History

Location: Boston, MA USA
Year Opened: 1985
Annual Production: 159,358,000 Liters (1,358,000 barrels)
Site: www.samueladams.com

The Samuel Adams brand began with Samuel Adams Boston Lager, which is a recipe that owes is creation to Louis Koch of St. Louis, MO in 1860. It was sold under the name Louis Koch Lager until Prohibition, and and resumed sale in the early 1950s.

In 1985, the recipe was reformulated by Louis Koch’s great-great grandson, Jim Koch, with the help of Joseph Owades, the man credited with the invention of light beer in the 1970s. That April, the beer was re-introduced as Samuel Adams Boston Lager, amidst a re-creation of the first battle of the American Revolution on Patriot’s Day. Three months later, it was voted best beer in the United States at the Great American Beer Festival, in which 93 national and regional beers competed.

The Beer

Today I will be reviewing Samuel Adams Boston Lager (SABL). SABL contains 4.9% ABV, which is typical of this style of beer. Here in Missouri, a 6-pack of SABL can be had for about $7-$8.

SABL is brewed using decoction mashing, a time consuming process, which is a traditional four-vessel brewing process that has fallen out of favor with most contemporary brewers. Sam Adams describes their beer with the following characteristics:

Ingredients including two row barley, as well as German Noble aroma hops. The exclusive use of two row barley not only imparts a full, smooth body but also gives the beer a wide spectrum of malt flavor ranging from slightly sweet to caramel to slightly roasted. The Noble hops varieties, Hallertau Mittelfruh and Tettnang Tettnanger, add a wide range of floral, piney and citrus notes, which are present from the aroma, through the flavor, to the lingering smooth finish. The Noble hops used in Samuel Adams beers are hand selected by Jim Koch Among the world’s most expensive, they cost twenty times as much as other hops.

The look, smell and taste

While doing some research on SABL, I read that Jim Koch recommends pouring the beer from the bottle right down the middle of the glass. “This gives a beautiful creamy head and also releases the hops bouquet.”

The Look: The lager pours a dark amber with a big, pale head of foam. When poured as Jim Koch recommends, the result is as Koch himself describes.

The Smell: SABL smells like a “Real” beer. The aroma is strong, earthy and pleasant.

The Taste: This ain’t no Budweiser! The ingredients bestow a complex and flavorful taste; it's slightly bitter, but very smooth with minimal aftertaste. It is also worth noting that it's a very crisp flavor that does not feel heavy in the mouth. This beer would be an excellent choice with a steak. The taste can be a little strong for some, and as such I usually order Sam Adams Light at the bar. With that being said, SABL is still a very refreshing beer, and a fine selection for a connoisseur.

Summary

Samuel Adams Boston Lager, with its warm dark flavor, is an excellent choice during cold weather. I have had SABL on tap and I recommend it over the bottle, but that is a matter of preference. Draft SABL doesn't carry the same bitter bite as its bottled counterpart, and imparts a smoother flavor. This may not be a downfall for some, as that too is a personal preference in taste. If you are ever in an airport on the east coast, and have some time to chill, get a Samuel Adams at the airport bar. You won’t be disappointed.

I give Samuel Adams Boston Lager 3 1/2 Beer Mugs out of a possible 5.