Samuel Adams Backwoods
Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company)

 

Served in a shaker pint glass at Beer Market - Schaumburg.

Sam Adams making a new beer that's not some sort of IPA or white? Sign me up! This stuff pours a dark midnight sienna-topaz topped by a finger of sandstone foam. The nose comprises mild maple syrup, light walnuts, mild toast, roasted malts, and a sprinkling of cocoa powder. The taste brings in more of the same, the inherent sweetness of the components really shining through, but without overtaking all else. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slightly dry finish. Overall, a solid porter. 'Nuff said, really.

 

what a great new beer from sam adams, anything but generic this one. it pours deep cocoa brown into a 10 oz. goblet with nearly two inches of really active tan foam. the nose on this is great, sweet milk chocolate, honey, molasses, and even fake maple syrup, this is super sweet smelling. slight bitterness from the dark roasted malts is the only really aromatic balance. the taste is the same, with the honey and mellow spice coming first. perhaps the first really sweet beer ive like through and through. this is sessionable despite its residual sugar. I love the chocolaty finish, the richness of the feel, and the thicker but silky texture on it. I could see myself drinking quite a bit of this stuff in the winter time, its one of those stick to your ribs type of brews, perfect for cold weather sipping.

 

 

As expected, this beer was on the sweeter end, having been brewed with maple syrup. Caramel flavor hints with the distinct taste of the featured ingredient, but also a smokiness that is prevalent. Little too sweet for me, but overall taste is what I expected from the description.

Quarter finger head with nice lacing however on a deep brown and likely clear body. Aroma of smoke, campfire, nuts, roasted malts, caramel. I thought the flavor was excellent and very unique overall. You can't have much a better example of slightly burnt caramel with additional notes of toffee, brown sugar, toasted malts, vanilla and wood. Medium body and light to medium body. It's more of a complex brown than a porter perhaps but still a good brew and more than one would expect from Samuel Adams at this point.