Samuel Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Bock
State/Country: Massachusetts
ABV: 7.0%
Serving Type: On Tap @ Hawthorne's

Look: 9.5
Black color with reddish hues, thick creamy tan head with great lacing.

Smell: 8.5
Dark chocolate, roasted malt, and lots of cherry

Taste: 9
Blast of cherries and chocolate up front, balanced by the hops and roast in the middle, and finishing with chocolate and cherries.  Flavors are linear, which is typical for the style

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium-heavy body with low carbonation, and a slick finish

Drinkability: 9
Decadent!

Overall Score: 9

Value: 7
Cost/12 oz serving: $5.50

Overall Impression:
It was like drinking Cellas® dark chocolate covered cherries.  Deelish!

Food Pairing:
As I was drinking this I was thinking how great it would be with ANY type of chocolate desert with or without cherries strawberries or raspberries, cheesecake again with or without fruit, and vanilla ice cream.  I paired my second one with food...here is the review

Samuel Adams Lattitude 48 IPA

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: American IPA
State/Country: Massachusetts
ABV: 6.0%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Deep amber color, clear, decent head with nice lacing

Smell: 8.5
Bready malts, toffee, earthly hops, mild citrus

Taste: 9
Up Front: Sweet malt, bright hoppy flavor. Finish: Caramel, and spicy hops

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Medium body, slightly sticky, well carbonated

Drinkability:9
Goes down easy. Leaves you wanting more

Overall Score: 8.7
Value: 10
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.60

Overall Impression:
Samuel Adams is no longer held in high regard by most beer geeks. Perhaps they are just viewed as a Macro-brewer? I don't care, and don't get hung up on stupid shit like that. If the beer is good; it's good! And that IS the case with this beer. Latitude 48 is incredibly well balanced - great malt backbone with the right amount of hops to balance it all the way through. It is not overly grapefruity like just about every American IPA out there, but there is a touch of citrus in there, so I would not classify it as an English IPA. Regardless of classification, if you are looking for a great IPA without breaking the bank, look no further!

Harpoon Leviathan Saison

Reviewed By: Herr Mike
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale
State/Country: Massachusetts
ABV: 9%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 9
Pale gold color, GIGUNDO head, nice lacing

Smell: 10
Banana, funky yeast, honey, coriander

Taste: 9
Up Front: Fruity, sweet, spicy, slight alcohol. Finish: Sweet with a dry spicy finish

Mouthfeel: 8
Very effervescent, clean and crisp

Drinkability: 8.5
The alcohol is well hidden in this monster. Mortalz, proceed with caution!

Overall Score: 8.9

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $2.40

Overall Impression:
This is a good beer, but, it is bordering on a Tripel style rather than a Saison. If I was rating this beer on style alone, it would have received a lower score. At least it’s better than the crappy movie of the same name that came out in 1989!

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Bohemian Pilsner
State/Country: Massachusetts
ABV: 5.2%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 9
Deep golden color, clear, nice fluffy head, nice lacing

Smell: 8.5
Spicy hops, earthly & floral, sweet malt

Taste: 8.5
Up Front: spicy hops, floral & earthly, lemon zest
Finish: Sweet malt

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Light-medium bodied, perfect carbonation, very crisp

Drinkability: 10
Very easy to drink. It's one I could pound all day. Great session beer

Overall Score: 8.9

Value: 10
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.51.

Overall Impression:
Pilsner is not a style I drink often, but this is certainly one I would drink when I'm in the mood for something light, crisp, and refreshing. This is a great "starter" beer for Newbeez!

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Rick (Back on 11/01/09)
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
State/Country: Massachusetts
ABV: 9.2%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 10
Opaque black with a dark brown head, which dissipates quickly. Very nice lacing!

Smell: 9
Caramel, molasses, chocolate, coffee, toffee and a bit of smoke

Taste: 10
Up Front: Booze, toffee, coffee and chocolate. Finish: Smooth, with a huge amount of toffee that lingers to the very end, and little smoke.

Mouthfeel: 9
Low carbonation, with an very rich almost oily texture. Alcohol bite is noticeable, but should mellow with age

Drinkability: 9
Very drinkable and complex, with a super rich taste that goes on forever!

Overall Score: 9.4

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $2.68. A ton of flavor for a decent price!

Overall Impression:
Samual Adams has created an excellent Russian Imperial Stout. It's one of my favorite Imperial Stouts not aged in a barrel. I just LOVE toffee!!! This one should age very well. Highly recommended!!! This one is not for the meek though.