Beer Review: Samuel Adams Winter Lager

I purchased this beer to celebrate my passing an important test, allowing me to take upper level engineering courses. I have had Samuel Adams beers before, and generally like them fine, but I had never had their Winter Lager, so I thought I’d give it a shot.

According to the 6-pack packaging…

This rich and hearty lager is brewed with flavorful spices such as cinnamon, orange zest and fresh ginger. The character and complexity of Winter Lager add warmth to a winter evening, and is a welcome complement to any holiday table.

I didn’t notice until after I had finished at least my first bottle that the bottle refers to this as a “dark wheat lager brewed with winter spices”. Here goes the review.

The Pour
This pours to an orange-tinted maple syrup color. A very light tan head appears, about 1 1/2 fingers high, and leaves good lacing as it dissipates. This is a  very clear brew and looks to be at least somewhat crisp. 

The Nose
This smells tasty. The nose doesn’t come right out with any strong aromas to me, which makes me feel better about purchasing this beer. That probably means it won’t be overspiced. I can pick up hints of cinnamon and possibly the ginger. There is some maltiness and an ever so slight roasted scent.

The Taste
The first thing I noticed in the taste was the ginger. Not that it’s overpowering because it’s not at all. This has a medium-full body with an interesting mouthfeel. It seems to be creamy and round but it crisps a bit on the edges. I can taste hints of the cinnamon and orange mentioned on the packaging. There is almost a maple syrupy hint in the nose and taste that becomes noticeable as it warms, and it gets a little stronger by the end of the bottle.

Overall
This is a very smooth and rich brew. It’s creamy and carries a sweetness but is not at all cloying or overly sweet. The flavor profile is complex and interesting. I was a bit surprised to see it’s a wheat lager. I think this is a very tasty and enjoyable winter beer!

Recommended: Yes, without hesitation. It’s very well suited to the winter season without being heavy.

Price: $8.79 per six-pack

ABV: Beer Advocate says 5.8%

Spreading the beer blog love: Nashville Beer Geek

So I’m sitting here checking out my blog stats, which have suffered due to my neglect of the blog, and I clicked on the link to Nashville Beer Geek’s blog.

I forget that I have the links to other blogs on my blog, and I’m always busy, so I don’t visit their blogs as often as I’d like. So I decided to check out Smitty’s Nashville Beer Geek blog.

Every time I visit his blog, I realize his every post is a quality post and he really does have a great site over there. It also makes me feel mine is lacking and inspires me to want to improve it. 

So please go visit Smitty at http://nashvillebeergeek.blogspot.com/. Bookmark his blog and come back to it often. It’s very well done and a great beer read, but if you’re local to the Nashville area, it’s also a great way to find out what beers are new to the area and what can be expected soon.

Cheers
The Beer Snob 

Beer Review: Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

Goose Island was kind enough to send me a sample of their Bourbon County Stout, and I am finally getting around to reviewing it. Goose Island: so sorry for the delay. I truly appreciate each brewery that sends me a beer to review. I’ve just had a hard time finding the time to review lately.

Goose Island is a brewery out of the Windy City, Chicago, Illinois. According to the press release they sent me with the beer (which was packaged in a recyclable and reusable tin container and packed with recycled and recyclable Prairie Eco Pack inside a 100% post consumer recycled box):

Goose Island Brewing Company has been celebrating the annual release of its Bourbon County Stout since it was first created 16 years ago by brewmaster Greg Hall to commemorate the 1000th batch at the original Chicago brewpub…

Apparently this beer was aged for 10 months in 16-year-old bourbon barrels. The press release describes this as “dark and dense”, and with a flavor so intense, “only the most decadent chocolate dessert can stand up to it”.

The Pour
On the pour you can tell this is one thick, thick beer. It pours like a fine motor oil, black and thick and clinging to the glass. There is very little head to speak of, but what is there is caramel brown. The beer is absolutely opaque. As a matter of fact, it looks pitch black.

The Nose
There are definitely roasted malt and deep dark fruit aromas here as well as chocolate and coffee notes. There are hints of bourbon as well. This smells like it will be one strong thick brew, not for the faint of heart!

The Taste
This seems actually thicker than you anticipate, which is difficult to accomplish. The higher alcohol content is definitely noticeable, but it does not distract from the overall flavor profile. You can taste the roasted malt and the oak of the bourbon barrel, and chocolate and coffee notes are there as well in varying degrees that seem to change with each taste. Overall the flavor is intense!

Overall
This beer is one very well suited for aging, and I would definitely like to try this after it ages a couple of years. It’s a little too thick for my tastes, but it is a unique and interesting beer. It would probably be fantastic after aging a while. Something to be savored, as a fine wine.

Recommended: If you’re after a thick, intensely nuanced beer, absolutely. Definitely something to try now and to age, to compare the flavors as they mellow.

Price: This was a sample sent by the brewery/PR folks.

ABV: 13% ABV according to the press release