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Samuel Adams Triple Bock
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
- From:
- Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 17.5%
- Score:
- 69
- Avg:
- 2.97 | pDev: 37.71%
- Reviews:
- 660
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jul 06, 2023
- Added:
- Jan 10, 1998
- Wants:
- 87
- Gots:
- 143
Though the little cobalt bottles still decorate the shelves today, this beer only had 3 vintage releases; 1994, 1995, and 1997. Brewed with two row malted barley, water, Noble hops and yeast, along with maple syrup, it was then aged several months in oak whiskey barrels before being bottled. At the time it was considered the world's strongest beer, and a precursor of today's Extreme Beers.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Vdubb86:
Reviewed by Vdubb86 from Illinois
1.69/5 rDev -43.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1
1.69/5 rDev -43.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1
Served in a pint glass
This is the last beer of Swill Fest 2010
1997 vintage, I suppose I should thank TMoney2591 for sharing
The appearance is dark with twinges of red and yellow on the edges, though I now fear it because I can smell this potent concoction before making the attempt to. The smell is of strong sesame oil, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and the turd that plopped out from it. This is strong in all sorts of horrid ways. The taste is of powerful horse manure and stir fry gone wrong. The stir fry of the damned consists of the rotting remains of chairman Mao along with the absolute horrid reduced flavors of the dead laborers used to fill the Great Wall of China. The burning is of horrid motor oil and rubbing alcohol. This isn't good, I wish I had never seen this.
Sep 27, 2010This is the last beer of Swill Fest 2010
1997 vintage, I suppose I should thank TMoney2591 for sharing
The appearance is dark with twinges of red and yellow on the edges, though I now fear it because I can smell this potent concoction before making the attempt to. The smell is of strong sesame oil, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and the turd that plopped out from it. This is strong in all sorts of horrid ways. The taste is of powerful horse manure and stir fry gone wrong. The stir fry of the damned consists of the rotting remains of chairman Mao along with the absolute horrid reduced flavors of the dead laborers used to fill the Great Wall of China. The burning is of horrid motor oil and rubbing alcohol. This isn't good, I wish I had never seen this.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Seanlor from New Jersey
4.59/5 rDev +54.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
4.59/5 rDev +54.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
It's 2023, and I still have an entire case of the 1994 "vintage" Sam Adams Triple Bock. I loved it when I first tasted it, and I put away a case as an investment. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to sell it with all of the regulations surrounding the sale (even private sale) of beer.
Jun 22, 2023Reviewed by bgenzoli72 from Washington
4.99/5 rDev +68%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.99/5 rDev +68%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Dark Caramel gives way to warm notes of barrel aged smoothness. Unexpected reddish notes, not dark as one might expect. Fermented cherries and a medium dark chocolate notes on front of tongue. Velvet syrupy notes as it swishes the mouth, with a feeling of an aged Madeira wine. Some say it's like a Port wine, but this is much deeper, much smoother. This is a complex, sweet beer meant to be sipped and savored, very slowly. It starts out as one beer experience, but over the course of 20 minutes (give yourself this amount of time to fully enjoy it), it will lead you to an entirely different experience.
Final notes: Notes of stone fruit in here. Strong and proud. Dark, caramel and brown butter. Aged Cherries. Medium Dark Chocolate. Warming, like an old leather-clad library with a roaring fireplace. The beer that started it all. Madiera and old Oak.
Apr 07, 2023Final notes: Notes of stone fruit in here. Strong and proud. Dark, caramel and brown butter. Aged Cherries. Medium Dark Chocolate. Warming, like an old leather-clad library with a roaring fireplace. The beer that started it all. Madiera and old Oak.
Rated by Ristaccia from Nebraska
4.5/5 rDev +51.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +51.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
'94: 4.5/4.5/4.5/4.5/4.5
'97: 4.25/3/1.5/2/2
Dec 12, 2022'97: 4.25/3/1.5/2/2
Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland
3.63/5 rDev +22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.63/5 rDev +22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
1994 vintage, still great.
Dark brown appearance with a sparse tan head that recedes slowly to a collar, low retention, no lacing. Maple, whiskey, leather, tobacco. Moderate to light body, light carbonation likely due to age.
