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Samuel Adams Boston Lager
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)


- From:
- Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Vienna Lager
Ranked #56 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #23,235 - Avg:
- 3.73 | pDev: 14.21%
- Reviews:
- 2,905
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Yesterday at 03:04 PM
- Added:
- Apr 27, 2001
- Wants:
- 243
- Gots:
- 2,926
Four Ingredients. Painstakingly Chosen. Every year, we travel to Bavaria to hand-select Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops, and the high American plains for the finest two-row summer barley. We cultivate our own lager yeast and I personally sample every batch. All our hard work goes into brewing this distinctly flavorful and complex beer for you. Cheers!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bros:
None found.
Reviewed by Cholla from New Jersey
5/5 rDev +34%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +34%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This is Boston Lager Remastered. I think I like the older version better. It’s not a bad beer. It’s easy to drink and very quaffable. So give it a try. You might like it. Cheers!
Yesterday at 03:04 PMMore User Ratings:
Reviewed by Sluggo1987 from Michigan
2.83/5 rDev -24.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.83/5 rDev -24.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This is the new Remastered version
At first glance, it's obviously much lighter in color. It also has much less on the nose. The taste is aggresively hop-forward, almost as much as a Pale Ale, and has almost no maltiness to it. This gives way to bitterness from the hops and finishes slightly sour. This is not the Boston Lager I've enjoyed for almost 20 years. If I wanted hops and a lack of malt character, I would have bought a pale ale. Nothing gold can stay.
Saturday at 04:52 PMAt first glance, it's obviously much lighter in color. It also has much less on the nose. The taste is aggresively hop-forward, almost as much as a Pale Ale, and has almost no maltiness to it. This gives way to bitterness from the hops and finishes slightly sour. This is not the Boston Lager I've enjoyed for almost 20 years. If I wanted hops and a lack of malt character, I would have bought a pale ale. Nothing gold can stay.
Reviewed by dbl_delta from Pennsylvania
3.88/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bottle into pint glass. Pours a deep honey color with a persistent off-white head. Decent lacing. Initial impression is roasted malts, light caramel, a bit of hops, and a slight spiciness. Mouthfeel is medium and quite smooth. Finish fades to slightly sweet maltiness. Overall, a very nicely done lager.
Oct 23, 2023Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota
3.77/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle. Date notch is December for best by. Remastered version.
Clear, medium amber colored body. Thin white head that persists. Leaves behind spots and short strings of lacing.
Aroma is mostly toasted malts, with some floral hops and a spice note.
Taste is malty, and has a spice note. Good amount of grassy hops. Sweet caramel and spice in the aftertaste.
Medium and smooth mouth feel. Some tongue numbing. Very good carbonation.
I have had this beer many times over the years, because of it being so ubiquitous, but finally getting around to writing a review. Maintains a certain standard and is quite reliable when tap selection is limited.
Oct 08, 2023Clear, medium amber colored body. Thin white head that persists. Leaves behind spots and short strings of lacing.
Aroma is mostly toasted malts, with some floral hops and a spice note.
Taste is malty, and has a spice note. Good amount of grassy hops. Sweet caramel and spice in the aftertaste.
Medium and smooth mouth feel. Some tongue numbing. Very good carbonation.
I have had this beer many times over the years, because of it being so ubiquitous, but finally getting around to writing a review. Maintains a certain standard and is quite reliable when tap selection is limited.
Rated by Gmorg from Ohio
5/5 rDev +34%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +34%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
My favorite go to beer.
Sep 06, 2023Reviewed by mrpoizun from South Dakota
3.3/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.3/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Well, they basically watered down the old Boston Lager, which didn't need any "remastering" in the first place. It tastes like the old version except less of everything: not as malty, not as hoppy, less of a cinnamon note.... Just less. I rate it compared to the old version so it's rated a lot less. They are obviously dumbing it down for the light beer drinker, which is a pathetic thing to do.
Sep 01, 2023Reviewed by moodenba from New York
3.69/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Sam Adams Boston Lager, new version, draft at a restaurant dinner in August, 2023. Overall a good beer with dinner. This is the newer version of Sam Adams. It has a good head and lacing; the body is a healthy amber. Flavor has a hint of roasted malt. The aftertaste has a minor pleasant bitterness. I can't directly compare to the "old" Sam. From memory, the new one is more to my taste, with a smoother flavor.
Aug 26, 2023Reviewed by Cathartes from Massachusetts
3.69/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This is the remastered version. Drinking on the national day of Massachusetts in my home state of Massachusetts.
12 oz can acclimated to 46°F and poured into a pilsner glass.
Pours a somewhat hazy, medium amber color, with a 2.5 finger, long lasting, foamy white head, leaving medium lacing.
Initial aroma is heavy on malt and yeast, some spicy phenols coming out. After agitating, the year dominates the foreground, with maybe a slightly caramely quality found hiding behind?
Initial taste before swallowing is a little bland, yeasty with a definite dry floral spice. After swallowing I'm met with a mild hop and malt bitterness, slightly soapy and not dry. Malt is not just bitter, presenting caramely and very bready. Some grainy taste to it.
Mouthfeel is frothy, due in what I suspect is in large part due to the satisfying carbonation. Additionally a little choppy or rough, but not at all bad, it's a lager and it feels like one.
Overall it's a solid beer, not trying to be anything it's not. Excellent if you want just a lager
Likely to buy for the national day of Boston and Massachusetts once a year, but not otherwise, I don't remember how much a single was, but I doubt it was cheap enough to make me reconsider. Sorry Sam Adams.
Aug 18, 202312 oz can acclimated to 46°F and poured into a pilsner glass.
Pours a somewhat hazy, medium amber color, with a 2.5 finger, long lasting, foamy white head, leaving medium lacing.
Initial aroma is heavy on malt and yeast, some spicy phenols coming out. After agitating, the year dominates the foreground, with maybe a slightly caramely quality found hiding behind?
Initial taste before swallowing is a little bland, yeasty with a definite dry floral spice. After swallowing I'm met with a mild hop and malt bitterness, slightly soapy and not dry. Malt is not just bitter, presenting caramely and very bready. Some grainy taste to it.
Mouthfeel is frothy, due in what I suspect is in large part due to the satisfying carbonation. Additionally a little choppy or rough, but not at all bad, it's a lager and it feels like one.
Overall it's a solid beer, not trying to be anything it's not. Excellent if you want just a lager
Likely to buy for the national day of Boston and Massachusetts once a year, but not otherwise, I don't remember how much a single was, but I doubt it was cheap enough to make me reconsider. Sorry Sam Adams.
Reviewed by kp7 from Massachusetts
3.27/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.27/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
It's unfortunate that they felt the need to change this beer as I found it nicely refreshing before. Is it more refreshing now? Maybe, but I don't think it tastes as good. There is a lack of the expected caramel notes and it's a bit too high on the hops and carb for me. Still better than aot of macro options though.
Aug 13, 2023Reviewed by MadMadMike from France
3.32/5 rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Anytime you set a standard, you are entitled to change that standard. Boston Lager wants to compete in a bigger market and tweaked their formula. That didn’t immediately make it a terrible beer. It’s a little more hoppy, a tad sweeter, a little more approachable.
If my airport restaurant choices are Bud Light or Boston Lager.,. well.,.
Aug 10, 2023If my airport restaurant choices are Bud Light or Boston Lager.,. well.,.
Samuel Adams Boston Lager from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating:
84 out of
100 with
9947 ratings
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