Some Sam Adams Beers

The Boston Beer Company, makers of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, also puts out a plethora of other beers. I've always considered Boston Lager to be a "safe" beer. It's the one I'll order when the rest of the menu is filled with the usual factory beers. You know the place, where you ask "What beers do you have?" and the waitress replies "Everything." That's typically a sign they serve Bud/Miller/Coors, and Boston Lager. I do happen to look forward the Sam Adams Octoberfest, especially on draft, each fall. But otherwise, I tend to overlook beers from this diverse brewery. (One beer rating web site lists 84 different beers from the brewery.)

Recently we were gathering at a friend's place and I was perusing the wide selection in that home's beer fridge. I noticed a number of different beers from Boston Beer, among other assorted and interesting beers. One of the beers I selected during the course of the evening was Samuel Adams East-West Kölsch. I was unfamiliar with this particular beer, and admittedly, Kölsch is not a style I've drank much, in general. So it seemed like a good one to try. Simply put, it was darn good!

East-West Kölsch pours pale yellow with a thin white head. The aroma is bready with a hint of citrus. The flavor is quite refreshing, with a slightly sweet start and a crisp malt and floral citrus finish. A bit of dry bitterness remains behind. I very much enjoyed this beer, and at just 5% ABV, it would be easy to enjoy several, even during the heat of a summer afternoon. Definitely a beer I'll add to the summer options.

Another Sam Adams beer that made an appearance during the evening was Belgian Session. I only had a taste of this one. While I didn't find it especially memorable, it was tasty. A somewhat typical "Belgian beer," the aroma and flavor were sweet with the expected Belgian-style yeast and spices. At just 4.25% ABV, it is surely sessionable. As we wound down our evening, and were discussing the next monthly gathering, to be held at our home, one participant made it a point to let me know for planning purposes that he'd been drinking the Belgian Session all evening.

Both of these beers are part of the Sam Adams Summer Styles pack. The contents of this variety pack appear to vary by region. Unfortunately the brewery tends to include things like Cherry Wheat and Sam Adams Light in their variety packs so I tend to stay away from them. Remember the Cranberry Lambic saga? (I still have that bottle.)

A fun evening with friends, with the bonus of trying some new good beers — it doesn't get much better than that.