Samuel Adams Triple Bock
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Samuel Adams Triple BockSamuel Adams Triple Bock
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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:
974
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.
 
Rated: 4.13 by smi69 from New York

Jul 06, 2023
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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
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, 2023
Photo of bgenzoli72
Reviewed by bgenzoli72 from Washington

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, 2023
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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
'94: 4.5/4.5/4.5/4.5/4.5
'97: 4.25/3/1.5/2/2
Dec 12, 2022
Photo of edthehead
Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland

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, 2022
 
Rated: 2.34 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Nov 26, 2021
 
Rated: 2.48 by alexsergio from New York

Oct 30, 2021
 
Rated: 1.82 by SadMachine from New Jersey

Oct 17, 2021
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Reviewed by digboy from New Hampshire

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, 2020
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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
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, 2020
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Reviewed by Evercandy from Nevada

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, 2020
 
Rated: 3.25 by fossage78 from Massachusetts

Feb 23, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Nov 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by smartassboiler from Illinois

May 30, 2019
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Reviewed by ArrogantB from Colorado

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, 2019
 
Rated: 3 by KMcGrath from Massachusetts

Dec 03, 2018
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Reviewed by JayWolf from Illinois

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, 2018
 
Rated: 3.97 by SargeC from California

Aug 06, 2018
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Rated 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
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
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Reviewed by WickedBeer from Alabama

3.87/5  rDev +30.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This bad boy is seeing the light of day for the first time in 23 years. 1994 Brew Reserve, 8.45 fl oz. very interested in this year’s as I’ve heard nothing but horror stories about the ‘97 bottles...

Opening this bottle was the real experience here. The cork was soaked all the way through and ridiculously fragile. Had to angle the bottle and pull it out piece by piece with tweezers, as the plastic piece broke right off from the cork when I initially tried popping it open. Finally got it all out with nothing falling into the beer itself.

It pours pitch black and thick, like motor oil. No head, no lace, no carb.

The aromas are full of stinging booze, molasses, and dark fruit, with noticeable hints of soy and chocolate ringing through as well. It’s not an unpleasant smell by any means, but it’s strength is a bit overwhelming.

Tons of dark fruit, chocolate, and molasses,. Actually a very sweet beer, can’t imagine how it was fresh. Even has characteristics of a dessert wine or cordial. You get some small tastes of coffee and oak present as well. So much going on, definitely a slow sipper.

Thick, syrupy, and very sticky, a little too much so. Definitely no carb, with a nice light boozy burn that makes sure it’s felt all the way down the hatch.

Never did I think I’d get to review this beer. At $40 for the bottle, I thought I got it for a pretty decent price (even for a 8.45oz bottle)... a true classic from Sam Adams, one of the original “extreme” beers that was released to the public. Amazing to see how not only beer has transformed, but how this particular bottle has survived over 20 years. An awesome experience.
Jan 08, 2018
Samuel Adams Triple Bock from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating: 69 out of 100 with 974 ratings