Sam Adams White Ale

[hops99]

I think this is a new seasonal for Sam Adams (maybe replacing the Spring Ale?), and I picked up a 12 pack on sale yesterday. The label describes it as "ale brewed with spices especially for Spring". Huh? I didn't know Spring had the market cornered on its own spices....

Anyway, it's an unfiltered wheat ale, and the appearance is rightfully cloudy - so far, so good. That's where the comparisons with real Belgian whites or good imitators (like Celis) end. The Sam White tasted very thin to me - I couldn't detect the "Spring spices", or any other flavor characteristics for that matter. This is a beer that I might drink on a 95 degree day in July, but otherwise I'd have little use for it.

[steveh]

Originally posted by hops99
I think this is a new seasonal for Sam Adams (maybe replacing the Spring Ale?), and I picked up a 12 pack on sale yesterday. The label describes it as "ale brewed with spices especially for Spring". Huh? I didn't know Spring had the market cornered on its own spices....

The Sam Summer Ale was always advertised as a Wit style and touted Grains of Paradise as an ingredient. Don't know if the White is the same recipe as the Summer.

The Sam Spring Ale has historically been a Kolsch style. Maybe marketing strategies are being reformatted at the Boston Beer Company?

S.

[Brownbeard]

I have had this, I would agree that it is not at all a good representaion of a Witbier. I do like SA's summer ale. That is the one with a hint of lemon in it. It is a great hot weather brew.

[skahtboi]

Originally posted by Brownbeard
I have had this, I would agree that it is not at all a good representaion of a Witbier. I do like SA's summer ale. That is the one with a hint of lemon in it. It is a great hot weather brew.

Never having really liked much that SA has to offer, I was surprised at how good the summer ale (at least last year's version) was. I , too, really liked it and found it to be a good hot weather brew!

[hops99]

I, too, enjoy the Sam Summer Ale - my wife and I drink a bunch of it in July and August. But, it's a far cry from the Summer Ale - these are definitely two different brews. The Summer is much crisper, and is not unfiltered.

As for a good local witbier, I still favor Celis White.