Samuel Adams Winter Lager
For the 2006 version, a new label picture is present as opposed to what is shown here. Freshness date present via a vertical month indicator with a notch on the "for brewery-fresh taste, enjoy before month notched" month. I purchased this in mid-November and the "notch" is on April 2007. Appearance - Clear dark amber color, nice carbonation. Nothing really noteworthy. The carbonation is a healthy amount and providing a nice head. Not much of a lacing. Smell - Nice roasted malt aroma. A faint spice, but nothing overly "spicy". Taste - Nicely balanced. Lightly-flavored with a hint of something more. That "something more" would be a bit of cinnamon but nothing over-bearing. A nice "warm" feel to the beer that grows as the beer warms. Nice finish that isn't tainted with a hop bite. Mouthfeel - Suprisingly this beer has a body to it. Nice feel with a slick finish that makes you remember that you just had a sip. I would see this as a good point, given the style. Drinkability - This beer I would rank much higher than the Harpoon Winter Warmer. This is how a balanced warmer should be. They very much got this recipe correctly balanced. I would recommend this brew over any other Winter Warmer-class beer that is commonly available.