Samuel Adams Cinder Bock
Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company)

Reviewing this beer from memory. My thirty eighth brew reviewed from these guys. Like most beers from Boston Beer Company, also known as Sam Adams, this is just ok.

RB transfer

Chestnut color, thin off-white head. Aroma of ham and caramel malt. Malty, smoked taste. Moderate, balancing bitterness.Smooth finish. Interesting mix of styles.

For the finale of New Samuel Adams Beer Sunday, It's Gonna Be a Long Trail (Week 706), I am delving into the depths. This was one that I hunted down & then set aside, forgotten until today. Kenny Longshore was a fellow plankowner & shipmate aboard the USS Normandy (CG-60) as well as a fellow member of the SDBG. We attended the 25-year reunion in Norfolk, VA in 2014 & upon returning to his home in Whidbey Island, WA, he laid down for a nap & never awoke. I went back to Norfolk to assist in scattering his ashes at sea from the fantail of the Normandy & his widow was telling me about how much he enjoyed following my exploits. When I returned home, his ghost was awaiting me, perched atop a box of beer near my kitchen door & he is a regular visitor when I am drinking at home. We are joined by other fallen shipmates & even my late Pops on occasion, but Kenny is a regular. He kept pointing down towards the box upon which he was perched & it suddenly dawned on me.

From the Bottle: "Enjoy it now or age it to further develop rich and unique flavors"; "Hops: Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble Hops[;] Malts: Two-Row Harrington, Metcalfe, and Copeland Pale Malts, Caramel 60, and Smoked Malt"; "Smoky & Rich With A Bit of Mischief"; "Unusual and playful this half-breed brew begins with a rush of smoky, almost savory, aromas and flavors. The distinctive campfire smokiness of a Rauchbier lingers and begins to reveal the rich and velvety malt smoothness of a Double Bock with notes of toffee and caramel. This roguish brew transforms from its bold start to hearty and satisfying finish."; "At Samuel Adams we love experimenting. This series of limited edition brews represents some of our favorite small batch creations."

I was again hesitant in Pop!ping the cap on an ancient bottle like this, but once more, nothing untoward occurred. A C-line pour into my largest S.A. glass not only caused the nucleation as advertised, but it also evinced a pseudo-cascade! This led to the formation of three-plus (!) fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, deep-tan/light-brown head with excellent retention, leaving a load of lacing as it fell. Color was a gorgeous Coppery-Brown (SRM = > 17, < 22), reminiscent of an old flame's natural hair color. 8=O Nose had a subtle smokiness, and as the new Style Guide points out, the smokiness can/may/will die down over time. Still, this smelled like a country ham being readied for the pressure cooker, along with potatoes & green beans. Nomnomnom! Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, but for a Bock, it was on the light side. The taste was smokier than the nose had led me to expect, akin to the Aecht Schlenkerla Urbock or Doppelbock, some of the smokiest Rauchbiers available. In addition to the smokiness, it was also rather sweet, with tastes of milk chocolate and caramel, making for a very interesting taste. Mmm. Finish was in that Twilight Zone realm between semi-sweet & semi-dry. The smokiness lent it a dryness, but the base Bock was fairly sweet. I will leave it to yinz & the beer to duke it out. I am going to savor the remainder of the bottle in quiet contemplation.

 

 

Poured from the bottle into a glass.

Murky dark rust color.

Nice off-white head; strong lacing.

Smoke & bread-y malts in the nose. Enticing.

Medium mouthfeel.

Smoke up front in the flavor, then sweet malts on the back end. Not cloying; actually very enjoyable.

 

 

Looks odd, tastes good. Really sweet being malt forward, but being 9.4% it's easy to drink. If you like hoppy, you came to the wrong place. Worth a try if you've not experienced the Rauch Bock style.

 

 

 

 

L: Pours brilliant chestnut with a slight red tint. Produces a rocky 2” cream colored foam collar that leaves minimal lace.
S: Smoky with a hint of maple bacon
T: Bold smoke, sweet dark sugars, a touch of banana.
F: Chewy with below average carbonation and alcohol warming on the finish.
O: A sweet, big flavor packed beer.