Sam Adams Rebel IPA reborn?

https://www.samueladams.com/craft-beers/rebel-family/rebel-ipa

 

This has me the most interested:

"To dial up the hop impression, the newly reborn Rebel IPA removed caramel malt from the grain bill and now is brewed only with Samuel Adams special two-row malt blend."

My only beef with Sam Adams is that, at least for my palate, I often find them a bit heavy handed on the caramel malt taste.

 

Interesting, I've always wondered what it was like to work for them. What did you do, and how was it?

If the answer is too long, I don't want to derail your thread, so feel free to send me a message.

Thanks!

I think Boston Lager especially can come off as overly caramel-y (not a word, I know), but more so with age. When fresh, the Noble hops really pop in this one, and the caramel malts complement the beer, rather than overpower it.

But, as we're all more than well aware of, hops fade fast. And since this beer isn't IPA-level hoppy, those caramel malts are even more prominent.

 

Agree completely, and that's the beer I was most thinking of when I posted (that and their Oktoberfest). People often post about how the lager tastes much better at the source for the reasons you cite, and I'm curious to try that some time.

 

From memory, it's pretty incredible from the Jamaica Plain brewery. I also distinctly remember the Winter Lager being the best I've ever had, like a Christmas cookie.

And unlike another lager, say a German Pils, if the hops fade you still have a nice sweet Pils malt backbone. Caramel malts standing out are less than stellar in my opinion.

To play devil's advocate, doesn't Celebration use caramel malts? That's a beer known for its balance and drinkability. And it also holds up well over time, rather than becoming too sweet.

 

Why not start a thread by being nasty?

 

Every time they make a decent beer their ruin it with a recipe change or discontinue it (i.e.- Noble Pils) so I can't imagine change is a good thing. Rebel is an okay option instead of Harpoon at plenty of shitty bars so I will probably try it at some point but weird anyone would be so defensive about a company that will have no problem selling whatever crap they churn out anyhow. No one here is the target audience.

 

Not true – some of his target audience (such as I) blend in on here. I’m always interested in what Jim Koch is churning out.

 

Nobody here ever wants an affordable 12-pack of a consistent, quality IPA!

 

In the stores now?

 

Good beer always interests me. Double Bock, octoberfest, noble pils, the barrel room collection.

 

Ha! People want to wait in line or chase stores - those r the only good beers right??

 

Someone who disagrees with you makes "idiot comments" on a bb designed to be an open exchange of ideas and opinions. I agree that internally and externally BA has a nasty element, but you can be nice about it.

 

If Sam Adams starts making quality IPAs, great. I'll believe it when I see (smell and taste) it.

 

I'm looking forward to trying the new version, I'm just not sure why they're keeping the same name.