Samuel Adams Hefeweizen
Got this as part of the SA Summer pack. Nowhere on the bottle does it mention that it's a German/Bavarian Hefewiezen, as it simply calls it a classic craft beer and it mentions it has German hops. Mmmmkay? Pours a pretty standard straw yellow color. Even though it's unfiltered, you'd never know it by looking. Looks just like a filtered wheat beer to me. Much like anything from SA, it's really foamy at first. Smells pretty grainy and wheaty. It's got a sweet smell, but it doesn't have any of the yeast smells of a true Hefe or Wit. Seems this is a normal wheat ale. Taste is sweet and somewhat malty with English style hop flavors in the finish. The hops don't really offer any bitterness, but more of just a dryness. Pretty pedestrian, even for the style. I think if I did a blind test with this beer and SA's other pale offerings I doubt I'd even really be able to tell them apart. Not really even very hearty with the wheat flavors and the hops are just very plain. It's not bad...but very pedestrian. Goes down easy enough and it might be okay for a hot day, but there are others even within the pale wheat category, that do a better job. If you like American wheat beers, there are many others that I'd choose ahead of this one. Come on SA. We know that you understand classic European styles. How about either livening this up or just calling it what it is: Sam Adams Wheat? There's nothing wrong with it (other than the name), but there really isn't much right either. It's a little better than the typical macro lager, but below average for the style.