Samuel Adams Pale Ale
Presented in a 12oz. bottle with a "buy before Jan 04" date on the label. Had a slightly hazy orange color and a bubbly, fast-fading white head that left no lace. Aroma was of grainy malt tinged with toffee and buttery notes and floral hops. The taste had a lightly sweet malt presence and some caramel before a more assertive earthy herbal hoppiness built upon the palate, finishing with a clean, long bitterness. The hops profile clearly outdid the malt aspect of this beer. The feel was on the light side of medium-bodied and a bit thin despite the effervescent carbonation. Overall, a brew I found to be only marginally above the average. Drinkability is decent but I'd have liked it better if it had a stronger malt profile.