Anybody try those new Sam Adams yet?

[Stevo2569]

I heard the new variety pack of Sam Adams has a new Kolsh and a Saison. Anybody seen them yet?

 

[Reno_eNVy]

No I haven't seen it. But I'm sure going to keep a look-out for it!

 

[doctorRobert]

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.

 

[Ralelen]

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.

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!

 

[Zixxer10R]

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.

I'm new here, BMC is (i'm assuming) the average Bud, Miller, Coors drinker, correct?

 

[Whut]

I'm new here, BMC is (i'm assuming) the average Bud, Miller, Coors drinker, correct?

You got it!

 

[jbrookeiv]

Heard bad things about the Saison, probably won't be picking it up.

 

[a_potter]

Summer Ale is horrible. I thought their Cream Stout was decent but for the price I would just get a real craft beer.

 

[bovineblitz]

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.

 

[j1laskey]

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]

Exactly what I thought. Not quite a saison, but very close.

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]

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]

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.

 

[Butcher]

I had their pale ale recently. Talk about a really boring beer, I almost fell asleep drinking it.

 

[Chase22]

My friend bought the summer variety pack over the weekend. I thought the kolsch was pretty good. light and crisp, an easy drinking beer down here in the Texas heat. The IPA sucked ass, though.

 

[malkore]

How can you make a kolsch or saison without the right yeast strains!

Sam Adams seems to be getting a little too...BMC-y lately

 

[doctorRobert]

How can you make a kolsch or saison without the right yeast strains!

Sam Adams seems to be getting a little too...BMC-y lately

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.

 

[Stevo2569]

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]

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.

 

[devils4ever]

I'm not a fan of any Sam Adams products. They're better than BMC, but not by much.

 

[jafo28]

All there beers seem to have a similar quality. .

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.

 

[Portah]

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.

I am sure they did not have the same flavor... One was really different from the rest. Plus the Boston Beer Company is nothing like BMC...

 

[fdexclpl]

...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 glad I'm not the only one that noticed that.

 

[jafo28]

I am sure they did not have the same flavor... One was really different from the rest. Plus the Boston Beer Company is nothing like BMC...

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]

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.
Tom

 

[optimatored]

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]

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.

 

[MeatyPortion]

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.

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.

 

[Stevo2569]

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]

I wonder if lagering will cure this.

Very unlikely since the beer is pasteruized. Very unlikely for the beer to have singificant changes after this process.