Style: Dark lager
Brewery: Samuel Adams
Origin: USA
Size: 35.5cl
Alcohol: 5.6%
Price: 20kr
Systembolaget: 11363
Samuel Adams is a brand I have tried a lot of beers from over the years. I think their Oktoberfest beer is lovely, and I always stock up with a few in the fridge every year when it’s released. Even if they are one of the biggest craft breweries in the USA today, I still tend to find they haven’t sacrificed quality for quantity. This is a lager I have tried for a few years in a row and as I knew it was an extremely nice dark lager, I thought it would be perfect for the tasting.
This had a clear copper to amber hue with a thin yet creamy off-white head. There was a fair level of carbonation rising on the outside of the glass. This beer is made with orange peel, cinnamon and ginger, so it was of no surprise that the aroma was a pleasant blend of brown sugar, caramel, dark bread, raisins, orange and hint of metal. The spice didn’t come through, but it was still an enticing aroma and gave off a Christmas vibe. The robust dark malts shone well upon tasting, with the dried fruit following quickly behind. Again, the cinnamon and ginger didn’t make their presence known, but the orange continued to be there in the background. It was medium bodied but perfect for the style. The aftertaste was a pleasant blend of hard dark bread and hints of treacle that left the mouth refreshed.
This is the kind of lager that is perfect for a Christmas dinner such as roast ham. It’s good value for the money, easy to drink but with a bold flavour that shone through well. A great little Christmas beer from a big brewery!