Samuel Adams New England IPA

Samuel Adams New England IPA. Hazy & Juicy. Keep Cold, Drink Fresh. 6.8% all. by vol. 35 IBUs. Ale. Proud to be Independent American Craft. Brewed at the Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA.

Thoroughly hazy, bright orange tint, voluminous ivory head above.

In the nose: Soft, delicate hop aromas. A model of restraint. Floral, lightly fruity, not much else.

In the mouth: Okay. Juicy. Definitely juicy. Minor bitterness, not much hop flavor going on, but juicy.

Confession time: I drink a lot of juice. In my fridge, there's always some o.j., but there's also a companion. Grapefruit. Apple. Strawberry kiwi. Cranberry raspberry. Peach. Pineapple Mango. With Lime. I drink juice all day, every day. Even the fancy, chunky kind, when I can afford it.  I drink much more juice than I do beer, or water. Juice, juice, juice, I love juice.

But I don't need my beer to be juicy. It's okay when it is, and I like it. But it's not a characteristic that I demand in my IPAs. What I want in my IPAs are hop bitterness, which some people apparently feel should be omitted entirely. No way, I say.

And it's very lacking here. They have to stop calling this style "IPA". Hazy, juicy something, but not IPA.

Medium-bodied, easy drinking, tra-la-la. Good New England IPA, and you can drink it. I guess.

The slight sweetness is perfectly balanced by the pineapple and grapefruit hop character, without being overly bitter. Clocking in at 6.8% ABV and a low 35 IBUs, the unfiltered IPA provides a burst of fruited hop aroma and leaves drinkers wanting another sip. In comparison to West Coast style IPAs which have prominent hop bitterness and a light, dry mouthfeel, New England IPA’s are generally known for a juicy, luscious mouthfeel and opaque, hazy appearance - and are best enjoyed fresh.

Samuel Adams Rebel IPA

Samuel Adams Rebel IPA, West Coast Style, Brewed for the Revolution, 6.5% ABV.

There is a well-known, far-distributed, long-lived and prolific brewery that hasn't found it's way in The Bitter Nib very often, and that is Samuel Adams. I've reviewed 24 of their beers on BeerAdvocate.com, and only 5 of them here, so far.

I found a 12-pack of this new-ish IPA because it was fairly inexpensive ($11.99 for a 6-pack) and I needed some good ol' drinking beers. I'm down to my last one. Time to take the notes.

Appearance: clear, bright golden hue, long-lasting, bone white head, looking good.

Aroma: Fresh and lively hop aromatics, screaming with citrus and tropical fruits, bristling with pine and grass. Green as it gets.

Taste: Brisk hop bite at the front, soft and mellow from there on out. Light bodied, but with a long, bitter hop finish. Exquisite drinkability, but for hop-heads only. Bitter hop resins lay long on the palate, providing more than sufficient refreshment for those of us who crave the alpha acids.

A very nice rendition of this popular style, but it's not just not landing on the top tier, I'm afraid. A few steps short.

Wait. I just noticed something. The box reads: "Enjoy before Dec. 2014." No specific date given. This was purchased in early December 2014. I always see a lot of these cases at the store I bought it at, I'm guessing it's not that popular, for whatever reason. Maybe if I'd bought it earlier, it would taste fresher, and I'd see higher up on that tier…maybe...

What's the paper on the bottle say? "Rebel IPA is brewed with 5 varieties of West Coast hops: Cascade, Simcoe, Centennial, Chinook & Amarillo, It's everything we love about West Coast-style IPAs, Big citrus & grapefruit flavors with subtle pine notes for a flavorful, refreshing brew."

Samuel Adams Merry Maker Gingerbread Stout

Samuel Adams Merry Maker Gingerbread Stout. Ale brewed with spices. 9% alc./Vol. 1 pint, 6 fl. oz. Special ingredients: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Hops: East Kent Goldings and Fuggles. So, we're in for a English-style winter ale, with gingerbread spices. Brewed and bottled by the Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA, Cinncinnatti, OH, and somewhere in PA.

It's a rather macabre scene on the label, actually. Like something out of a Charles Addams or Gahan Wilson cartoon.

A trio of gingerbread men out for some jolly sledding fun, while the one in back reels in agony as his foot flies away. Jingle all the way, kiddies.

Solid blackness here, with a dark brown, roasted head.

Rich aromatics, flying out of the glass, spilling out spices. Bready sweetness. Nice stuff.

Drinking it: Dark, delicious malts are in command here. Just about full-bodied, with a sweet, spicy flavor that pleases the palate, but never quite cloys. And the heat is rising now, the 9% ABV is warming me up. Just what I need in this freezing January. But it's not quite the stout I want. It's not enough of the stout, and too much of the ginger, with more of the booze than the body warrants.

