A little love for SA

I do think there are a few of them that are decent (Latitude 48, Pilsner), while some are just straight up terrible (Oktoberfest would top that list for me. Their pale ale, whitewater IPA and several others are crap as well.), and other that fall somewhere in between (Boston Lager, Irish Red).

 

. . .thought sure this was about the Spurs!?

no but seriously, SA puts out a few decent enough party/picnic beers.

 

SA Cream Stout is probably my favorite offering. I like and respect SA, but I rarely drink any because I just don't have any sentimental connection to the company, if that makes sense.

 

I'm a fan of SA's Noble Pils, and their Black Lager. Everything else from them is sort of mediocre to me.

 

I've said it before, I'll proudly buy a Sam Adams product anytime. I enjoy a good amount of their stuff. Grumpy Monk is pretty damn good, I wish it was available outside of their mixed cases.

 

I bought some Alpine Spring a few months back, was pleased with it

 

Boston Lager is a very solid offering. I also enjoy the Noble Pils, Winter seasonal, and a few others. They have some good stuff that's east to get and always there for you.

 

Makes perfect sense to me too. I drink local not just for the touchy-feely part of it, but also because it means that the beer is fresher, has less chance of being transported/stored in a non-optimal way, and is usually cheaper as well since there was little transportation or storage involved. When they are priced similarly, I know that the additional money not spent on transportation/storage either goes into the ingredients or the profits of local companies. When you live in WI you have so many great choices, it's hard to tear yourself away from the "Wisconsin aisle" and go explore the beers from other states...

 

Since Sam Adams is the 900 lb. gorilla of craft beer, it's everywhere and as a result, it is underappreciated.

 

This is precisely how I feel about SA. They are good enough that I would buy and enjoy them, but they are not my favorites so I would generally not buy them unless that's all that there is.

 

I really enjoyed the Latitude 48 last time I had it. The mix packs usually have one or so that I won't touch though making them not so great of a deal to me.

 

Boston Lager is a really damn good option for a session when I'm out at a "non-craft" bar. I appreciate that SA has grown to the size where I can find their offerings just about anywhere, especially now that I've moved to a place that has few solid craft beer bars. I'm a big fan of their Chocolate Bock as well, and the Cherry Chocolate Bock this year wasn't too shabby either.

 

Sam Adams gets less respect partially due to their size, and partially due to the large variety of beers that are brewed more for the casual beer drinker that wants something "craft" but isn't a beer obsessive geek like some people I know (I see one in the mirror daily). When he wants to, Koch puts out some very fine beer and in some cases world class experimental stuff (Utopias). SA is big enough to play in all the arenas and has my respect, even if I usually go for more exotic beer. If I want a decent beer at a fair price, I know I can usually count on SA stuff to be fresh, well made, and worth the price.

 

I usually pass over Sam in search of other beers, but I have yet to try an American pilsner I like more than Noble Pils.

 

Love Noble Pils, Boston Lager, Old Fezziweg, Grumpy Monk, Octoberfest, and more.


All excellent and affordable.

Props to Samuel Adams.

 

I usually buy at least one of their seasonal mixed 12 packs when they come out, the price is right and there are usually at least 3 or 4 beers in there I enjoy. The hopology pack (think that's what they called it) with 12 oz'ers of their newer IPA's (baltic IPA, tasman red, DIPA and a couple more) I thought was really good.

I've been one in the past that hasn't thought of SA that highly, but with their more recent efforts to expand more into IPA's and other styles (belgains, kolches, etc.) they're really starting to grow on me more for sure. They certainly don't deserve to be blown off like they often are on here.

 

I have really enjoyed their recent limited releases. Cinder Bock was killer.

 

I thought Whitewater was quite good and I'd pick it over Latitude every time.