We’re well into fall and quickly approaching the holiday season. And brewers have been releasing their seasonal and holiday brews at a brisk pace. This post focuses on a bevy of recent releases from Samuel Adams. From ales to porters, to stouts to lagers, there is no shortage of fermented malts and hops (many brewed with various herbs, spices and other special ingredients) to satisfy your beer hungers. Happy holidays!
FALL AND WINTER SEASONALS:
Pumpkin Batch (5.6% ABV, 26 IBUs)
This is a Belgian saison-style pale ale brewed with pumpkin and cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg spices. This comes through clearly in the aroma of a classic pumpkin spice pie. It tastes very spicy with nice light touch of bitterness from the East Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops.
Harvest Pumpkin Ale (5.7% ABV, 14 IBU)
Want more pumpkin?! With this one, malty aromas and flavors (Samuel Adams two-row malt blend, Caramel 60, Special B and a smoke malt) are more prominent blending nicely with the pumpkin and classic pumpkin pie spices – clove, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. A rich pumpkin pie taste compliments a mildly fruity beer that ends with a very spicy finish. I don’t pick up the East Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops but they likely are what lifts this to excellence.
White Christmas (5.8% ABV, 8 IBUs)
A Belgian white ale brewed with cinnamon (instead of the traditional coriander), nutmeg, and orange peel, Spalt Spalter Noble hops barely show among the malt and wheat. But the spice mix adds a nice complexity as a sense of dried fruit emerges.
WINTER CLASSICS:
Winter Lager (5.6% ABV, 22 IBUs)
Heavy on the malt, with modest hopiness, this has a much darker color than I expected from a lager (but then the company’s press material describes it as a wheat bock). Brewed with orange peel, ginger, and cinnamon, the nose is malty with spicy herb notes. The palate follows a creamy head with citrus, spicy herb, malty notes, and a slightly peppery finish.
Old Fezziwig Ale (5.9% ABV, 25 IBUs
Spicy & bold, this festive ale is bursting with the flavors of the season. With a full body and spice it’ll help those long winter nights pass more quickly. The rich malt character (from Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Munich 10, and chocolate malt) creates notes of sweet toffee, caramel, & roasty chocolate while spices like cinnamon, ginger and orange peel dance on the tongue (thank you Hallertau Mittelfrueh, and Tettnang Tettnanger hops) bringing with them the celebratory spirit of the season (and a nice touch of anise).
Holiday Porter (5.8% ABV, 40 IBUs)
Deep, rich and roasted, this festive porter balances a smooth malty sweetness (accented by flaked oats) with an earthy hoppiness (East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, Spalt Spalter varieties). Nicely roasted with a firm impact, it is ideal as a winter warmer.
Chocolate Bock (5.8% ABV, 11 IBUs)
Smooth, rich, and dark with the robust flavor and creamy texture of chocolate. This subtly sweet brew is slowly aged on a bed of Proprietary blend of cocoa nibs from Ghana, Ecuador, and Madagascar, imparting flavors of chocolate, honey, and vanilla. Lager Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter hops; Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, and Munich 10
Sparkling Ale (4.8% ABV, 20 IBUs)
I found the Sparkling Ale – a style unfamiliar to me (the press material says it is the brewers’ take on a rare historic Scottish style – to be a pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect the effusive effervescent that accompanied the light hoppy character of the Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, and Spalt Spalter Noble hops with pale and a slightly tart quality (most likely rom the acidulated malts). Tightly beaded bubbles contribute to the dry finish.
LIMITED RELEASE:
Hoppy Red (5.7% ABV, 44 IBUs)
True to its name and specs, this one presented a nice balance of citrusy hops and caramelized malts. A slightly resinous, piney character provided a firm impact on the, while cherry and creamy malt lead to a crisp finish.
SMALL BATCH:
Honey Queen “Braggot” (7.5% ABV, 10 IBUs)
This one is really a unique concoction from the Samuel Adams brewers. It is essentially a mix blend of mead (honey wine) and ale, a style known as a “Braggot” harkening back to medieval times (something like 12th century). It apparently is even mentioned in the works of Chaucer! This one uses a combination of Orange Blossom, Clover and Alfalfa honeys. And that honey is quite prominent, as is a spicy complexity from East Kent Goldings, Strisselspalt and Aramis hops. and to create this unique Braggot. I even pick up a floral note from the added chamomile and a pleasantly sour note from the acidulated malts.
Fat Jack Double Pumpkin Ale (8.5 ABV 25 IBU)
With more than 28 pounds of pumpkin per barrel, accented with more of those East Kent Golding and Fuggles hops and smoked malts, this selection from the Small Batch catalogue shows intense classic pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. In the nose, a nice balance of pumpkin, spice and cream precede flavors of roasted and smoked malts, with hints of molasses and caramel; all delivered with a smooth mouth feel.
Merrymaker Gingerbread Stout (9.0% ABV, 25 IBUs)
Another holiday seasonal “ale brewed with spices,” a rich, roasted stout character is accented with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and ginger. These intense aromas are lifted by citrusy East Kent Golding and Fuggles hops. For me, the mouth shows more of the roasted and coffee notes while the spices recede to the background and are welcomed with a cherry-like finish. An ideal winter warmer.