The Cherry Wheat is one of my favorite go-to brews, but unfortunately I have to say that Sam Adams sort of drops the ball on its remaining wheat beers. The White Ale, Coastal Wheat, Blackberry Wit, and Summer Ale all taste very similar with the exceptions of various spices and fruit ingredients. Checking out the profiles for each of these beers on their website, I found the grain bills to be exactly the same. Cherry Wheat is the exception since Munich-10 malt is utilized giving it a toasty quality closer to the Oktoberfest. I’m a little saddened to see this. In all honesty, I was hoping that each beer would somehow be a unique all the way down to the base malted used. Enough about my personal likes and dislikes and onto the beers which is currently getting warm.

Blackberry Witbier is exactly that…a sweet smelling fruit beer. I’d recommend it for those hot, sticky summer BBQ parties where having a couple drink options might be a good idea. There is a very noticeable blackberry aroma that wafts up during the pour. Characteristic of the Witbier style it has a substantial head, but lacks the yeast left in the bottle. Upon inspection I noticed that it looked filtered as the beer had a clear almost Pilsner-like color. I did not catch a hit of blue, red, or purple from the berries used.

The taste is smooth and easy. The wheat malts provide a creamy mouthfeel and the blackberries give a pleasant sweet taste to them. I will say that the berry addition/content is almost borderline too much. It reminds me of biting into a fresh blueberry muffin and getting only berries. The finish is laden with the blackberry flavor, but it does go down clean. I would urge all to drink this while it is nice and cold in order to keep it a quick refreshing beer more than anything.

I never thought I’d say this, but Sam Adams came up short on this one.

ABV 5.5%

Grade: C-

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For me Goose Island IPA is the American standard of an English-style IPA. This is quickly followed by Two Brothers Resistance. Both of these beers are a straw-golden color which is lighter than most IPAs (which have a deeper amber/caramel tone). Harpoon is similar in that their version possessed the same hues gained from the 2 Row Pale malt. Apparently, they add a couple more malts for a toasty flavor that is noticeable.

While Goose Island uses cascade hops, they also some English varieties that give a nice spicy, earthy aroma. Harpoon seems to only use cascade, but they do so in a delicate manner. This is not an “in your face” IPA. It is floral and light bodied. The nose is citrusy, honey-like, and flowery. It does lack some depth in the hops as it comes across rather one dimensional. There is still an enjoyable bitterness and shines through in the latter half of the sip but rather mellowed. The malts are sweet and provide a pleasant, easy sipping pale malt texture.

This is not a heavy beer and finishes clean and crisp. Unfortunately, there is not much of an aftertaste nor does it linger. I’d say this is closer to an APA considering I’ve has hoppier pales than this. While Harpoon’s IPA was a good brew, it failed to leave a lasting impression on me.

ABV: 5.9%

Grade: B-

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However, I was wrong. As I poured the richness of the brew became apparent. There was a pleasant fruity hop aroma that wafted up from the class. This fruitiness was also accented by a mellow earthy, herbal quality that added some depth. My first thought was that this looked and smelled like a British pale ale more so than an American. After consulting their website I found that the reason behind the unfiltered nature of this brew was done to replicate a BPA. I’d say they did a great good at doing so.

The head was compact and looked like a beer drawn from a cask. The yeast gave the beer a nice aroma of fresh cut hay and bread while providing a heavier mouthfeel. Pale malt was of course highlighted and it came to the forefront wonderfully. I believe the yeast helped to bring out the grainy aspects. The hops were not lacking, but not aggressive allowing for a nicely balanced beer. It was easy sipping and rather smooth. I was left with distinct hop flavors paired with a grainy straw-like malt aftertaste.

I’ll definitely be partaking of this brew again!

ABV: 5.3%

Grade: B+

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Recognizing this national resource, the brewers at Boston Brewing Co. decided to utilize these cherries in a brew. Now, some of you might think that fruit in your beer is “pansy” or “disgusting.” I would argue that fruit, when properly used, can compliment a beer and enhance its overall enjoyment. I have had beers where all you smell and taste is the fruit, which does serve as a turn-off … I will not lie.

