Beer Man: Tasty Sparkling Ale adds light touch to holiday sampler
Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world.
This week: Samuel Adams Sparkling Ale
Boston Beer Co., Boston
The Samuel Adams holiday gift 12-pack differs from most in that the majority of its six beers are Christmas holiday or winter seasonal beers. Some are only available in the 12-pack.
The sampler includes Winter Lager, Chocolate Bock, Holiday Porter, Old Fezziweg, a regular Samuel Adams Lager and Sparkling Ale, with the latter offered for the first time.
I have reviewed all of these previously, except for Sparkling Ale, and they are all excellent beers while being very different from each other. The new 4.8% ABV Sparkling Ale, however, is a bit puzzling. The name conjures up images of a beer with fizzy carbonation such as Champagne or Asti Spumante, but turns out to be nothing like that.
It's a golden ale that formed an impressive white foamy head while leaving extra-thick lacing on the sides of the glass. The head shrunk to about a half-inch and stayed for the whole session. It gains points purely on the craftsmanship of the beer.
The aroma was of fresh grain, light floral hops and a hint of lemon, which carried over as the main flavors of the ale. The malts were soft in the mouthfeel, with a medium bitterness and a clean finish. The carbonation was unusual — slightly prickly on the tongue, but not in the overall mouthfeel.
It's a tasty beer and while it doesn't ring any Christmas-style beer bells, it's a nice respite from the dark or spiced beers in the sampler. Overall, the Samuel Adams holiday 12-pack is still the best on the shelves as far as variety, quality and fitting into the holiday season.
Another winner for a variety gift pack, although none are holiday related, is from Ommegang, based in Cooperstown, N.Y. It features eight 12-ounce bottles with two apiece of Rare Vos, Gnomegang, Hennepin and Witte. Ommegang specializes in Belgian-style ales, and its variety pack is a good overall view of different Belgian styles — witbier, blonde ale, amber and saison, all superbly brewed.
Both Samuel Adams and Ommegang are widely distributed throughout the United States.
Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability by mail. Contact Todd Haefer at beerman@postcrescent.com. To read previous Beer Man columns, click here.