Samuel Adams Merry Maker Gingerbread Stout
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

 

(From old notes)

Black liquid.

Nice tan head; minimal lace.

Pleasant cinnamon/nutmeg nose.

Medium thick mouthfeel.

Nice cinnamon flavor, simple but effective.

Merry Maker Gingerbread Stout brewed by Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams), with an ABV of 9.00% This English Sweet/Milk Stout pours out of a 22oz bottle into a pint beer glass a deep brown color with a nice off white head. This brew has the look of coffee, not saying that is a bad thing. The smell is rich with spices, cinnamon and ginger. Then a nice mix of roasted grains and malts. Mild on hop bitterness, in the smell of this brew. So far this is a nice inviting brew. Now for the taste, it is Bold with flavors. You pick up on a lot roasted grains and malts. Then a nice amount of spices, the cinnamon and ginger is a nice touch to this brew. The body of Merry Maker Gingerbread Stout is a medium to heavy, but not to heavy. It is really hard to pick up on the 9.00% ABV in this brew, it is just that smooth. This brew would go nice with dinner or on a cold winter day. The mouth feel is Bold, Roasted, Spicy, Rich, Clean Smooth and Refreshing. Overall I am going to give Merry Maker Gingerbread Stout a 4.50 out of 5. I would definitely look this brew up again giving the opportunity to. Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams), did a super nice job with this Stout.

 

 

It tastes like Christmas in my mouth.

Tastes exactly like liquid gingerbread with a bitter dry finish. Not my thing.

Appearance: Deep, black body, with a massive, coarse, tan head, which retains very well. Thick sheets of unbroken lacing adorns the glass walls.

Aroma: The aroma presents spiced Christmas dark bread, with the ginger and cloves being forward.

Taste: Opens with a surge of spices and dark bread, like the spiced breads made for Christmas.Prominent among the spices are ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. The earthy notes may be from the nutmeg, or perhaps from the hops. The ABV of 9% is very well concealed, presenting no taste, and only a slight warming. Though East Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops are present, they offer little in the way of presence, other than a counterbalance to the sweet and spicy flavors. There is a slight cola-like aftertaste.

Mouth feel: Very rich and full, soft and quite pleasing.

Drinkability/notes: Quite wonderful, the blend of the coffee and dark malt is quite harmonious and pleasing. This would be a fine dessert beer.

Presentation: Packaged in a custom twenty-two ounce brown glass bomber, with a pry-off crown, served in a New Belgium Brewing chalice.

 

Poured cold from a 22-ounce "bomber" into a snifter. Deep opaque chestnut-colored body, with a tentative pour yielding a finger or so of dark tan head that left some spotty lacing. This sample had a couple of years on it, and it stood the test of time quite well. Big aromas and flavors of dark caramel, dark-roast coffee beans, molasses, and licorice, with clove and cinnamon dominating the spice profile. Medium in mouthfeel, with surprisingly little alcohol warmth. There is a ton of spiciness on the finish, mainly clove and nutmeg with their attendant astringence. Seems to be well attenuated, without much residual sweetness for the style. This is an excellent to outstanding beer, and would make a fine accompaniment to a holiday meat-and-cheese tray.

 

Poured into a clear mug, the appearance was dark brown close to black color with a two finger's worth of white foamy head that took it's time in dissipating. Left a messy foamy lace running here and there.
The aroma had some milk chocolate, mild "winter spices" of allspice, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, cardamom, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. Little bit of earthiness at the end.
The flavor was moderately sweet with a gentle spicy contour rolling inwards for a slight balance. Aftertaste seemed to have a blend of milk and dark chocolate with all of those previously mentioned spices laying down in this one.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sessionability about it. Spices didn't get in the way in any sort of overly harsh way that I sometimes expect in "spicy beers." Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt on par.
Overall, almost a Winter Warmer in it's make up, but well, honestly, I didn't mind this one for me, possibly again as there's not much of this style in my state. Might be better during colder weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dark brown opaque with three fingers of brown head that lasts about ten minutes. Nice rings of lace on the glass.
Smell is spicy with dark roasted malts.
Taste is ginger cloves cinnamon and nutmeg in that order. Lots of rich dark malts and a bit of the Fuggles at the end.
Mouthfeel is medium to full with good carbonation. Finish is bittersweet and medium dry.
Overall a fine spiced Stout. Maybe a bit high on the abv at 9.0%.

Caveat Emptor: I'm not a stout aficionado so I'm likely off

I really enjoyed. Subtle gingerbread taste with an accompaniment of spices and subtle hops. IMAO, a good gateway stout; b/c of this I will likely move on to others... worth a try.