However, Sam Adams does such an awesome job at balancing a remarkable wheat beer with just enough cherries to create what I think is one of the most palatable beers on the market. It quickly became my favorite beer of all time (and I don’t even like cherries). Even after sampling over 400 beers in 2+ years, I find myself coming back for the following reasons.

• Interesting hazy straw-gold with foamy off-white head and an ever-so-light red hue
• The nose pops with notes of fresh picked cherries over a grainy wheat backbone
• Mouthfeel is light and satisfying
• The taste is a mixture of fruity liveliness harmonizing with subtle wheat beer qualities
• Finishes ridiculously crisp and distinct – I credit this to the cherries which are not overpowering, but provide a slight tartness
• The aftertaste is the best part of the whole experience – the wheat malt leaves a delightful breadiness on the palate
• It’s a great beer for all seasons – refreshes on hot Summer days, pairs well with Fall meals, fights Winter blues, and welcomes in Spring
• Both tasty on tap (will have more pronounced wheat flavors) and in the bottle

Do you find yourself many miles away from Michigan wishing to experience its grandeur? All you have to do is pour yourself a Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat. It is pure Michigan in a glass!

ABV: 5.35%

Grade: A

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ABV: 6.3%

Grade: A-

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It poured a rich brown, close to a carbonation-light root beer which turned amber as I held it in the light. The root beer similarities continued through the head, with an airy, frothy foam head. The scent was full of malt and breadiness, followed by nuts, raisins and a thin layer of brown sugar. Malts continued in the taste and the bread combined with apple and the ‘Ipswich’ taste that made me fall in love with their Original Ale. A tinny, hoppy after taste lingered mildly, and overall there was a good balance in both malt/hop blend and carbonation. As I drank, wispy waves of lace ebbed down the edges of my glass. Overall, I enjoyed it, at least more than many of the brown ales I’ve tried thus far. The apple I perceived made it more pleasing, less nutty and gave it some substance to eliminate the thinness I felt in the same style brewed by others.

ABV: 5.5%

Grade: B

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Despite the lack of alcohol, apparently I am having a hangover. A writing hangover, actually. I’m told that at this point in anyone’s writing journey, it gets a little bit tougher. Tougher to think, tougher to write, tougher to make any damn sense at all. Well, I’ve been here before and rather than simply taking a few Advil and moving along, I usually stop. So, let Ipswich Original Ale be my Advil and hangover, be gone.

This brew seemed to talk a big game. Not many beers claim to be the “original” of anything. I may be interpreting the label wrong, but it sure leads me to believe that they think a lot of their brew and its history. The Original American Ale, huh? Well, lets just see about that.

It poured almost juice-like. You know, pulpy and rich and almost thick. It was like a glass of dark apple cider, the kind you can only get from the local apple orchard, the kind that’s squeezed from apples, pure and concentrated. So maybe this was squeezed from a beer fruit. Mmmm. That’d be nice. Its had vanished quickly. The nose was intriguing. Hops, yes. Citrus, yes. A fresh, cleansing scent. And ham. I don’t know how or where it came from, but that’s what I gathered. As I’ve learned by sipping the last few months, this beer has what’s typified as great ‘balance.’ The hops was great, refreshing and tasteful, not overly done and yet the mouthfeel was solid and rich. Citrus again on the tongue, but finished cleanly with a walnutty linger. Following, or mixed with, the finish was a interesting minty-ness. The carbonation hit perfectly, right when my palate needed a few bubbles to make it interesting.

I’ll admit, I can sometimes be vain. If I had browsed the local liquor store and seen this on the shelf, it would have stayed right where it sat. A dull label, a picture of a ship and the somewhat mundane title of “Original Ale” was less than eye-grabbing. Yet, I was lucky enough for this selection to be one of the few I received in my beer-of-the-month club the 28th of last month. So pardon me Mr. Ipswich, for my vanity. I stand corrected.

