Sam Adams beer and me...

EisBerg · Apr 2, 2009

+1 on the Black Lager. A very nice beer. I seem to always have a sixer of that in my fridge. I also enjoyed the Chocolate Bock on a few occasions but I feel that it's a little overpriced so I don't think I will be getting too many more of those.

rico567 · Apr 2, 2009

IanP said:
I enjoyed trying the Winter SA pack, although I can wait until next year to try it again. I thought the Porter, Stout, Black Lager and Old Fezziwig (my favourite) were all decent drinkable stuff, albeit unlikely to win any prizes.

I'm just pleased that we've reached the point in the development of craft beer that styles like these are readily available in my local supermarket, and since Sam Adams played a big part in making that happen, I'm not going to knock them.

This, particularly the last sentence. Sam and Yeungling are as close to corporate beers as I will go......and I won't touch a micro that's been absorbed by a BMC (like Blue Moon), or one that's trying to portray itself as a craft brewer (like Leinenkugel.....although my spouse insists on her Sunset Wheat fix from time to time). I have no problem with creative partnerships, so I'll drink a Rogue, despite their involvement with Anheuser-Busch-Euro or whoever they are now. I am becoming very uneasy at the way the "corporate craft crap" is creeping into the grocery store where I pick up most of my homebrew, and seeing craft brews I used to notice on the shelf disappear. Oh, well, at least Bell's is back in IL. Michelob and Bud may be mounting an expensive national ad campaign, talking about how they use better hops than anyone else, and bottling with pry-offs, but I. Won't. Buy. Them.

Coastarine · Apr 2, 2009

rico567 said:
I am becoming very uneasy at the way the "corporate craft crap" is creeping into the grocery store where I pick up most of my homebrew...

Err...you buy your homebrew at the grocery store? :drunk:

brrman · Apr 2, 2009

I enjoyed a SA White Ale off tap yesterday for the first time. I thought it was quite good.

user 22118 · Apr 2, 2009

Wow, a lot of responses! I was just venting a little bit of unhappiness and didn't expect a response really.

I am not knocking SA for their role they played in getting people away from BMC, or for marketing in a way that they are craftsmen and not just a factory. I am glad that I can get a SA at many bars and restaurants (but then again, there is Sierra...so), but I have to say that if my choice is SA over Ice Tea on a hot day, I might go tea. I am amazed at how malty their beers are. I woke up this morning with a sweet taste left in my mouth (after finishing off the rest of the winter pack...finally!)

The Boston Lager and the Winter Lager aren't as much the same taste as very similar in profile. They are so close in maltiness and lack definition from each other that if I was tasting them with a blindfold on I would be hard pressed to say which had more hops, or which had more roast.

Granted, SA got the entire country from coast to coast interested in craft beer, so good for them.

Yunus · Apr 2, 2009

brrman said:
I enjoyed a SA White Ale off tap yesterday for the first time. I thought it was quite good.

I enjoy their white ale on tap. But in bottles the last couple sips are always very sour when you get the yeast portion.

I recently got their blackberry witbeer, its not bad nothing fantastic but not terrible either.

Overall Sam Adams is way better than BMC but not a craft brew either so if I am at a restaurant without a good tap selection I usually go with a SA.