I like this just fine, but I don't love it. Won't be returning to it, alas.

Samuel Adams Octoberfest

Samuel Adams Octoberfest, proudly brewed and bottled by the Boston Beer Company. 5.3% Alc. by Vol.

Clear, bright amber coloring, under a large head, off-white .

Aroma: sweet, malty nose, earthy & herbal.

Taste: Mmm. Tasty malts, bright and pleasant. Noble hops play a minor roles, giving just enough bite to stave off sweetness. Oh, it's a sweet one, but not overly so. Medium-light body, with the malty flavor lasting long on the palate.

A right on the money marzen. What does the label tell us? "In 1810, Munich celebrated the wedding of their crown prince with a special beer. After 16 days the party ended, but the tradition continues. Our version of the classic Oktoberfest style lager blends 5 roasted malts for a rich, hearty flavor that's perfect for the season, or whatever you're celebrating."

New Albion Pale Ale (Samuel Adams/New Albion)

New Albion Brewing Company New Albion Ale, In Collaboration with Samuel Adams. Brewed and bottled by New Albion Brewing Company, Boston, MA.

Lightly hazy, bright golden appearance, slim white head.

Aroma: Lightly hoppy, slightly sour and musty, citrus notes abound. Sort of a mineral smell all over this.

Taste: Hoppy at first, staying soft on the palate, lasting a while, then fading lightly into the background. Light bodied, faint malt. Boy, that about says it, really. There's nothing really here.

I bought this 6-pack for the historical curiosity of the beer. Let's see what Jim  Koch says on the carrier copy: "While I come from a long line of brewers, one of the people who inspired me to start my own brewery is Jack McAuliffe. In 1976, Jack was quietly starting the American craft beer revolution when he opened the New Albion Brewing Company in Sonoma, CA. JAck's first brew, New Albion Ale, is the beer that started it all. Brewed solely with American Cascade hops, the Golden American pale ale has a distinct citrus hop note and and subtle piney character. A delicious brew, it's no wonder New Albion Ale inspired many of the pale ales we drink today. In honor of Jack's pioneering spirit and contributions to the craft beer movement, I'm happy to release New Albion Ale, brewed together with Jack, using his original recipe. When you enjoy this beer, you're tasting a piece of craft beer history."

Even with the perspective of history before us, I can't really call this "a delicious brew." All of the pale ales it inspired make it pale in comparison. It's good to know what kicked things off, but I won't be returning to this beer.

Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, it's not undrinkable, and I bet this was wonderful in 1976, when there was nothing around but pale, dull lagers.

Samuel Adams Tasman Red IPA

Samuel Adams' Tasman Red Red IPA. 6.75 % ABV, all Tasmanian Galaxy and Topaz hops. And Gabby Hayes in a derby on the label.

Let's get into it.

Clear, deep burgundy coloring, creamy, tanned head, starts big,lasts long but lays low. 

Tropical fruit aromatics, melon, pineapple, some berry, much malt sweetness. Low bitterness. Nice enough.

Tasting it: Mmm, nice and hoppy. Fruit flavor and malt sweetness return, with a lingering, while low, bitterness. Medium body, mellow mouthfeel. Caramel-y malt flavorful, a little roasty, with a toasted edge. 

An interesting mix of malts in this: 2-row Harrington, Metcalfe and and Copeland Pale malts, Special B, Caramel 60, raised dehusked malt. 

Much maltier than most IPAs. And less hoppy than most, too. I'd say this doesn't really belong to any style, properly, but it's not as if I care about that. However, it doesn't really deliver what I'm looking for, either.

Nothing too wrong with it, just nothing too right, either. 

But, keep at it, Boston Beer Company, don't let me deter you.

Samuel Adams Third Voyage Double IPA

Samuel Adams Third Voyage. 8% ALC./VOL.

Hops: Cascade hops from the UK, New Zealand, and the US Simcoe brand hops. Malts: 2-row harrington, Metcalfe, and Copeland pale malts, caramalt, and honey malt. This unique double IPA takes the styles origins a step further. ...(I didn't bother to copy the verbiage on the label. Explains the name, goes on about something or another, blah, blah...blah.)

Clear, crimson coloring, big head, leaves lace. 

vibrant, hoppy aroma, with rich malt underneath. Grapefruit /caramel tango.

 In the mouth, more of the same. Sturdy and slightly sweet malt backbone gives ample resistance to the hop blast. But this one is never too anything, no true assault here, no imbalance, no overwhelming intensity. Nothing wrong with that. And that's certainly nothing I'd expect form Samuel Adams, but…I'd love a surprise now and then. 

Citrusy and earthy, for sure, a blend of English and American IPA style, with a sidetrip to the Southern Hemisphere. Nice, tasty, smooth, hoppy. Medium body, long, lingering bitter finish.