ABV: 5.4%

Grade: A

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Taking their inspiration from the Czech Pilsner, Jim Koch and gang took in one step further. Normally, Pilners are brewed with one hop variety known as Saaz. This brew utilizes all five noble hops…hence the name. These hops are valued for there aromatic qualities. Most of them are grown in Germany with the exception of Saaz which is grown in the Czech Republic. The five are: Saaz, Hallertau, Hersbrucker, Spalt, and Tettnang. Their flavoring characteristics are different from US and have a lower alpha percentage (the higher the % the more bitter the hop). These hops impart a wide range of aromas and flavors, but I would say that the all have a common denominator of being earthy, subtle, and smooth.

Nobs (as I call it) has all the makings of a perfect Pils. It has a light gold color, consistent carbonation, an eggshell white head that is replenished, a sweet malt aroma, and a pronounced, crisp hop aroma. The hops provided a great opportunity for beer drinkers to learn and explore the noble varieties. With its complex nose I received hints of pine, citrus, honey, herbal spiciness, and it was a slight earthy pungency. The hops were both floral and fruity.

The taste was similar to Pilsner Urquell, but had more depth in the hop category. With a classic Sam Adams smooth finish I was left with a wonderful blend of earthy bitterness from the hops and a honey-like sweet malt aftertaste. At 5.2% ABV you could drink this all night. It does a great job of lifting away greasier foods and providing a crisp, refreshed palate.

ABV: 5.2%

Grade: A

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Sam Adams Utopias! A collectors item more or less. Out of the 12,000 copper brew kettle shaped bottles made, I got lucky bottle #3313 (I was even given an engraved snifter glass for presentation). It was first released in 2002 and then again in 2007. In the Fall of 2007 I was able to tour the Boston Brewery where I literally saw and touched the barrels containing Utopias in its final stages of aging. Defying the limits, you could consider this the ultimate extreme beer. With an ABV of 25% it seems more like a Cognac, Brandy, Sherry, Port, or something Clark Gable would drink as a night cap while lounging in his smoking jacket not giving a damn.

Building on the foundation of Caramel and Munich malts they used three noble hops Spalt, Hallertau and Tettnang along with several yeast strains (one of which was a Champagne yeast). It is then aged for a number of years and blended together. The fact sheet that came with the bottle says that some barrels are aged for up to 13 years. The casks used for aging were no doubt varied. Single-use Bourbon, Sherry, Brandy, Cognac, and Madeira barrels each impart their unique characters.

Aroma: I’ve had this on a couple occasions and every time I take a waft the dominate notes are of maple syrup, raisins, and a strong alcoholic presence. I decided to explore the aroma in more depth and found hints of caramel, oak, rich wood, sherry, figs, prunes, dates, maybe some vanilla or cinnamon, and a slight nuttiness.

Appearance: Deep amber/mahogany, no carbonation, liquid clings to the side of the glass like light syrup.

Taste: Maple syrup was the strongest flavor. I could not pick out the malt or hop aspects, but only the bi-products from all the barrels. It literally was a blend of all the liquors mentioned above. Not sweet, but rather sharp on the tongue at first. Very big raisin and prune highlights.

Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy. Rolls on the tongue and coats the entire palate. Finish has a warming effect from the alcohol and it did not go down as smooth as I hoped. The aftertaste leans towards dark fruit notes with a small hint of almonds. Served at room temperature.

ABV: 25.0%

Grade: C-

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This dark wheat lager is a caramel colored brew that is clear and inviting. It smells of caramel, orange/citrus, possibly ginger along with other spices. It tastes nutty with hints of citrus which impressively meets the demands of my taste preference in the winter months. There is a nice balance of flavors in this brew which allows it to slide right down with a smooth finish. The beer seemed a bit flat, however, this did not distract me from fully enjoying this winter beer! After the first one was gone I had to have another…I think most of you will too!

Good brew, good price and perfect on a cold winter night!

Grade: B+

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