. Not quite a saison, but very close.
bovineblitz
Well-Known Member
Yeah, not the trainwreck I was expecting. Not too high on my list but I wouldn't be opposed to ordering a pint of it again.
flatfour64
Well-Known Member
To me, Sam Adams product is MUCH better on tap. I did thier brewery tour and even the standard junk they make tasted mighty good when brewery fresh. I had a pitcher of freshly tapped Noble Pils keg at a pizza place in February and it was so good that I still think about in today. However, that same beer in the bottle is very average.
RiverBirchBrew
Well-Known Member
I thought everything was pretty good EXCEPT the Summer Ale. Possibly one of the worst beers I've had. It has a taste like the most bitter part of a lemon rind. Again, everything else was pretty good.
doctorRobert
Well-Known Member
They could be using the right yeast strain, but pasteurize the crap out of it and lose a lot of the flavor.
And the Kolsch is not a true Kolsch. It uses "Alsatian Strisselspalt hops for a subtle lemon and grassy hop note" and Jasmine Sambac. Never heard of the hop, seems to be a french origin.
They go to such great lengths at times for their beer. Maybe its just a gimmick. Wish they could take a SN approach and just go to germany, study the beer, and then brew it instead of adding a twist by adding flowers.
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Stevo2569
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Sam Adams does alot research for their beers, obviously they sell the crap out of it. Like everyone said, the intro level of craft beer. Other wise they'd be just another brewery. They brew what sells. And I guarantee the market research proves it.
CHefJohnboyardee
Well-Known Member
I used to love their Summer Ale. Its not the same as it was. Its got a lot more citrus taste to it.
I will have to try and find the saison and kolsch. All examples I've had of them have been bleh so I want to know if I just don't like them or the brewer just sucked.
I will have to try and find the saison and kolsch. All examples I've had of them have been bleh so I want to know if I just don't like them or the brewer just sucked.
devils4ever
Well-Known Member
I'm not a fan of any Sam Adams products. They're better than BMC, but not by much.
I noticed this after picking up the winter variety pack. Every beer seemed to have a very similar flavor just couldn't put my finger on it.
fdexclpl
Member
I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed that.
Let me put it this way then, there is a commonality to just about every one of their beers. Not sure if it's a flavor or maybe aroma, but it's there. Not saying that they're even close to BMC but this something i've noticed since drinking homebrew and other micros besides SA.
TomRep
Well-Known Member
I actually had a yeast oriented question for SA a year or so ago, so I shot them an email. One of their brewers actually called me on my cell phone the following day and we had a pretty descent conversation about their yeast and how I should brew the beer I was after. At that time, they used two proprietary yeasts for their beers. One strain for lagers and one strain for ales.
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optimatored
Well-Known Member
i dont know if my palate change or if SA seasonal brews just suck now... they tend to be heavy almost 'syrup' like over the last couple of years. especially the summer brew... so for me, aside from SA lager and cherry wheat... i stay away!
JJL
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I was kind of having similar thoughts lately that a lot of you guys have posted. I was down in FL over the last week. Most of the places we went served or sold BMC, but typically carried SA, and usually it was on tap. DocRobert was talking about the flavors being muted, and I think he hit it on the head. I had the SA Summer Ale. The hops and the spices were barely noticeable. Even the Boston Lager I had was muted. I remember SA having distinct hops flavor and aroma. I thought maybe it was just low turnover at some of the restaurants. I bought a 6 pack from a store, and checked the freshness date on the bottle, and it was well within the timeframe that it shouldn't have lost much flavor or aroma. It was the same thing. It was a sort of grainy tasting lager with minimal hops. I hope this isn't the direction they are going.
See if they have the same bittering hop for all their beers. Granite City brew pub used to list the hops in the beer list and all had a certain base hop. I feel that led to a similar taste in all their beers. I can't remember the name of the hop atm but I'd be interested to know if Sam Adams does something similar.doctorRobert said:
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Stevo2569
Well-Known Member
Alot of Sam brews have Hallertau and Tettnang in them. The Tettnang is the common bittering hop used. As for the new Sams. I just tried the Saison and now the Kolsh. Not to bad after all they are summer brews. Very light tasting and the ones i have taste a little green, like their not quite done. I wonder if lagering will cure this.
doctorRobert
Well-Known Member
Very unlikely since the beer is pasteruized. Very unlikely for the beer to have singificant changes after this process.
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Stevo2569
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So Sam Adams pasteurizes instead of filtering or both?
dlaramie08
Well-Known Member
Just had a summer ale. Worst sam Adams beer ever. After falling in love with the noble pils, this was such a disappointment.
optimatored
Well-Known Member
noble pils is pretty good... but the summer has been nasty for about 3 years now. its been heavy, almost syrup like... i think they may need to check those mash temps. ha
doctorRobert
Well-Known Member
optimatored said:
My swmbo asked me why sam summer taste like nail polish this year. She use to love that beer.
Wow. Sam Adams is pretty much the definition of craft beer. You wouldn't have half the choice you have now if Jim Koch didn't do what he did 25 or so years ago.
doctorRobert
Well-Known Member
Airborneguy said:
While that might be true, they arent craft beer IMO. A craft brewer has complete control over the product from start to finish. They outsource production to increase profits. Boston beer is a public company Jim has one goal now, to maximize return. 2nd, he was never an active homebrewer, but a lawyer with a harvard mba, that contracted out his beer production. Even harpoon started brewing in mass before SAM did. Its all marketing. That boston lager, was based on his grand dads recipe, and hired the inventor of lite beer to improve it.
We can think Sierra Nevada and Anchor for craft beer. We can thank Jim for building a beer company that can take on BMC, but what they brew now is no longer craft.
IMO a craft brewer puts out the best product possible. I have a hard time believing they cant make better beer.
Edit, techincally theyre craft beer because the govt upped the qty a brewery can produce and still be considered craft, just for sam.
Sam Adams routinely releases new, different beers. They support homebrewers, going so far as to release 3 different homebrewers' beers every year. Jim Koch attends almost every major beer function in the country and gives talks at those events to help up-and-coming brewers and homebrewers alike.
It's one thing to not like their beers, that's personal opinion and there's nothing wrong with that, but it's another thing to discredit them in the craft beer scene.
Personally, my definition of beer snobbery encompasses a lot of people, and knocking one of the giants of the early craft beer movement fits my definition. Do a little research on contract brewing; I think you'd be a little surprised (and apparently, disappointed) at how common it is, and who is doing it.
It's one thing to not like their beers, that's personal opinion and there's nothing wrong with that, but it's another thing to discredit them in the craft beer scene.
Personally, my definition of beer snobbery encompasses a lot of people, and knocking one of the giants of the early craft beer movement fits my definition. Do a little research on contract brewing; I think you'd be a little surprised (and apparently, disappointed) at how common it is, and who is doing it.
doctorRobert
Well-Known Member
Airborneguy said:
I never said they dont do a lot for homebrewers. I did say they do a lot for the industry.
Name another public company craft brewery? They were craft. They grew, went public, and imo no longer craft. Theyre craft in the eyes of the USA because they changed the rules for them.
We are all entitled to our opinions. But there is also nothing wrong with NOT being a craft brewery. Thats snobbery on your part. I still routinely by Sams, its by far my favorite lager.
