Does anyone else think Sam Adam's beer sucks

[mcmeador]

About the only thing negative I could say about Sam Adams is their draft tastes significantly superior to anything they put in a bottle.

Rev.

That's any beer for me as long as the draft setup is functioning properly. I've always preferred draft and will rarely order a bottle at a bar unless it's something I just really want and don't have the option for draft.

 

[mcmeador]

A local bar had a tap takeover with SA and they had 12 beers on tap. Their dark depths was phenomenal. I also won a raffle for a sample of Utopias. Oh. Man.

The beer so rare you have to win a raffle just to get a taste of it!

 

[Dutch218]

Count me in the non-Sam hating crowd. I appreciate a lot of what they brew, though I don't buy much beer at this point. I did just pick up the Winter Sampler, primarily so I can get my hands on the Ole Fezziwig. Aside from the Chocolate Cherry Bock, I'm looking forward to trying the others in the pack that I haven;t had (like the Juniper IPA).

This is the second time in 2 days I have seen someone rip the cherry chocolate bock. I just finished the winter sampler 3 minutes ago and the cherry chocolate bock and the old fezzywig were both great in my mind. To each his own I guess.

 

[TungstenBeer]

Might as well go on record and say that it's fairly myopic to dismiss an entire brewery in this way. Their beers are crafted for mass appeal without intense flavors and to keep the cost low so as to not put off new or recent craft beer drinkers. There was a period in my life that they were my craft brewery of choice and I owe them a thank you for making me realize there was more to beer than an American pilsener or Guinness.

Sam Adams is a gateway beer, certainly there are better beers out there, but preference is preference.

This is definitely true. I do generally think SNPA is a better gateway beer (I'm biased as it was mine), but I know quite a few people that started out with Boston Lager, then Winter Lager, Latitude 48, and then all of a sudden they are into 15 west coast gems. It's great to see.

Generally, if you're a craft beer enthusiast and you have all this hate for Sam Adams... you really need to think about where the craft beer industry would be without them.

 

[Loodachris]

I won a contest from SA and they never paid out fully so I am on strike against that company!

 

[paperairplane]

Boston Lager is a consistent safe bet and I always grab a 6 of Octoberfest. I got a 6 of the double agent IPL and while I like the idea, there's still 1 bottle around here somewhere...

 

[Rev2010]

That's any beer for me as long as the draft setup is functioning properly. I've always preferred draft and will rarely order a bottle at a bar unless it's something I just really want and don't have the option for draft.

In the many years I'd been beer connoisseuring I've come to find it simply depends on the beer and that draft doesn't always mean it's better. For example, Paulaner Hefeweizen in a can is by far better tasting than in a bottle and on draft. The sad thing is they don't appear to export the cans to the USA so I only get to enjoy them when I'm in Germany. The wife also agrees, I can't explain why this is the case but there is just something so magical about the taste of Paulaner Hefeweizen in a can (500ml) that simply isn't there in draft or bottled Paulaner Hefeweiss. Franziskaner for example tastes best on draft, but also very very close to draft taste in the bottles as long as they are fresh. However, Franziskaner in a can tastes like crap, it just loses all the banana/clove flavor. Heineken tastes far better on tap as do many other beers. Hoegaarden, if you've ever had it in the corked bottles is far superior to draft! I used to get them when visiting England since you can't find them here in the USA. It's regular Hoegaarden, not a special beer or anything, just in the corked Belgian bottles. For some reason it just tastes so much better than tap. There's more of that bubblegummy flavor to it and overall it just has more flavor than draft. Next best is on tap, followed by the larger 25.4oz bottles, and the 12oz bottles are the worst, so much flavor is lost for some reason.

Go ahead and call me crazy, but I've had many agree with these assessments.


Rev.

 

[rodwha]

SWMBO wanted me to BBQ a chicken with a beer can. I don't have any canned beer so she went to the store. Considering that she decided to get a quality beer instead of something like Bud, and brought home a 6 pack of Brooklyn Brewery Pre-Prohibition Lager.

I said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on now. Gotta try that first." It had an amazing quality to it that I just couldn't allow on the grill so I filled a can with a bottle of my beer.

Later I had it in a bottle and that amazing quality was lacking. I'm guessing there was something to it sitting in a can for an extended time or something. Dunno what it was, but I don't find it all that amazing in a bottle. Strange.

 

[witster18]

I dig a summer ale every now and then... and the boston lager fresh-on tap in a cold mug is pretty damn tasty... like their swarzbier... that's about it though...

