Leslie Massey
Samuel Adams beer, often shortened to Sam Adams, is the flagship brand of the Boston Beer Company. The beer is named after US Founding Father Samuel Adams, who inherited his father's brewery and worked as a brewer or maltster. The Boston Beer Company was founded by Jim Koch, who comes from a long line of Cincinnati brewers. The beer is brewed according to Koch's great-great-grandfather's recipe. Sam Adams offers a variety of beers, including lagers, IPAs, ales, and wheat beers. The Sam Adams Bavarian Lager is a popular offering, with a clear, pale, light to medium golden color and a fluffy white head. It has aromas of zesty, bready malts, citrus notes, and peppery spice. The flavor profile is well-balanced, with a crisp and smooth mouthfeel.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Brand | Samuel Adams |
| Brewer | Boston Beer Company |
| Beer Type | Lager |
| Recipe | Jim Koch's great-great-grandfather's |
| Alcohol Content | 24-28% abv |
| Ingredients | Caramel, Vienna, Moravian and Bavarian smoked malts, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Tettnanger, Spalter, and Saaz hops |
| Brewing Process | Matured in scotch, cognac, and port barrels |
| Serving Temperature | Cold |
What You'll Learn
Samuel Adams Boston Lager
Boston Lager is the flagship product of the Boston Brewing Company and is brewed according to a recipe passed down from Koch's great-great-grandfather. In 2023, the recipe was remastered to make the beer easier-drinking. It is an amber lager with a clear, pale, light to medium golden color and a fluffy white head. The beer has aromas of zesty, bready malts, with some citrus notes, a bit of peppery spice, and hints of herbal, grainy, slightly earthy hops. The flavor profile is very similar, with a well-balanced, crisp, smooth, and frothy mouthfeel.
Overall, Samuel Adams Boston Lager is a popular and well-known beer with a unique recipe and a complex flavor profile. While it has received some criticism, it remains a flagship product of the Boston Beer Company and has a dedicated following among beer enthusiasts.
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Amber colour
The colour of Samuel Adams beer varies across its range of products. The Boston Lager, which is the flagship product of the Boston Brewing Company, is amber in colour. It is described as having a "slightly tarnished copper and brass" look with a "full sticky white head". Another review describes the Boston Lager as having an "opaque amber" colour with a "two-finger white head that disappears quickly".
The Bavarian Lager produced by the company has been described as having an "almost clear amber colour". Another review describes it as a "transparent body of gold" with a "thin white head".
The colour of the Samuel Adams beer range also includes a "deep gold", "clear golden", "clear, amber-orange", "light to medium golden", and "light brown" appearance.
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Malt and citrus flavours
The Samuel Adams Boston Lager, for example, is described as having a "malt yet bitter" taste with a "clean, distinct dryness". It is also said to have a "slight haze" and a "deep gold" colour, which could be indicative of the use of malted barley. The Boston Lager is also noted to have a "pleasant faint hop" aroma, which could contribute to the citrus flavours found in the beer.
The Samuel Adams Bavarian Lager is another example of their beers with malt and citrus flavours. This lager is described as having "zesty, bready malts" with some "citrus notes" and "herbal, grainy, slightly earthy hops". The combination of these flavours creates a "very well-balanced flavour profile". The Bavarian Lager is also noted to have a "clear, pale, light to medium golden colour", which could be indicative of a lighter malt bill or the use of pale malts.
In addition to their lagers, Samuel Adams also offers a variety of other beers that showcase malt and citrus flavours. For example, their New England-style "hazy and juicy" India Pale Ale (IPA) may contain citrus flavours from the use of hops or added fruit, while the malt flavours could come from the use of malted barley or other grains. Their American-style wheat ale, brewed with Michigan cherries and honey, may also exhibit citrus and malt flavours, with the wheat contributing to a lighter body and the cherries and honey adding unique flavour profiles.
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Boston Beer Company
The Boston Beer Company is the brewer of Samuel Adams beer, often shortened to Sam Adams, which is named after the US Founding Father who inherited his father's Boston brewery. The company was founded by Jim Koch in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and started as a microbrewery in Koch's home. The flagship product of the Boston Beer Company is the Samuel Adams Boston Lager, which is brewed according to a recipe created by Koch's great-great-grandfather and remastered in 2023 for a smoother taste.
The company annually releases new "vintages" of its strongest beer, Utopias, which has an alcohol content of 28% abv. Utopias is made with caramel, Vienna, Moravian, and Bavarian smoked malts, and four varieties of noble hops: Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Tettnanger, Spalter, and Saaz hops. The beer is matured in scotch, cognac, and port barrels for almost a year and sold in limited quantities.
The Boston Beer Company has three breweries, with the Boston Brewery opening in 1987 and located at 30 Germania St, Boston, MA. The other two breweries are in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. The Boston Brewery is open for public tours and tastings.
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Jim Koch's great-great-grandfather's recipe
The recipe is a closely guarded secret, but we do know that it involves four key ingredients: hops, barley, yeast, and water. Every year, the Boston Beer Company travels to Bavaria to hand-select Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops, and they journey to the high American plains for the finest two-row summer barley. They cultivate their own lager yeast, and Jim Koch personally samples every batch to ensure quality.
The result is a distinctly flavorful and complex beer. The Boston Lager is an amber lager, and its flavour profile includes notes of zesty, bready malts, peppery spice, and citrus, rounded out with herbal, grainy, slightly earthy hops. It has a well-balanced flavour profile, a crisp mouthfeel, and moderate carbonation, making it very easy to drink.
The Boston Lager has received numerous positive reviews, with drinkers describing it as "very nice," "honest," "pleasing," and "a tasty Helles." It has been praised for its appearance, aroma, taste, and overall experience, receiving ratings between 3.35 and 4.43 out of 5 stars.
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Frequently asked questions
Sam Adams is the flagship brand of the Boston Beer Company. It is named after US Founding Father Samuel Adams, who inherited his father's brewery on Boston's King Street.
Sam Adams Bavarian Wheat Beer is an American Wheat Beer brewed with malted wheat, lemon zest, and grains of paradise, a rare pepper from Africa first used as a brewing spice in the 13th century.
Sam Adams Bavarian Wheat Beer has a crisp and spicy flavor and body. It has been described as a really nice wheat ale with all the citrusy notes you would want.
Sam Adams Bavarian Wheat Beer is available at the Boston Beer Company, as well as various pubs and restaurants.
Yes, the Boston Brewery is open for public tours and tastings.
