Sam Adams came up in a recent discussion in which we wondered if they listened to their customers, since  overwhelming disdain for a particular beer has been expressed. It seems that Sam Adams’ still has their ear to the ground since Noble Pils was voted into distribution by the public, and from the quality of the beer, I would be willing to be that Sam Adams has decided to step up their game as more (1400+) craft breweries are now a part of the once exclusive craft beer industry.

The Pour:

Sam Adams pours like a Pilsner should.  The golden straw color beverage is crystal clear and teeming effervescent carbonation that bolsters a thick two finger head the rapidly dissolves leaving behind thin lacing.

The Nose:

Unlike a Macro Pilsner, the Noble Pils offers a rich aroma.  The beer is grassy on the nose, with strong lemony hop aromas.  There is spicy pepper aroma, and flowery breadiness going on.  The beer is overall a very earth beer.  The aroma reminded me quite a bit of a saison minus any distinct Belgian qualities.

The Taste:

For a Pilsner, the Noble Pils packs a delicious hop punch.  The noble hops used inpart a delicate spicy and very citrus bitterness not typical to the style, but at the same time don’t overwhelm the palate and flavors of the yeast.  The beer is extremely bready.  If you’ve ever smelled a lager yeast culture, that is how this beer tastes.  The malty backbone is in the foreground, but the sweet balance is close to on target.  I think it could have used just a bit more.  The crisp dry finish leaves the lemony grassy bitterness clinging to the back of the tongue.

Overall thought:

Well done Sam Adams!  This beer boasts of quality and brewing passion.  I was surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.

Nate’s Rating:

Overall Satisfaction: ★★★½☆ 

Among Other Pilsners: ★★★★☆ 

Among Other American Pilsners: ★★★★½ 

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Sam Adam’s is good right?  Considered a craft brewery?

Regardless of how a beer geek answers those questions, typically some degree of respect is levied for the brewing giant that holds big brewers to a higher standard.  Besides, it had been quite a while since I sampled something from the Boston Brewing Company’s typical line of beers.  I needed to connect with my roots. After all, I hold a deep respect for the Boston Brewing company.  They put out several world class beers:  Utopias, Chocolate Bock, and their Hallertau Imperial Pilsner, to name a few.  Many will credit Jim Koch for raising the bar when it came to American Beer.

Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier,  the Sampler came with two Cherry Wheats.  I wish I had noticed that in the store.  I’ll put those bad boys away for when I have a bad cold and am craving the flavor of a Luden’s Throat Drop.  But I was  ready to try the others:

While the Dunkelweizen was certainly the best, there was a flavor in it, and a few of the others (most notably the Brown Ale and Oktoberfest) that I just couldn’t shake.  In fact, as I drank it I wondered, “am I crazy for tasting this unwelcome and offensive flavor?”  The flavor I picked up on was the funky sweet flavor that comes from the use of fermentable additives.  I am thinking of maltose syrup or other such agents.  The same flavor I have picked up in other beers that try for craft status and/or higher alcohol content (i.e. Baltika Extra 9, which is is horrid compared to these Sam Adams products).

It had been quite a while since I indulged in some of Sam Adams’ standard line up–the last product I had was their Double Bock (and found it to be tasty!).  But after drinking this batch, I asked, “what is going on here?”  Sam Adams helped convert this Light American Lager guzzler into a certifiable beer geek.  Have things changed, have I, or both?

I was sorely disappointed with the pack, yet still esteem the Boston Brewing company and hope to get my hands on the coveted Utopias one day.  I did hope that any readers of this site could weigh in…did you pick up on this sugary syrupy, stale flavor that I did?  Or  did I have an bad/old case.  Or am I just crazy?

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