Samuel Adams Belgian Red
Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company)

 

 

Had on-tap at the brewery's Jamaica Plain location in a 7 oz. sampling glass.

A--Deep ruby-brown dark brown sugar with a cherry swirl body, with a quarter inch maybe tan fizzy head that faded to a ring.

S--Round honey and malt notes go deep while the spicy yeast dances toward the top. Lots and lots of clove. The young woman sitting to the right of me at our tasting table exclaimed, "This smells like ham!" And so it was.

T--More honey-baked and molasses flavors along with clove and pepper. For such a big beer alcohol-wise there really wasn't all that much going in terms of complexity. Some warming from the alcohol, giving it a brandy or cognac feel at points. But mostly it's pepper and clove in the yeast combined with honey and sweet malt. If you've had Troegs Mad Elf, it's like that except without the cherries.

M&D--Mouthfeel was very good, plenty of lively bubbles to cut through the thicker flavor profile, without being watery or thin. Drinkability was ok though I wouldn't go to the ends of the earth for this brew.

Certainly nothing /wrong/ with this beer, just not very exciting given how amped I was to try something they only brewed for tasting on these tours. Still, the price was right (free), and it was my second favorite of the three we tried (other two were Boston Lager and White Ale).