Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig AleSamuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
Ranked #67
ABV:
5.9%
Score:
85
Ranked #20,832
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 13.23%
Reviews:
1,487
Ratings:
3,894
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sunday at 02:54 PM
Added:
Oct 28, 2001
Wants:
  112
Gots:
  676
Old Fezziwig, Rich & Sweet: Like the character that inspired it. This beer is festive and worthy of a celebration all its own. Bursting with spices of the season, its full body accompanies a deep malt character, with notes of sweet toffee and rich, dark caramel.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Fitzmke:
Photo of Fitzmke
Rated by Fitzmke from Texas

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

Apr 07, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by netshark from Colorado

Sunday at 02:54 PM
 
Rated: 4.43 by saymike32 from New Jersey

Mar 02, 2024
Photo of littlebibs
Reviewed by littlebibs from New Hampshire

4.35/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Sam Adams Old Fezziwig Ale has been an old favorite over many winters..enjoy this spiced up brown style ale, a brilliant concoction if I ever had a Sam.. I enjoy all his fall-late autumn-winter brews but Old Fezziwig gets pretty near perfect grades from me, so many little notes ride along the pallet from the malty, bready & slight fruity notes, this is such a seasonal go to session for me, bought 10 six packs this year and so many seasonal double winter packs, obviously a winter time favorite!
Feb 22, 2024
 
Rated: 3.46 by sewerchewer from New York

Dec 31, 2023
 
Rated: 3.76 by sbradley41 from Pennsylvania

Dec 26, 2023
 
Rated: 3.94 by TP2MSU from Michigan

Dec 25, 2023
Photo of Otter-the-Beer-Man
Reviewed by Otter-the-Beer-Man from Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
L: Deep amber. Generous 2 finger head.
S: malty
T: strong maltiness. Subdued spices. Just like I remembered.
F: smooth
O: highly drinkable.

The classic lives up to the hype!
Dec 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3.67 by QuintusHorace from California

Dec 24, 2023
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

4.16/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a completely clear, medium amber/bronze color with a mild off-white head. SRM of 20.

Aroma: Strong aromas of bread, Amber malts and cherry, red fruit, and spices. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong favors of rich bread, caramel, red fruit, and cherry. Red fruit and spices behind it. Toasty and mildly sweet. (4.25)

Feel: Medium body, appropriate, carbonation, mildly sweet and spice. (4.25)

Compared to Shells Snowstorm 12/2023: Pours lighter, milder head. More brown bread, red fruit, spices. Less caramel and rye sweetness. More toasted and dry.

Compared to Sam Adams Winter Lager 1/2024: Pours nearly identical, stronger aromas. Less bread, caramel, cinnamon roll, and spices. More dark cherry, amber malt, molasses. Sweeter and more flavors. Winner: Fezziwig

Compared to Schells Bock 2/2024: Pours lighter, similar head. Stronger aromas. More sweet bread, cherry, cinnamon roll. Less brown bread and toasted notes. More flavorful and spiced.

Compared to Great Lakes Christmas Ale 2/2024: Pours darker, milder aromas. More brown bread and toasted notes. Less orange, gingerbread icing and honey. Milder.

Overall: It drinks in typical Sam Adams fashion. Rich bread, toasty, spiced with red fruit. Still dry and drinkable. I see the hype for this beer. This is absolutely excellent. (Rating: 4.16)
Dec 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4.09 by Overtonjd from New Jersey

Dec 17, 2023
Photo of tolar111
Reviewed by tolar111 from New York

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The look is a nice translucent reddish brown with a fluffy off-white head that quickly fades to a ring of foam around the top of the glass. The smell is faint, with an aroma of roasted malts and spices. The taste is of roasted malts, but I'm not picking up sweet toffee, as the label suggests. but there is a nice bitterness. There is a flavor component that lays thick on the tongue and I'm assuming it's the spices, whatever they are. The feel is great, just enough carbonation to spread the aroma and flavor without being over carbonated. This is my first go round with this beer and I like it, tasty and satisfying, but I don't know if I'd drink than more than one or two in a session, given the way the taste/aftertaste sticks around
Dec 15, 2023
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Sampling a 12 oz bottle picked up as a single recently for the Holiday Ales tasting event. Best before April on the notching system on the label.
Im pouring the bottle at cellar temperature into my Westmalle Chalice.
The beer pours a bright chestnut color with some rich ruby highlights, looks nice in the glass with light behind it. A short lived fizzy beige head of about .5cm foams up , this is completely gone after a few minutes.
Aroma on the beer is a bit of toffee, some light fruitiness (cherry?) and mild general spice, Id say nutmeg if forced to pick one, but its not a bold nose. No hop character and ABV totally hidden on the aroma.
First sip reveals a medium body with fine fairly gentle carbonation. Texture is smooth and this beer drinks pretty easy for the physical traits.
Flavor is some toffee again, a bit of a fruity note and some sweeter spice here. Difference is I do get some balancing hops that linger just a little after each swallow. In general its a very drinkable beer, not overly robust on nose or flavor, but certainly not flawed, Id enjoy this at a holiday setting, where I wasnt really thinking about the beers I was drinking.
Dec 15, 2023
Photo of Cholla
Reviewed by Cholla from New Jersey

5/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A very smooth and rich blend. Slight spice flavor that’s very easy on the palate. A nice holiday ale. Very enjoyable and very crushable. I recommend it. Cheers!
Dec 15, 2023
 
Rated: 3.74 by Iggy88 from Ohio

Dec 15, 2023
Photo of Historiker
Reviewed by Historiker from Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Brilliantly clear copper/ruby color. Brief Khaki head that dissipated to nothing quite fast. Minimal lacing.

Nose is barley, malts, brown bread, faint cherry, maybe some tea. A bit atypical when compared to the standard winter warmers like Great Lakes, but still nice.

Compared to the Fezziwig I had about 5 years ago, the taste is somewhat disappointing. I was hoping for the bold & sweet brew that I so enjoyed, and this isn't the same thing. This time around, there's caramel, malts, semi-tart cherry, slight sweetness & slight hoppy bitterness - good balance. Its not a bad beer, but it's also not the delightfully sweet brew that SA released before.

Mouthfeel is medium, carbonation is higher than I expected, but not bad.

Overall, while this is a fine beer, the "rich & spiced" description on the label just isn't accurate. I bought 2 singles, but I'd have been fine with one.
Dec 14, 2023
 
Rated: 4.64 by superwho24 from Arkansas

Dec 11, 2023
Photo of BubbleBobble
Reviewed by BubbleBobble from New York

3.97/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a crystal clear dark ruby red, brief tan 0.5" head that settles to a thin ring; nice streaky lacing. Nose is light caramel, metallic/minerality, bigger notes of fruity roasted barley, Melba toast. Taste follows with roasted barley up front with a very nice balance of malt sweetness; small amount of hop spice and rye bread. Sweetness lingers on the palate. Mouthfeel is on the light and crisp side which helps this from becoming cloying. Not as "rich & spiced" as the label advertises, but I'm fine with subtlety. Very glad to be able to pick up a single of this - would be happy with a few more!
Dec 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.08 by jake89

Dec 09, 2023
 
Rated: 3.82 by liquorpig from Massachusetts

Dec 09, 2023
Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 3894 ratings