beer_name: Samuel Adams Winter Lager
text: Poured from the bottle into my lovely Hold Steady pint glass. Appearance: Pours a black cherry soda color, with a small but sturdy-looking head. Not much lacing once we get started, though. Smell: I'm hardly picking anything up on the smell. A bit of caramel, but not much more. Taste: Some caramel sweetness, with a hint of nutmeg, which is countered by some orange bitterness. Decent earthy wheat taste. It's fairly balanced and pleasant, but all pretty muted. Mouthfeel: Smooth and sturdy, with just the right amount of carbonation. Easy drinking. Drinkability/Overall: It's certainly drinkable, and I wouldn't turn it down if offered to me, but it's just not that interesting. Does not compare favorably to Southern Tier's Old Man Winter, which I'd had the day before. There's nothing at all unpleasant about it, it's just tame.