Jan 17, 2022Dark brown appearance with a sparse tan head that recedes slowly to a collar, low retention, no lacing. Maple, whiskey, leather, tobacco. Moderate to light body, light carbonation likely due to age.
Reviewed by digboy from New Hampshire
4/5 rDev +34.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +34.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A friend had a bottle of 1994 vintage had been previously opened and recorked some time back, so that's out there.
That it poured a deep reddish-blown, almost black color. The aroma is richly sweet, like a concentrated tincture of dried cherries. The flavor is similar with lots of port wine character - dried cherry and prunes, leather and a bit of tobacco and molasses in the finish. Feel is dense and syrup-like, smooth and not bitter at all - again, like a tawny port. The alcohol was very present but not burning. I am sure this has lost some of its original character after all these years and having been opened before, but reading others here it appears to have held up very well. It was an honor to try such a legend.
I am giving it all fours as I have no idea if this is what the beer is supposed to be like. I enjoyed it enough to warrant a 4.
Oct 19, 2020That it poured a deep reddish-blown, almost black color. The aroma is richly sweet, like a concentrated tincture of dried cherries. The flavor is similar with lots of port wine character - dried cherry and prunes, leather and a bit of tobacco and molasses in the finish. Feel is dense and syrup-like, smooth and not bitter at all - again, like a tawny port. The alcohol was very present but not burning. I am sure this has lost some of its original character after all these years and having been opened before, but reading others here it appears to have held up very well. It was an honor to try such a legend.
I am giving it all fours as I have no idea if this is what the beer is supposed to be like. I enjoyed it enough to warrant a 4.
Reviewed by melitameister from New York
3.57/5 rDev +20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.57/5 rDev +20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Purchased this 1995 Brew Reserve new for $3.19. Then it sat quietly and somewhat lost in a 50-degree Cellar for 25 years.
A bright ruby edge tops the opaque purplish black brew. Smell is a nice alcoholic prune juice that develops into much more. Taste is like and as sweet as prune juice with a tutti frutti blend of candy sugar, dried fruits, cherries, banana, a bit of grapefruit and some nice big bitterness growing to give balance. Feel is rich and creamy.
Enjoyed this more than expected when sipped quite slowly. Certainly a huge overly sweet brew that I find an exotic trip.
Apr 26, 2020A bright ruby edge tops the opaque purplish black brew. Smell is a nice alcoholic prune juice that develops into much more. Taste is like and as sweet as prune juice with a tutti frutti blend of candy sugar, dried fruits, cherries, banana, a bit of grapefruit and some nice big bitterness growing to give balance. Feel is rich and creamy.
Enjoyed this more than expected when sipped quite slowly. Certainly a huge overly sweet brew that I find an exotic trip.
Reviewed by Evercandy from Nevada
5/5 rDev +68.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +68.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I am probably the largest single consumer of Sam Adams Triple Bock. My all 5 rating is a little bias. I loved every single bottle that I drank. Reason I claim to be the largest single consumer. Is my friend owned a restaurant/bar in Ventura, California. The restaurant was told that they bought more cases then anybody in the tri-county (Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara county) area. My friend bought (I paid my friend for all the cases) every case and bottle was only for me. The wholesale price was $76.90 from Lagomarsino Distributor. I should have bought the last case that Lagomarsino had.
Mar 02, 2020Reviewed by ArrogantB from Colorado
3.58/5 rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
1994 vintage. Got a pour at a share and for 25 years old I was surprised that this beer did not taste bad. Very strong, very sweet, really no soy for me. I thought it was like a super strong stout. On the other hand I couldn't drink my whole sample.
Apr 08, 2019Reviewed by JayWolf from Illinois
4.9/5 rDev +65%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
4.9/5 rDev +65%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
I loved this beer. FYI Monastic Triple are my favorite beers. So this ones thick heady body, rich flavors, aroma and alcohol percentage felt like home to me. Damn shame they don't make this one anymore.
Aug 16, 2018Rated by cook_a_wolf from New York
3.31/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.31/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Ran across a bottle in 94,can't say it was great beer,but as a liquor it was nice. Tried the 95 and it was not worth the cork
Mar 25, 2018
Samuel Adams Triple Bock from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating:
69 out of
100 with
974 ratings
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