 

[castillo556]

They come out with alot of different brews, some are great, some are good, and a few fall short. With so many different styles that they make, it's hard to make a blanket statement like "their beer sucks".

 

[SteveHeff]

Go buy a 6 pack of Winter Ale and some Vanilla stoli. I don't much enjoy dropping shots in beer but this is a great exception. 1/2 shot of stoli in 12 oz bottle= amazing. It's my favorite thing to drink during the holidays.

 

[8dannyB2]

The Cherry Wheat is what got me into craft beer. They are by no means one of the best craft brewers but still solid. I think the reason they thrive is they are craft beers for people who aren't necessarily avid craft beer drinkers. They are kind of middle of the road which gives them mass appeal.

 

[chocotaco]

Boston Lager is a good compromise for when your guests prefer BMC and you prefer craft beer.

Some of their more experimental beers are downright good. I can't name a specific one, but someone gave me a sampler one time and I remember being impressed with a few of the bottles.

I have heard their $250 Utopias series is unforgettable... haven't had the pleasure yet, though.

 

[8dannyB2]

I have heard their $250 Utopias series is unforgettable... haven't had the pleasure yet, though.

I was fortunate to have Utopias the other night in celebration of the birth of my buddy's first born. It was truly unbelievable. Definitely a sipper!

 

[griffin1]

I loved the White Ale they did for spring some years back. Now they have the Cold Snap. Seems very close to the white ale. I have to admit, I am a can of most beers they put out. Winter, fall beers are great. I could do without the summer ale.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[BeerLoverHere]

I still can't hardly finish any 6pack I buy; swap out with friends; rather drink a pbr


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[mjdonnelly68]

...I am a can of most beers they put out.

Awesome freudian slip.

 

[bajaedition]

If BMC had the attitude of Sam Adams we would not trash them.

One of the most refreshing things about SA is they still go against the standard grain all the time with their seasonal beers.

Great company doing great beers

 

[DoWBrewer]

I like some of their beers. Their Verloren Gose and Tasman Red are both great beers.

Sent from my HTC One using Home Brew mobile app

 

[quincy07]

I bought their fall sampler pack last year. I believe it had boston lager, octoberfest, something ruby, and a pumpkin ale, if I remember correctly. The lager and octoberfest were ok, nothing special, but I really disliked the pumpkin and ruby beers. I think it is just my tastes but the pumpkin had way too much pumpkin spice flavor and the ruby was cloyingly sweet from what I remember. I tried the latitude 48 IPA and wasn't a big fan of it at the time but I was still getting used to IPAs so I might give that another try.

 

[rmart28]

I think if you are in a place that good beer is unavailable, Sam Adams is a good way to satisfy the craft beer itch. There beer is pretty good but they try to satisfy too many styles of beer and some are terrible.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[SeeAliceBrewery]

I think if you are in a place that good beer is unavailable, Sam Adams is a good way to satisfy the craft beer itch. There beer is pretty good but they try to satisfy too many styles of beer and some are terrible.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

I agree...historically I was not a huge huge fan of Sam Adams...it is however much better than the ML and BL brews that our brethren drinks. I am however a fan of their seasonal brew known as "Cold Snap". Kinda reminds me of Blue Moon's Abbey Ale...nice blend of flavors...but just my opinion.

 

[bboyeruga]

Oktoberfest and their new Cold Snap are both fantastic and some of my go-to's for a cheap brew at a bar. Their lager is better than any other commercially produced lager out there.

 

[zardozap]

Dig their Ocktoberfest as well. Some of their other stuff can be drain pours.

 

[Coppinburgh]

I love most Of Sammy's stuff! The ones I don't like are usually styles of beer I don't enjoy anyway.

I'm intrigued by the "freshness/distributor handling" theory as to why a lot of you don't like them. I'm in New Hampshire so what I get doesn't travel long distance and more than likely doesn't sit around very long.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[smccarter]

Sam Adams beer is good. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a Bud Light lover.

Enough said.

 

[BigJack]

The new Rebel IPA is darn tasty

 

[grasshopperfirestarter]

Rebel ipa got me on packaging but still sucks

 

[BeerLoverHere]

Sam Adams still sux; there are dozens of other beers at the liquor/grocery store that i'll always pick up first...not to mention from the local brewers around town and my stuff. i am always disappointed when i try something new. there is the same awful aftertaste in everything they've got

 

[DeBAD]

+1 on the Rebel. Most other SA I can do without.

Now besides Summer Shandy, Leinenkugels is what blows!

Dechuttes, Breckenridge, New Belgium (except Fat Tire that is), Tall Grass, our own home brew? Now we're talkin!