Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Impressed with Boston Beer Co.'s overall lineup, I was excited to try this, my first Sam Adams seasonal. It poured an amber, mahogany color. A small head with good retention, active carbonation and tight lacing rounded out the beer's appearance. A sweet malt odor dominated the smell, accompanied by a hint of hops and indeterminate spices. The same malt presence was evident in the taste, along with the complementary hops and spices. It actually tasted like the Boston Lager loaded with choice spice and maybe a little more hop presence. The medium body fit the lager style and made for a decent mouthfeel. All around, this was a very enjoyable winter lager, and an excellent representative of the Sam Adams line.